Very Vanilla Cupcakes

I didn't get to do any baking this weekend as we were out and about for most of it.

So today I started to suffer from withdrawals and decided to bake my favourite vanilla cupcakes.

Sometimes, even though there are a whole heap of luscious, decadent cake recipes out there, you just need the pure, unadulterated innocence that is vanilla.

Normally, I don't bake things that have more than one step to them if Rusty isn't home to entertain the little guy. But today I decided to have a crack at it.

It all started out well....until it came time to fill the cupcake papers with batter. Right about that time Blue decided he wasn't happy with this baking caper and made sure I knew about it.

Undeterred, I strapped him into his Ergo and off we went to distribute all the silky batter between our 24 cucpake papers.

About 5 in, my little man decided that he just wasn't gonna take it anymore and wriggled his little heart out....batter went everywhere and my plans for perfect, beautifully decorated cupcakes went out the window.....

I'm crushed!
I had plans to make these little bites of vanillary perfection stunning, to wow you with my decorating prowess.

Unfortunately, I had to hastily pipe the icing on with an 8 month old on one hip and piping bag in the other.
Not the most elegant look but they are still yummy!

Very Vanilla Cupcakes w/ Vanilla Buttercream Icing
Adapted from The Crabapple Bakery Cupcake Cookbook By Jennifer Graham.

You'll Need...

- 2 3/4 cups plain flour
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 200g softened unsalted butter
- 1 3/4 cups castor sugar
- 4 eggs at room temperature
- 1 1/4 tablespoon vanilla extract
- 1 cup full fat milk at room temperature

Then you...

- Preheat your oven to 170c. Line 2 x 24 hole muffin tins with cupcake papers.
- Sift together flour & baking powder. Set aside.
- In the bowl of an electric mixer cream butter for 2 mins. Add caster sugar a third at a time, beating for 1-2 mins after each addition until the mixture is almost white in colour and the sugar has almost dissolved.
- Add eggs one at a time beating until the mixture is light and fluffy after each addition.
- Add vanilla and beat until combined.
- Add a third of the flour to the creamed mixture and mix on low speed until well combined. Pour in half the room temperature milk and beat until just combined.
-Repeat this process finishing with the remaining third of the flour.
- Do not overbeat as this will toughen the mixture.

Spoon mixture into cupcake papers, filling about 3/4 full. Bake for 18-20 mins then turn out onto wire cake racks to cool completely before icing.

Vanilla Buttercream Frosting

- 200g softened unsalted butter
- 1/2 cup milk

- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract

- 8 cups icing sugar (yep you read right....8 cups)

- Cream the butter until light and fluffy.
- Add the milk, vanilla extract and 4 cups of your sifted icing sugar,
- Beat for 3-4 mins or until mixture is light and fluffy.
- Add the remaining 4 cups of icing sugar and beat until the mixture is smooth and of a spreadable consistency.

- Add any colouring or flavouring you wish and beat until you reach the requied colour or flavour.

Easy Peasy Pavlova

After chatting with a couple of friends recently, I've been really surprised at how many people are too scared to  make pavlova from scratch, opting instread to buy a ready made one from the supermarket.

If you'd ever had a homemade pavlova you honestly can't compare the taste and texture to the ones you buy in a box.

Yeah they're quicker but a hell of a lot more expensive and they just don't have any wow factor to them!

A good pav is sooooo easy to make as well if you know some of the tricks....

= Cook a pav in a slow oven without the fan on if you can. Always allow your pav to cool in a switched off oven with the door just slightly ajar until it is completely cold.

= Use room temperature egg whites and make sure the bowl your using is completely clean or they won't stiffen.

= Add your sugar in a steady stream while beating. Don't just dump it in.

And thats it. Top your pavlova with whipped cream and seasonal fruit and your all set!


You'll need...

- 6 egg whites (room temperature)
- 1 1/2 cup caster sugar
- Pinch Cream of Tartar

Then you...

- Preheat oven to 120c or 100c if using a fan forced oven.
- Line a pizza tray or baking sheet with baking paper and mark a 23cm circle*
- Beat egg whites in a clean bowl until stiff peaks form.
- Add caster sugar in a steady stream and beat for 10 mins or until sugar has dissolved and mixture is glossy and stiff.
- Add cream of tartar and beat a further 1 minute.
- Bake 1 hour until firm. Turn off oven and allow to cool with oven door slightly ajar until completely cold.

- Just before serving top with whipped cream, pureed rasperries or assorted seasonal fruit.

* Don't fill circle right to the edges as pavlova will spread just a little.

Thanks for stopping by
Hugs
Dee

Chocolate Bavarian Desert

When you think of Chocolate Bavarian what do you come up with? For me it's the frozen desert you get from the supermarket or when you order a meal deal through Pizza Hut.
A freezer burned chocolate mousse concoction over a powdery chipboard biscuit base.
Yuck!

So, last week when I was lacking a little in inspiration (and sleep) of what to bake for his lunches, I told Rusty to set me a challenge.
When he asked me to make a Bavarian from scratch I was apprehensive. After all, they are still gonna taste like frozen chocolate mousse over cardboard right?
Oh, how wrong I was....

I made these bavarians in the mini form only because it's easier for Rusty to take in his lunchbox but they would work just as well as a whole tart/ pie.
It's up to you!
So Sara Lee eat your heart out....

Mini Chocolate Bavarians

1/4 cup caster sugar
1 tablespoon gelatin
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 3/4 cup whole milk
170g milk/ dark chocolate chopped
3 egg yolks lightly beaten
1 cup cream
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 packet sweet biscuits
melted butter approx 150g

Ok start off with your biscuit base.
-In a food processor (or in a plastic bag with a rolling pin) crush a packet of sweet biscuits until they resemble chunky breadcrumbs.
-Mix in melted butter until the mix holds together when pressed with the back of a spoon. You don't want it too buttery so just add a little at a time until you get the desired consistency.
-Press into the base of cupcake liners or a pie tin and refrigerate while you make your filling.

-In a medium saucepan add sugar, gelatin & salt.
-Whisk in milk, chopped chocolate (the finer the better) and stir until chocolate & gelatin dissolves and the mixture is nice and smooth.
-Stir a small amount of chocolate mix into egg yolks and then tip the eggy chocolate back into the sauce pan and cook for 2 mins. (we add the choc to the eggs to temper them so that way you don't end up with chocolate scrambled eggs)

-DO NOT BOIL!

-Pour into a large bowl and press cling wrap onto the top of hot liquid and chill until partly set. About an hour - but check regularly as you don't want it to be too solid.

-Beat cream and vanilla together until stiff. Fold into chilled chocolate mixture until well combined and smooth.

-Pour over crumb base and chill for 4 hours or overnight.

-Top with whipped cream and enjoy!