Gluten-free mint choc chip cupcakes

Gluten-free mint choc chip cupcakes (makes 12 muffin size cakes)

Ingredients

• 90g butter, softened
• 80g Hotel Chocolat dark chocolate buttons
• 160 ml (2/3 cup) semi-skimmed milk
• 2 eggs
• 1/2 teaspoon peppermint essence
• 220g (1 cup) brown sugar
• 100g (2/3 cup) gluten free self-raising flour, sieved
• 2 tablespoons Hotel Chocolat organic cocoa powder, sieved

Cooking instructions

1. Preheat oven to 160-180 deg C (325-350 deg F)
2. Line muffin tray with paper cases
3. Place chocolate and milk in a small saucepan and stir over low heat until smooth
4. Beat butter, eggs, peppermint essence and sugar with an electric mixer until the mixture turns a pale colour
5. Stir in flour, cocoa, and warm chocolate mix until mixed thoroughly
6. Divide mixture among cases
7. Bake for 25-30 minutes
8. Place cakes on a wire rack to cool

To decorate (24 cupcake size cakes)

What you will need

• 24 fondant blue butterflies
• 56 small fondant flowers
• Vanilla buttercream
• Grass icing tube no.233
• Icing bag or bottle

Instructions

1. Spoon green buttercream into a piping bag or bottle fitted with a nozzle attached
2. On top of the cakes, starting at outside edge and working in circles, pipe buttercream by squeezing a small amount onto cake at 90 degree angle, pulling up and away when icing strand is long enough (about 3 cm) stop squeezing and pull tip away at various angles (see pics for how-to)
3. Push fondant flowers and butterfly lightly into iced grass

Have a sweet day!

Gluten-free Cranberry & Almond cupcakes

Cranberry & almond cupcakes (makes 12 muffin size cakes)

Ingredients
125g (4.5 ounces) butter, softened
1/2 teaspoon (1/6 ounces) vanilla extract
150g (2/3 cup) caster sugar
2 eggs
170g dried cranberries
50g (1/2 cup) slivered almonds
150g (1 cup) Gluten free self-raising flour
60ml (1/4 cup) semi-skimmed milk


Cooking instructions

1. Preheat oven to 160-180 deg C (325-350 deg F).
2. Line muffin tray with paper cases.
3. Beat butter, eggs, vanilla extract and sugar with an electric mixer until the mixture turns a pale colour.
4. Stir in fruit, nuts, flour and milk.
5. Divide mixture among cases.
6. Bake for 25-30 minutes
7. Place cakes on a wire rack to cool.

Above are pics of my cupcakes on "My Winter Woodland Dessert Table".



I also made an extra set of gluten-free cranberry & almond cupcakes that I packaged up in a hand printed box and gave as a Christmas present.

Have a sweet day!

Petal paste owl

Ingredients

• Petal paste
• Brush on dust in Ivory Shimmer
• Edible cake glitter in Disco Nutmeg

Equipment

• Owl bas relief mould
• Paint brush

Instructions

1. Thoroughly knead petal paste.
2. Push paste into mould, removing any excess that stands proud.
3. Turn mould upside down, push back of mould so owl falls out.
4. Leave to set for 5-10 mins.
5. Brush ivory shimmer over owl except for eye area.
6. Brush Disco nutmeg glitter round eyeball.
7. Colour in eyes, beak and claws with chocolate pen.
8. Leave to set hard.

Have a sweet day!

Pear and maple gluten-free cupcakes

Pear and maple gluten free cupcakes (makes 12 muffin size cakes)

Ingredients
60g white butter, softened
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
110g brown sugar
2 eggs
1 fresh pear, cut into small chunks
60ml maple syrup
150g (1 cup) self-raising gluten free flour


Cooking instructions

1. Preheat oven to 160-180 deg C (325-350 deg F).
2. Line muffin tray with paper cases.
3. Beat butter, flours, eggs, cinnamon, maple syrup and sugar with an electric mixer until the mixture turns a pale colour.
4. Stir in pears.
5. Divide mixture among cases.
6. Bake for 25-30 minutes.
7. Place cakes on a wire rack to cool.

Maple Frosting (covers 12 muffin size cakes)

Ingredients
60g white butter, softened
4 teaspoon maple syrup
100g icing sugar (2/3 cup powdered sugar)
green food colouring


Cooking instructions

1. Beat butter, icing sugar, food colouring and maple syrup with an electric mixer until the mixture stands in peaks.
2. Spoon into a piping bag fitted with a small star nozzle.
3. Pipe on top of the cakes in small peaks.

To decorate (12 muffin size cakes)

You will need
Roll on white icing
Flower blossom plunger cutters
Pink sprinkles

Instructions

1. Lightly dust surface with icing sugar, knead icing till soft and pliable.
2. Roll out white icing using rolling pin to be between 3-5mm thick.
3. Cut out 36 medium and 36 small flowers using flower blossom plunger cutter.
4. Lightly dampen undersides of the small flowers with water using a small paintbrush and place on medium flowers, push pink sugar strands into centre of flowers.
5. Place 3 flowers on the centre of each cake.

Have a sweet day!

Lemon cream gluten free cupcakes

Lemon cream cupcakes (makes 12 muffin size cakes)

Ingredients
90g (1/3 cup) butter, softened
90g (1/3 cup) cream cheese
2 teaspoons finely grated lemon rind
2 eggs
150g (2/3 cup) caster (superfine) sugar
150g (1 cup) Gluten Free self-raising flour


Cooking instructions

1. Preheat oven to 160-180 deg C (325-350 deg F).
2. Line muffin tray with paper cases.
3. Beat butter, eggs, cream cheese, lemon rind and sugar with an electric mixer until the mixture turns a pale colour.
4. Stir in flour until mixed thoroughly.
5. Divide mixture among cases.
6. Bake for 25-30 minutes.
7. Place cakes on a wire rack to cool.

To decorate (for 12 muffin size cakes)

Ingredients
Vanilla butter frosting
Green sprinkle sugar

Instructions

1. Fill piping bag with the vanilla frosting and pipe in a swirl on top of cakes.
2. Sprinkle green sugar on top.

Have a sweet day!

My whimsical kitchen ideas

1. My laundry room ideas
2. Bunny dish rack
3. Nigella Lawson blue salt pig
4. Butterfly mug
5. Pretty cleaning cloths
6. Maxwell & Williams H₂0 bottle in aqua

I start my new series of posts, "Fridays Finds", with whimsical ideas for the sink area in my new Kitchen.

I have decided to go for a white ceramic sink, to go along with oak wood worktops, white brick tiles, white door and drawer fronts, and one or two walls painted in duck egg blue.

To add interest, and to keep it fun and fresh, I love the idea of a whimsical-looking sink area. Behind the white ceramic sink is a window so I will go for objects that can sit on the window sill and around the sink area; perhaps a blue salt pig to keep my pretty cleaning cloths in, my butterfly mug to hold cleaning brushes in and a cute bunny dish rack on the draining board. For my washing up liquid I would like to get the pretty H₂O bottle above with a chrome bottle pourer in the top.

Have a sweet day!

New Kitchen

Cute Kitchen cupboard

Portobello tea cups

Mini Le Creuset

Kitchen utensils

Kitchen baking utensils

I am so excited! We are going to put a new kitchen in our house! Our current kitchen has electric blue skirting boards, a brass hood, missing lino floor tiles, missing handles, doors etc, a beige sink and a fridge freezer that covers the window. You get the idea, it is one nasty kitchen!

As kitchens are once or twice in a lifetime projects I want a kitchen that has longevity, with a classic design but one that feels modern. I am looking at white door and drawer fronts as white is definitely a classic in kitchen design. It gives a light and airy feel, yet is elegant as it is not the most practical colour for a kitchen. I'm hoping it will work as a classic backdrop to my colourful kitchen accessories and personal style.

I will share with you here the great finds and pretties I find along the way!

Have a sweet day!

Banana cupcakes

Banana cupcakes (makes 12 muffin size cakes)

Ingredients
125g (4.5 ounces) butter, softened
1/2 teaspoon (1/6 ounces) vanilla extract
150g (5.2 ounces) caster sugar
2 eggs
225g (8 ounces) Gluten free self-raising flour
2 large mashed ripe bananas

Cooking instructions

1. Preheat oven to 160-180 deg C (325-350 deg F).
2. Line muffin tray with paper cases.
3. Beat butter and sugar with an electric mixer until the mixture turns a pale colour.
4. Beat in eggs, flour and vanilla extract.
5. Stir in the mashed banana and mix thoroughly.
6. Divide mixture among cases.
7. Bake for 25-30 minutes.
8. Place cakes on a wire rack to cool.

To decorate (for 12 muffin sized cupcakes)

Ingredients
36 mini eggs
Chocolate butter frosting

Instructions

1. Using a small palette knife spread a thin layer of frosting on the center of the cakes.
2. Fill piping bag with the chocolate frosting and pipe in a large swirl around the top edge of the cakes.
3. Place 3 mini eggs in the center.

Have a sweet day!

Easter chocolates

This year I decided to make my own Easter chocolates. As the homemade honeycomb went down such a treat at Christmas I also wanted to add honeycomb to my chocolates. So, after making a fresh batch of honeycomb, letting it cool down and then breaking it into small pieces, I started tempering my chocolate. I made large bunny heads filled with big chunks of honeycomb, bunny lollipops with a honeycomb crumbed back, honeycomb-filled chocolate eggs and lots of chocolate bunnies.

I better get back to finishing!

Wishing you all a wonderful Easter!
x

Easter cupcakes

Chocolate nests by Torie Jayne

Bucket of chocolate nests by Torie Jayne

Easter toffee apple cupcakes by Torie Jayne

Flowers cupcake by Torie Jayne

I can't wait to start baking for Easter. Last year the toffee apple cupcakes went down a treat so I will have to make some more of those. For the above pics, just click the links below them to be taken to a post containing recipes and how to's.

To make your cupcakes look even prettier try out some of the pretty wrappers below:

Pretty pink plaid cupcake liners

45 blue floral baking cups

Assorted pretty pastel tulip cupcake liners

Pastel muffin cake cases

Cupcake wrapper wicker basket

Have a sweet day!

Easter cookie cutters

Bunny Cookies

Egg shaped cookies

Bunny Cookies

Lakeland Easter Cookie Cutters

Stamp & Style Easter Cookie Cutters

Bunny Ears Cutter Set 2pc

Mini Easter cookies

8 Piece Colourful Easter Cookie Cutter Set

Easter Cookie Cutter Set - 5 Pack - only one pound!

Following on from yesterday's Flickr Faves post, Easter cookies, I thought I'd share some of the other fun Easter cookie ideas I found.

Have a sweet day!

Easter Cookies!

This week on Flickr Faves Sunday, I bring you some pretty Easter cookies with these gorgeous pics. Check back soon for some more of the most inspirational photographers on Flickr.

Some beautiful shots from my Flickr favourites (clockwise from top left):

• The sweet butterflies, ducks, rabbits and eggs in easter basket by Lynn In Singapore
  
• The pretty decorated in Easter Cookies by Glorious Treats
  
• The detailed decoration in Easter Egg by Haniela
  
• The wonderful Spring Animals by Glorious Treats

Have a great day!

Strawberry rose cupcakes

Strawberry rose cupcakes (makes 12 cup cakes)

Ingredients
125g (4 ounces) butter, softened
200g (7 ounces) caster sugar (superfine)
3 eggs
300g (10.5 ounces) Gluten free self-raising flour
140 ml milk
150g fresh strawberries, diced
1/2 teaspoon rose essence
pinch of salt

Cooking instructions

1. Preheat oven to 160-180 deg C (325-350 deg F)
2. Line baking tray with paper cases
3. Beat butter and sugar in a bowl with an electric mixer until the mixture turns a pale colour
4. Stir in the eggs and salt and mix thoroughly
5. Stir in half the flour
6. Stir in the strawberries, rose essence and milk
7. Stir in the remaining flour
8. Spoon mixture into cases
9. Bake for 12-15 minutes
10. Place cakes on a wire rack to cool

Cream cheese Frosting

Ingredients
250g (8.8 ounces) cream cheese
150g butter (5.2 ounces)
400g icing sugar (14.1 ounces)
1/2 teaspoon vanilla essence

Cooking instructions

1. Beat cream cheese, butter, icing sugar and vanilla essence for 30 seconds

Decorating the cakes

You will need:
Cream cheese frosting
Roll-on icing (sugar paste)
Pale pink food colouring paste
Rolling pin
Butterfly cutter
Small paintbrush
Piping bag and nozzle
Sieved icing sugar (confectioners sugar)

1. Fill piping bag with cream cheese frosting and pipe in peaks on top of the cakes
2. Dust work surface with icing sugar
3. Place roll-on icing onto surface and gradually add food colouring to roll-on icing with a cocktail stick (as it is very concentrated), and knead colour in. Keep adding food colouring until you get desired colour
4. Roll out icing so it is about 5mm thick, and cut out butterfly shape using cutter
5. Place on top of cake, and with a damp brush lightly paint the top to bring back the shine

As I have to have a gluten free diet, I substitute the self-raising flour for gluten and wheat free self raising flour.

Blush butterfly cupcake cases

Have a sweet day!

Butterfly sugar cookies

Sugar cookies (makes about 30 medium and 10 small cookies)

Ingredients
227g ( 8 ounces) butter, softened
390g (13.7 ounces) gluten free plain flour
200g (7 ounces) granulated sugar
2 large eggs
1/2 teaspoon salt
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
2 tsp vanilla essence

Cooking instructions

1. In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, salt and baking powder, and set aside
2. Beat butter and sugar in a bowl with an electric mixer until the mixture turns a pale colour
3. Add the eggs and vanilla essence and whisk until combined
   
4. Add the flour mixture and whisk until you have a smooth dough
5. Wrap the dough in clingfilm and leave in fridge for one hour
6. Preheat oven to 160-180 deg C (325-350 deg F)
7. Lightly dust work surface with flour
8. Roll out dough so it is about 1cm thick. Turn continually so dough does not stick to surface
9. Cut out desired shapes with a lightly floured cookie cutter
10. Transfer to baking sheets
11. Place unbaked cookies in fridge for 15 mins
12. Bake for 8-10 mins
13. Place cookies on a wire rack to cool

As I have to have a gluten-free diet, I substitute the plain flour for gluten and wheat free plain flour.

Decorating the cookies

You will need:
Roll-on icing (sugar paste)
Pale blue & pale pink food colouring paste
Rolling pin
Butterfly cutters
Small paintbrush
Sieved icing sugar (confectioners sugar)

1. Lightly dust work surface with sieved icing sugar
2. Place roll-on icing onto surface and gradually add food colouring with a cocktail stick (as it is very concentrated), and knead colour in. Keep adding food colouring until you get desired colour
3. Roll out icing so it is about 5mm thick, and cut out butterfly shape using cutter
4. Lightly dampen underside of icing
5. Place on top of cookie, and with a damp brush lightly paint the top to bring back the shine

Butterfly cookie cutter

Butterfly cookie cutter set

Printed butterfly bag instructions coming soon............

Have a sweet day!