Chocolate cupcakes with raspberry icing
Prep time: 15 mins
Baking time: 20 mins
Makes 12
115g butter
40g chocolate, finely chopped
60g cocoa powder
95g plain flour
1/2 tsp baking soda
3/4 tsp baking powder
2 eggs
100g sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract
4 tbsp thick yogurt
For the Raspberry icing
200g frozen raspberries, defrosted
150g soft butter
200g icing sugar
12 fresh raspberries, to garnish
1. Preheat the oven to 180°C and line a 12-cup muffin tin with cases. Melt butter and chocolate in a bain-marie and mix in cocoa powder.
2. In a small bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda and baking powder. Whisk the eggs in a medium bowl, then add sugar and vanilla extract and whisk until fully incorporated.
3. Add the chocolate mixture to the egg mixture and whisk to combine. Add half of the flour mixture and combine. Add yogurt and mix in. Sift in the rest of the flour mixture and whisk until everything is well combined.
4. Divide the batter evenly among the muffin cases. Bake for 18-20 mins or until a skewer inserted into the centre of the cupcakes comes out clean. Place the tin on a wire rack and let the cupcakes cool in the tin for a few minutes before removing them and placing them on the rack to cool.
5. To make the raspberry buttercream icing, purée and sieve the raspberries. Add butter and icing sugar and whisk until blended. Spoon mixture into a piping bag and pipe over cooled cupcakes. Place a fresh raspberry on each cupcake and serve.
Dubai’s magnificent bistros
Thrill of the grill
Holidays at home
More stories
Carrot cupcakes with orange blossom icing
Prep time: 30 mins
Baking time: 25 mins
Makes 12
2 eggs
225g light brown sugar
100ml vegetable oil
1 tsp orange blossom
water
250g carrots, grated
1 large banana, mashed
200g plain flour
1 1/4 tsp bicarbonate
of soda
1/4 tsp ground ginger
60g pecans, chopped
For the Icing
200g cream cheese, softened
100g butter, softened
1 tsp orange blossom
water
200g icing sugar
2 tbsp double cream
12 chocolate squares, to serve
1. Preheat the oven to 180°C and line a 12-cup muffin tin with cases.
2. Beat together the eggs and brown sugar in a bowl. Mix in the oil and orange blossom water then fold in the carrots and banana.
3. In a separate bowl, mix flour, bicarbonate of soda and ginger. Add flour mixture into the carrot mixture and mix until well combined. Fold in the pecans, then spoon evenly into muffin cases.
4. Bake for 25 minutes, or until a skewer inserted in the centre of a cupcake comes out clean.
5. Meanwhile, for the icing, beat together cream cheese and butter until smooth. Mix in the orange blossom water and icing sugar using an electric whisk until the mixture is fluffy, then fold in the double cream.
6. Cool cakes before topping with icing topping with icing and chocolate squares.
Coffee and hazelnut cupcakes with cream cheese icing
Prep time: 20 mins
Baking time: 20 mins
Makes 12
120g butter
120g caster sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp coffee essence
25ml brewed instant coffee*
150g plain flour
1 tsp baking powder
100g hazelnuts, chopped
12 fresh blueberries
White chocolate shards, to serve
For the icing
100g cream cheese, softened
200g icing sugar
2 tsp coffee powder
1. Preheat the oven to 170⁰C and line a 12-cup muffin tin with cases. In a large mixing bowl, beat together butter and sugar until creamy and fluffy.
2. Beat the eggs with the coffee essence and pour the mixture into the butter and sugar, mixing thoroughly until well combined.
3. Add the coffee, flour, baking powder and hazelnuts and mix well. Divide the mixture equally into the cases and bake for 20 mins or until a skewer inserted in the centre of a cake comes out clean. Leave to cool in the tin for 10 mins, then transfer to a wire rack.
4. Meanwhile, to make the icing, fold together cream cheese, icing sugar and coffee powder. Swirl on top of each cupcake and top with blueberries and white chocolate shards.
* To make coffee, dissolve about 1 tsp of instant coffee in 1 cup of boiling water.
This recipe uses only 25ml so discard the rest – or drink it!
Red velvet with labneh icing
Prep time: 20 mins
Baking time: 20 mins
Makes 12
4 tbsp butter, softened
95g sugar
1 egg
2 1/2 tbsp cocoa powder
3 tbsp red food colouring
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
5 tbsp buttermilk
150g plain flour
1/2 tsp baking soda
12 fresh blueberries
For Labneh frosting
60g butter, at room temperature
80g labneh
100g icing sugar
1. Preheat the oven to 180°C and line a 12-cup muffin tin with cases.
2. In a food processor, beat butter and sugar until light and fluffy, then turn
the speed to high and add the egg.
3. In a separate bowl, mix together cocoa powder, red food colouring and vanilla extract to make a thick paste. Add to butter mixture and mix.
4. Add half the buttermilk and half the flour. Mix until combined. Add baking soda. Turn speed of processor to high and beat until smooth, adding remaining buttermilk and flour.
5. Divide batter evenly between cases and bake for 20 mins.
6. Let cupcakes cool before turning out on to a cooling rack.
7. To prepare icing, whisk butter and labneh for 5 mins, adding icing sugar gradually. Pipe over cupcakes and garnish with blueberries.
Peanut butter cream cupcakes
Prep time: 20 mins
Baking time: 20 mins
Makes 12
8 tbsp butter
175g plain flour
1/2 tsp baking soda
3/4 tsp baking powder
2 eggs
95g sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract
4 tbsp sour cream
Toasted peanuts, to garnish
White chocolate strips, to garnish
For the icing
100g sugar
100g creamy peanut butter
3/4 tsp vanilla extract
3 tbsp whipped cream
1. Preheat the oven to 180°C and line a 12-cup muffin tray with cases.
2. Whisk the butter until creamy and smooth, then set aside.
3. Sift together flour, baking soda and baking powder in small bowl.
4. Whisk the eggs, then add sugar and vanilla extract and beat until fully incorporated. Add the butter and whisk until combined. Sift about onethird of flour mixture over the egg and butter mixture and whisk until combined. Whisk in sour cream, then sift remaining flour mixture over and whisk until batter is thick.
5. Divide the batter evenly among muffin cases. Bake for 18-20 mins or until a skewer inserted into the centre of a cupcake comes out clean.
6. Cool cupcakes in the tray for a few minutes and then remove and leave to cool on a wire rack.
7. Meanwhile, to prepare the peanut butter icing, place sugar, peanut butter and vanilla extract in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment. Mix on medium low speed until creamy, then fold in the cream. Pipe the icing over the cupcakes and garnish with toasted peanuts and white chocolate strips.
Peanut butter cream cupcakes
Prep time: 20 mins
Baking time: 20 mins
Makes 12
8 tbsp butter
175g plain flour
1/2 tsp baking soda
3/4 tsp baking powder
2 eggs
95g sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract
4 tbsp sour cream
Toasted peanuts, to garnish
White chocolate strips, to garnish
For the icing
100g sugar
100g creamy peanut butter
3/4 tsp vanilla extract
3 tbsp whipped cream
1. Preheat the oven to 180°C and line a 12-cup muffin tray with cases.
2. Whisk the butter until creamy and smooth, then set aside.
3. Sift together flour, baking soda and baking powder in small bowl.
4. Whisk the eggs, then add sugar and vanilla extract and beat until fully incorporated. Add the butter and whisk until combined. Sift about onethird of flour mixture over the egg and butter mixture and whisk until combined. Whisk in sour cream, then sift remaining flour mixture over and whisk until batter is thick.
5. Divide the batter evenly among muffin cases. Bake for 18-20 mins or until a skewer inserted into the centre of a cupcake comes out clean.
6. Cool cupcakes in the tray for a few minutes and then remove and leave to cool on a wire rack.
7. Meanwhile, to prepare the peanut butter icing, place sugar, peanut butter and vanilla extract in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment. Mix on mediumlow speed until creamy, then fold in the cream. Pipe the icing over the cupcakes and garnish with toasted peanuts and white chocolate strips.
