Cooking Show: Cupcake Recipes & Decoration Techniques

A party without cupcakes is not a real party. Children and adults alike love cupcakes because they are manageable in size, and they can be decorated from very simple piping to elegant and elaborate, topped with one of Cupcake Wrapper Co’s beautifully designed wrappers. One thing’s for sure, they never fail to impress because they are adorable. Real cupcakes’ recipes are simple to make; they are rich yet fluffy, and the frosting is usually made out of butter and sugar mixed together – “Simplicity at its best.”

Christmas Cupcake

This Christmas cupcake recipe is an alternative to Christmas pudding, but it’s definitely NOT a Christmas pudding. The texture of it is still a cake, but it has the characteristics of the pudding. It is moist, soft and buttery at the same time, with hints of spices and fruits.

You need to begin preparation for the cupcake the night before. Roughly chop sultanas, raisins, candid peals and glacé cherries and soak in brandy and rum over night.

Makes about 12 full standard size cupcakes.

Pre-heat the oven a1 180C

Ingredients

15 grams mixture of sultanas and raisins

15 grams candied peals

15 glacé cherries, chopped finely

2 tbsp brandy

1 tbsp rum

115 grams unsalted butter, room temperature

55 grams caster sugar

55 grams brown sugar

2 medium size eggs

115 grams self-raising flour

Pinch of salt

1/8 tsp freshly grated nutmeg

1/8 tsp ground cinnamon

¼ tsp ground mixed spice

20 grams mixed nuts, chopped roughly

Directions:

1. Sieve Self-raising flour, salt, grated nutmeg, cinnamon and ground mixed spice together and set aside.
2. In the electric mixer, cream butter, caster sugar and brown sugar together until light and fluffy.
3. Stop the mixer and scrape the sides of the bowl, making sure that everything is well blended.
4. Divide eggs into 3 parts and dry ingredients into 2 parts. Whisk the ingredients into the creamed mixture alternately, starting with the egg mixture and end with the egg mixture. Scrape the sides of the bowl in between mixes to make sure all the ingredients are incorporated well.
5. Blend into the cake mix, fruits and nuts and the soaking alcohol.
6. Divide the mixture equally into 12 cupcake cases and bake in the oven for 25 minutes or until the skewer comes out clean.
7. Cool the cupcakes in a wire rack for at least 45 minutes to make sure they are cool before decorating them. You do not want the icing to melt!

Cream Cheese Frosting

Ingredients

50 grams salted butter, room temperature

50 grams shortening

150 cream cheese, cold

300 grams sifted icing sugar

1 tsp pure vanilla extract

Directions:

1. Beat all the ingredients together (omitting the cream cheese) in the mixer using the paddle attachment on medium to slow speed until the ingredients are starting to mix well.
2. Add all the cream cheese in one go, and beat until well incorporated.
3. Turn the mixer to high speed until the frosting is light and fluffy. Do not over beat the mixture.
4. Add food colouring as needed.

Nutella Chocolate Cupcake

For those of you who don’t like the taste and smell of spices, these chocolate cupcakes are definitely for you. This recipe is perfectly matched alongside the cream cheese frosting.

Makes about 12 full standard size cupcakes.

Pre-heat the oven at 180C

Ingredients

60 g unsalted butter, room temperature

160 g caster sugar

1 large egg

1 tsp pure vanilla extract

130 self-raising flour

Pinch of salt

100 g milk

60 g chocolate spread e.g. Nutella

Directions:

1. Sieve Self-raising flour and salt together, set aside.
2. In the electric mixer, cream butter, and caster sugar together until light and fluffy.
3. Stop the mixer and scrape the sides of the bowl, making sure that everything is well blended.
4. Beat in the egg and pure vanilla extract.
5. Divide milk into 3 parts and dry ingredients into 2 parts. Whisk the ingredients into the creamed mixture alternately, starting with the milk and end with milk. Scrape the sides of the bowl in between mixes to make sure all the ingredients are well incorporated.
6. Blend the chocolate spread into the cake mix.
7. Divide the mixture equally into 12 cupcake cases and bake for 25 minutes, or until the skewer comes out clean.
8. Cool the cupcakes in a wire rack for at least 45 minutes to make sure they are cool before decorating them.
9. Decorate with cream cheese frosting.

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