Savoury cupcakes? Why not…

Experimenting with recipes and ingredients is what makes cooking more interesting, Sometimes, you can have some good surprises and in fact many recipes are the result of experiments or even mistakes. While cupcakes stay amongst our favourite cakes and are first and foremost sweet ones, savoury cupcakes can be great for dinner parties or brunches when you want something different. Muffins are known for being as good when sweet then savoury, so why not cupcakes?

Breakfast or snack cupcakes

Imagine having cupcakes any time of the day, whether you are craving something savoury or something sweet! The idea behind a sweet cupcake is simply to enjoy our favourite cake from breakfast to dinner.

You can bake some for your first meal of the day with egg and bacon or smoked salmon and cream cheese. For lunch or brunch, try to make some ham and cheese cupcakes, or red pepper and parmesan ones.

Savoury cupcakes are definitely a good excuse to have cupcakes filled days and they can be a great surprises for your parties as well as a something your guests will not forget. You will also make some people happy, those who don’t really have a sweet tooth but like cupcakes as much as you.

Go on, be crazy and try something new that involves cupcakes!

Christmas Cupcake

1 week to go! These look wonderful!

Doris' Corner...a bit of everything

Red velvet cupcake with Swiss meringue buttercream

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Mojito Cupcake

Baking350Sweetness's Blog

MOJITO CUPCAKE

This cupcake seemed to be a big hit with my friends and thought I would share! EDDIE and MIKE!! 🙂 I started this madness with making all flavors in cupcakes when I went on Cupcake Wars, came back and went crazy with ideas. Mojitos seems to be a favorite of my friends and YES I never had one before so I was just guessing on the taste. So I needed a lot of Taste Testers! which I had no problem finding. I myself had one and it was really good. You could taste the Lime and the Rum and WOW!!! The glaze gave it a good punch to the whole flavoring. I will make these again for sure! Maybe for New Years EVE!!! I have more cupcakes to share with you, just not my Special ones from my old company.. Sorry *wink wink* Top secret!

Cupcake ingredients

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How to make a basic cupcake recipe a little bit more exciting

Why not jazz up your cupcakes next time you plan on baking and try something different. Instead of the same old chocolate or sponge cupcakes, try adding some food colouring or different sweets once they’ve been made.

All you need for a basic cupcake recipe is:

125g butter
125g caster sugar
250g self- raising flour
Pinch of salt
2 medium eggs
2 tablespoons milk

…and to make it a bit more exciting

200g icing sugar
1tbls blue food dye
Hand full of gummy sweets

Once the cupcakes have been made, all you have to do it make the coloured icing (mixing food colour into the icing) and add a few gummy sweets to the top, and straight away they look a lot nicer! If you want some ideas click here they have a variety of different fun and creative ideas on how to make your cupcakes cooler.

Halloween Cupcakes (again!)

The end of October is synonym of clocks going back and darker mornings, and for many the entry into the last weeks before Christmas. But before thinking about presents and trees, there is a more pressing matter: Halloween! Yes, the time when we all dress up in scary outfits and watch horror movies is nearly upon us…

If you’re having a party (who doesn’t?) or if you just want to impress your workmates, think Halloween cupcakes. But instead of stopping at a bloody coloured icing, go all the way and bake pumpkin cupcakes. What else than pumpkin symbolises best Halloween? Cobwebs maybe, so that’s what we will add onto the top.

The recipe is similar to that of a carrot cake, just substitute the carrots for some pumpkin or butternut squash. Spoon the mixture into a muffin or cupcake case lined with paper cases and bake until a skewer inserted in the middle comes out clean.

Once the cupcakes are cold, melt some white and dark chocolate in different bowls, and spoon the white onto the cakes. Make a cone with greaseproof paper or by cutting the corner of a food bag, put a dot of dark chocolate in the centre of the cakes and draw three circles. Use a skewer to draw lines from the dot to the edge of the cake, et voilà!

5 sexy cupcake recipes to surprise your boyfriend

There’s something so romantic about the cupcake: from the lush icing to the crumbly base, there’s nothing quite like sharing a sweet treat with someone you love – and then licking the leftover icing off their top lip.

Some people think cupcakes are just for girls – but here are five recipes that the special man in your life is sure to love. Scroll down for to discover how to keep the flame alive with these delicious treats.

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Chocolate

Chocolate is the ultimate aphrodisiac, and you can’t beat the way it melts on your tongue with every sumptuous bite. Try using cocoa in the base of the cupcake and real melted chocolate in the icing, and top it off with chocolate sprinkles for the ultimate chocolate experience.

White chocolate is a delicious alternative to the traditional dark or milk chocolate recipe. Try adding raspberries or strawberries to the cupcake base and finishing things off with some shavings of creamy white chocolate.

Liqueur

Try putting a smooth liqueur like port wine or Frangelico in your cupcake recipe to get your man in the mood. Add chocolate spread and cocoa to round out that rich nutty flavour, and make sure you dust it off with a sprinkle of icing sugar. Or, try making a Tiramisu-flavoured cupcake using Amaretto or Kahlua.

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Coffee

Give your cupcake recipe a jolt of caffeine by including espresso in the base of the recipe and putting a few drops into the icing recipe. Whether you’re topping your cupcake with chocolate or vanilla frosting, make sure to dust some chocolate powder on top.

Fruit

Any fruit can be included in a delicious cupcake recipe with a few simple ingredients. Mix strawberries, vanilla and buttercream for a unique take on the Strawberry Shortcake, or make a banana bread base and top it off with vanilla frosting and candied walnuts for a sexy update of a traditional recipe.

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His favourite dessert…

Does he crave key lime pie? Pine for peanut butter cups? Live for lemon tart? Whatever he loves, you can incorporate it into a cool cupcake recipe. It’s the best way to ensure he’ll go nuts for your baking – and there’s nothing sexier than giving someone exactly what they want.

Of course, if you’re still looking for that special someone to share sweet moments with, cooking could be the way to their heart. If you met dating online you should already know if it’s a shared interest. For more information about meeting people online, just visit a website like Jazzed. With such sites, you can outline exactly what you’re looking for and quickly discover whether you have chemistry or if things are a little flat – in which case, there are plenty more sweet guys to meet!

Resource box

Food Network Cupcake recipes

Food Network’s amazing cupcake recipe listings.

Tastespotting

An amazing resource for finding new and interesting recipes.

Summer Cupcake recipes

Martha Stewart’s guide to summer cupcakes.

How to bake for your whole office

Baking at home is lots of fun – you can easily delight your family with a tray of twenty or a dozen cupcakes. But when you want to pass out a special treat to everyone in your office, your child’s school, or even to sell at a market stall, you need to prepare and plan.

Here’s some advice guaranteed to help you delight with your baked goodies.

Pick something special

If you want your hand-out to be a talking-point – and really impress the boss! –think of an exciting hook. Could you make icing in the same colour as your company’s logo? Cakes referencing an in-joke (Janet’s love of kittens, Steven’s coin collection, etc)? If one workmate has a soft spot for a popular item like chocolate truffles or flapjacks, why not indulge them?

Plan your recipes carefully

Unless you have a catering-standard oven, you won’t be able to make more than 36 cupcakes, or 50 cookies, in one batch – even using both racks. But even this is a step up from the usual 10-12 cupcakes per batch. Carefully write down a tried and trusted recipe – then start multiplying!

Timing

You know you’ll need to set out at least a full afternoon to bake, but have you plotted out time for shopping? Icing and decoration?

Spread out the different stages in order to minimise the workload. First of all, of course, you’ll need to shop for the ingredients – this is where your helpful list will come in! Icing can be stored for around three days in the fridge if covered or in a secure container, so do that as soon as you can.

Remember that after the cupcakes are cooked, they’ll need to be left to cool for an hour or so before being iced. And make sure you allow some time after the baking to pack up.

Packing

If you’re planning a special event, or regular office hand-outs, it’s worth investing in some cupcake boxes. These have individual holes for each cupcake. Just make sure you don’t leave them in your office or event venue!

Special diets

Many people have special diets, whether for ethical reasons or because they’re allergic to certain ingredients. Chances are that some people in your office will have dietary restrictions – but you don’t want to leave them out of the baking fun!

You have two choices here: either bake a special ‘dietary needs’ batch, or make all your cupcakes vegan and free from nuts and gluten.

Nuts are fairly easy to eliminate. The only thing you need to watch out for is chocolate: nut-free and vegan chocolate is available, but if you want to do one big batch of cupcakes for everyone, it might be easier to go with a fruit-based recipe.

There are many substitutes for dairy products and ingredients heavy in gluten. Some of the most common are potato starch, xanthium gum, agave syrup (remember: honey isn’t vegan!) and egg replacer made by various brands. There’s more specific detail on recipes in the resource box below.

And remember – if your baked goods don’t bring in big smiles, or if all of this just seems too much effort, you can always order some hampers online – and no one needs to know where the tasty treats came from!

Resources 

Vegan Baking

An online vegan baking community

Bake in Bulk

Post on bulk baking from a popular baking blogger

Which?

Consumer review’s guide to baking equipment

‘The Big Apple’ Cupcake

As I’m sure you all know, the possibilities are endless when it comes to making cupcakes – I’ve made a lot! But there’s always that one that stands out to each individual..

My personal favourite cupcake would have to be chocolate-covered hi-hats.

This cupcake goes down well with many New Yorkers, but isn’t that common in many other places. A lot of people would think that I’m talking about covering a drum set with chocolate!

I had my first Hi-hat when I visited the Big Apple and knew that I had to make sure I worked on the perfect recipe.

Hi-hats can come in different flavours besides chocolate, but in my personal opinion, chocolate wins every day.

The chocolate-covered Hi-hats are unique in the fact that they consist of a marshmallow topping, which is then covered with a coat of chocolate.

Here’s how I make them:

–          Fill cupcake baking tray with your finest chocolate recipe.

–          Bake for 20 minutes at 180°C.

–          Put 1¾ cups of sugar, ¼ cup of water, 3 large egg whites, ¼ teaspoon cream of tartar, 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract & ½ teaspoon almond extract into a heatproof container.

–          Beat with a handheld electric mixer until white & foamy (approx. 1 min).

–          Place bowl over (not touching) a barely simmering pan of water.

–          Beat on high speed (approx. 12 min) until mixture stands straight up if you stop the beater and lift it up. Thermometer should read around 75°C.

–          Put mixture into a large pastry bag and apply spiral on top of the shorter cupcakes.

–          Put 2 cups semisweet chocolate & 3 tablespoons vegetable oil into a heatproof container.

–          Place bowl over (not touching) a barely simmering pan of water.

–          Stir until chocolate is melted and smooth.

–          Holding the base of the cupcakes, dip in chocolate then use a spoon to drip more chocolate over any missed gaps. Like so:

–          Leave to cool, and then strip off paper liners.

.. And there you have it!

I’ve experimented a lot with Hi-hats and believe that this recipe is by far the best I’ve tasted. I will leave you with some inspiration for other Hi-hat cupcakes – enjoy!

YUM!

ORIGINAL CUPCAKES DESIGNS

Tired of seeing the typical cupcake designs? Well, you can see some of the most original designs by looking online.

I bet you can’t imagine all the types you could find. Cupcakes related to fashion, cupcakes related to video games such as Mario or Angry Birds, even others designed from iconic films like Star Wars. It even goes as far as finding designs inspired by technology like the iPhone and Wii! There are many more amazing cupcakes designs as well.

Most of the designs are following trends and are very unusual. Everything these days follows trends, including cupcakes.

Find the perfect bakery to buy your next cupcakes. The Lanes at Brighton is a place to find different stores, specialising in cooking these little treats and they teach you as well with some tricks to cook them.

Some bakeries have mastered the art of making cupcakes, try looking around your own city and enjoy some examples!

Image source

Take some little cupcakes for your next event. All of your guests will enjoy for sure!

Top 10 cheesy wedding reception songs

Wedding receptions spring to life when the DJ starts playing those cheesy tunes. It’s the moment when young and old get to mingle on the dancefloor, so a fun-filled playlist is a must.

Playing classic cheesy songs ensures a party atmosphere. Tunes with easy dance moves are a winner, as are those tracks that are so bad they’re good! Take a look at this list of the top 10 cheesy songs that are a must-have at any wedding reception.

1)     Celebration

What better way to celebrate the joining of two people than by singing ‘celebrate good times, come on’ at the top of your voice? This Kool & the Gang classic was covered by Kylie Minogue, so you can pick the version that tickles your fancy.

2)     Hokey Cokey

Wedding receptions bring generations together, and choosing a playlist to suit all ages can be challenging. That’s where this gem comes in. Old and young alike will bend their knees, stretch their arms and sing ‘rah rah rah’ with glee.

3)     Agadoo

This 1984 novelty song by Black Lace often pops up in those most annoying songs polls, which is why it’s a classic. The dance moves will get guests grooving to this so-bad-it’s-good tune.

4)     Mambo No. 5

If a song can get Jim and Twiggy from The Royle Family dancing, then it’s got to be a good bet. Lou Bega brought the catchy number to the masses in 1999, and we have been wiggling our hips ever since.

5)     YMCA

Camp as Christmas and just as fun, this up-tempo number will get those arms in the air. If cheesy is your aim, you can’t go wrong with this crowd-pleaser.

6)     Conga

Nothing screams wedding reception like the Conga! Who can resist joining in when the line wobbles past? A great way for everyone to have fun together.

7)     Birdie Song

Any newlyweds who want to see their guests behaving like chickens need this song on their playlist. The Tweets’ 1980s version of the ‘Chicken Dance’ will get everyone flapping like mad.

8)     Macarena

Surely at least one guest at any wedding will know the dance moves to this 1990s hit. By the end of the song, everyone will be busting the Macarena moves!

9)     Oops Upside Your Head

Seeing your guests sitting in a line on the floor making rowing actions has got to be a fab photo opportunity for any bride and groom.

10)        Congratulations

Cliff Richard says it best in this popular wedding reception song. It’s a great choice for getting everyone singing along and is cheese at its most tasty.

So that’s the music sorted, but what about the venue? Newlyweds-to-be looking for wedding reception venues in Manchester, Cambridge, Leeds or anywhere else will find a range of options for the special day. Just make sure you check until what time you can go on partying.

Resource Box The Guardian: How to cut the cost of your wedding reception Tips for saving money without scrimping on quality. The Telegraph: Royal wedding music Listen to Kate Middleton and Prince William’s wedding playlist. Wedding Magazine: Top 100 first dance songs Get inspiration for that all-important first dance with this list of popular choices.