Merry Cakemas!

I would like to wish you all a very merry, cupcakey Christmas! Thank you for all your support this year!

Enjoy, K x

An Electrician Frosts a Cupcake

My younger brother, Max, began an electrical apprenticeship last year, and has since become a lot more 'blokey.' This has manifested in daily pub trips, calling lots of people (girls and boys alike) "mate", and eating more red meat than is healthy for normal humans. 

Recently, one evening, | somehow managed to prize him out of the aforementioned 'pub trip', and got him frosting and decorating chocolate orange cupcakes - here is the rather amusing outcome.

I proudly introduce the first video upload for Kate's Cakes and Cupcakes, proving that making a pretty little cake is within anyone's reach, 'An Electrician Frosts a Cupcake'. 

Enjoy, K x :)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y6PCQ_HvqxM

Super Boozy Christmas Cake

This isn't just any old Christmas cake, this is a special, take-your-breath away, boozy type of Christmas cake. Once you've had a slice of it,  no other cake ever compares, nothing else in life is ever quite as good...

      I made this cake for the first time last year and it received rave reviews, including one from my Grandma (one of my biggest baking rivals...) who claimed it was the best christmas cake she had ever tasted. I immediately assumed it wasn't simply a biased comment, based on our relation to one another, and took it as a massive, jaw-dropping compliment. 

     This cake is gluttonously rich, packed full of fruit and, by the 23rd of December, (when it has been  casually soaking in brandy for around five weeks...) it is also devilishly alcoholic. 

     The recipe I am uploading today is a work in progress, so I only have pictures of phase one - the cake itself. However, eventually your cake will end up covered in marzipan and rolled fondant icing, which will nonetheless be explained in this post. 

     It is of paramount importance that you spoon over a couple of tablespoons of brandy, three times a week onto your cake, until it is ready to be iced and served. 

Think of it as an old Uncle who has come to stay for the festive period who needs preserving with large quantities of alcohol. You should almost be able to hear it hiccupping by Christmas Eve!

(For the Cake)

250g plain flour

2 tsp mixed spice

2 tsp cinnamon 

225g butter

225g dark brown sugar

2 tbsp black treacle

1 tbsp marmalade

1 tsp vanilla essence

4 large eggs

850g mixed fruit, dried

150g mixed peel, chopped

200g glacé cherries, halved

150g blanched almonds, halved
(23 x 23 x 8cm, square cake tin)

Method:

• Preheat your oven to 150ºC (Gas Mark 2) and generously grease and line your cake tin.
• Initially combine the flour, spice, cinnamon, butter, sugar, treacle, marmalade, vanilla essence and eggs with an electric whisk.
• Once beaten into a creamy texture, stir in the remaining ingredients until they are well combined. 
• Then pour your mixture into your preprepared cake tin, before placing in the oven for 3 hours. (It may seem like a long time, but no raising agent is used so it is essential to cook for At LEAST this long!) 
• Remove your cake and check to see if it is cooked all the way through. If it is, remove and leave to cool. If not, place back into the oven for 20 minute intervals, until cooked thoroughly.
• Once completely cool, turn out into an airtight container and puncture roughly 10 small holes into the top of your cake. These holes will allow the brandy to soak through the sponge, leaving it deliciously moist.

Over the next few weeks - Pour 2 tbsp of brandy over your cake, 3 times a week, to ensure that your cake is moist for Christmas. Any more than this will soak your cake too much and it will crumble!

(For the Marzipan/Fondant Icing)

I firstly must admit to something - I never, ever make my own marzipan and wouldn't even know where to begin with it, even if I wanted to. Rolled marzipan is a wonderful thing and I suggest you all invest in some. If you plan on making your own then I salute you.

250g marzipan

1-2 tbsp apricot jam
675g icing sugar
2 egg whites 
1 tsp vanilla extract 
2 tbsp liquid glucose

Method:

• Initially, roll out your marzipan. Cut one piece large enough to cover the top of your cake and a further 4, smaller pieces for each, individual side of the cake.
• Paint apricot jam all over your cake. This acts as a glue for your marzipan and also helps to keep your cake moist. 
• Once you have entirely covered your cake in both apricot jam AND your rolled marzipan, place back in your airtight container for at least 24 hours. 
• Then combine your ingredients for the fondant icing, beginning with the beaten egg whites and ending with the glycerin and lemon juice, adding the icing sugar gradually.
• Once all your ingredients have been added, you should be left with a block of fondant icing. Then lightly dust a surface (and your rolling pin) with icing sugar, before rolling your icing out over it.
• Then place your icing over the cake, all in one piece. Don't worry if this doesn't work the first time, simply remove and re-roll!
• Once your cake is completely covered, decorate as you please and be as creative as is humanly possible.

This is a link to a short video about simple ways to decorate your cake if you are struggling for inspiration: http://www.dailymotion.com/video/xmf627_christmas-cake-decorating-ideas_lifestyle

Simply remember that glitter is your one true love, cake is your passion and brandy is your best friend.

Happy baking and Merry Christmas

Enjoy, K x

Red Velvet Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Frosting

Tomorrow I have to give a presentation to the rest of my third year class, naturally - to get them all on side - I decided to make them some cupcakes, and who doesn't like a simple red velvet? The thinking twenteenagers cake choice!

     I decided to simply use some red polka dot cases (which are made by "Sweetly Does It" - http://www.kitchencraft.co.uk/catalogue/range.aspx?gid=41675&pg=SZji0DjTvs1arL8U3%2bYCFw%3d%3d ) and some edible silver glitter to decorate. I have no doubt that the boys in my class will just LOVE them...

     I decided to frost half the cakes with a star formation (a little like giant iced gems) and the other half, I frosted with my signature swirl. This makes half the batch positively slimming for those who are weight conscious...I promise!

     The recipe I used is a simple variation on Hummingbird's classic recipe, so it's undeniably gorgeous!

(For the Sponge) Makes 24:

120g butter

300g caster sugar

2 eggs

40g cocoa powder

1 tsp vanilla extract

80ml red food colouring

240ml semi skimmed milk

300g plain flour

1 tsp bicarbonate of soda

3 tsp white vinegar

(For the Frosting)

600g icing sugar

100g butter

250g cream cheese (e.g Philadelphia)

• Simply heat your oven to 170ºC (Gas Mark 3) and bake for 20-25 minutes.
• Once cool, mix all your frosting ingredients together and decorate as you wish (glitter is preferable, always.) 

Enjoy, K x

Cupcake Based on "The Purple One" (Quality Street)

This recipe is relatively complicated, simply because for such a tiny cake, there's a lot of aspects that go in to getting it  perfectly caramelly/chocolatey and to the Quality Street ideal!   If you are creating this cupcake for a nut allergy sufferer, leave off the hazelnut on the top, as there is no other nut products involved in the making!
     I decided to simply encase my cakes in purple foil cases to give the look of "The Purple One" from the beloved Quality Street tin! I then garnished with a drizzle of caramel and one hazelnut, as is found in the centre of the chocolate.

Recipe - Makes 24:

(For The Chocolate Sponge) 

100g plain flour

20g cocoa powder

140g caster sugar

1 1/2 tsp baking powder

40g butter

120ml semi skimmed milk

1 egg

1 tsp vanilla extract

• Preheat oven to 170ºC (Gas Mark 3) and cook for 20-25 minutes. Remove and leave to cool.

(For The Caramel Sauce)

For this you will need a large, heavy bottomed pan.

200g light brown sugar

200g butter

180ml thick cream

• Melt the sugar and butter together in a pan until they are both dissolved. Stir regularly to avoid burning. 
• Once they are both melted take off the heat and stir in your cream until you have a gorgeous, thick caramel cream. 
• Set aside as this will be used for both your frosting and a final caramel drizzle.

(For The Caramel Frosting)

225g butter

125g icing sugar

2 tbsp vanilla essence

225ml preprepared caramel sauce

• Whisk these all together, you may need slightly more icing sugar depending on the density of the cream you used, so just add until your consistency is correct :)
• Once you have done this, use your remaining caramel sauce to drizzle over each cake before placing a hazelnut on the top. 

They're gorgeous,

Enjoy, K x

Baileys Cupcakes

Sometimes something is created in the kitchen that there's just no bettering and I’m fairly certain that it's these. They're super boozy, irresistibly smooth and packed full of what I now believe to be the true, unfaltering Irish charm.

To decorate, I used ten green paper cases and ten gold foil cases, each decorated simply with just one edible gold star. This made the cakes look rich in Irish colours with the simple glint of the gold star on the very top to add something quirky and special.

Feel free to keep adding Baileys to the frosting mix until your happy it's the right amount for your tastes, but be aware that as you add more liquid you will have to add more icing sugar, so make sure you have lots of both. 

Here's how I made them...

(For The Sponge - Makes 20) 

130g self raising flour

130g caster sugar

130g butter

10g cocoa powder

3 large eggs

1 tsp vanilla extract

2 tbsp Baileys  

(For The Frosting)

375g icing sugar

10g cocoa powder

125g butter

60ml Baileys  

1/4 tsp vanilla extract

• These are super simple, just heat your 

oven to 170ºC (Gas Mark 3) and cook

 for 15-18 minutes!

• Once cool, simply mix all your frosting 

ingredients together and decorate as 

you please!

Enjoy, K x