putting the FUN in funfetti

It's been a while since I turned on my oven to bake.

(Unless you count last weekend when I 'baked' then demolished a packet of frozen curly fries....?! 

Which were pretty awesome, but don't technically fall into the official 'baking' category...)

Yeah... so it's been a while.

But as I prepare to dust off the cake tins and create a dinosaur birthday cake for my favourite mini human and (self-appointed) God-Son, I realised I never posted the recipe for the cake I baked his Mama months ago for her special day.

So (through the magic of the blogesphere)
Here's a little somethin' I prepared earlier....

T H E   F U N F E T T I   C A K E

(For one of my favourite adult humans - xx)

T H E   C A K E 

1 and 2/3 cup plain flour

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1/4 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted

3/4 cup granulated sugar

1/4 cup packed light brown sugar

1 large egg

1/4 cup greek yogurt 

3/4 cup milk

1 Tablespoon vanilla extract

2/3 cup sprinkles

Preheat oven to 180C degrees. Spray cake tin generously with nonstick spray. Set aside.

In a medium bowl, mix together flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.

In a large microwave-safe bowl, melt butter in the microwave.

Whisk in the sugars vigorously getting out any brown sugar lumps - mixture will be gritty.

Whisk in egg, yogurt, milk, and vanilla extract until combined.

Slowly mix in dry ingredients until no lumps remain.

Batter will be thick. Slowly stir in sprinkles, but do not overmix because the sprinkles will bleed their colour.

Pour batter into prepared cake tin.

Bake for approx. 35 minutes.

Allow to cool.

T H E   I C I N G : 

W H I T E   C H O C O L A T E   B U T T E R C R E A M

300g unsalted butter, softened at room temperature

1 tsp vanilla extract

750g icing sugar

150g  white chocolate, melted

Cream the butter, vanilla and icing sugar together in a bowl until light and fluffy. 

Stir in the melted chocolate.

Cake stays fresh covered at room temperature or in the refrigerator for 5 days.

H O T   T I P
This cake was dense.
Best served warm.
With icecream.
For breakfast.

(because why not?!)

xx

Gingerbread Cupcakes

Did you hear that??

Yup - That's the sound of a collective sigh as everyone celebrates making it through all the Christmas festivities without stabbing one of our relatives with a plastic fork*.

I don't know about you.. But for me, Christmas time can be a little trying.
Emotions are heightened after a long tiring year; we miss loved ones that are unable to join our celebrations - some are interstate and others no longer with us. And alcohol makes some family and friends merry, whilst others become melancholic.

And so when it is all over, we are relieved. And finally, we can relax.

But what I have learnt is that cupcakes are always a source of Christmas Cheer.

G I N G E R B R E A D   C U P C A K E S

Christmas Cupcakes

These are my gingerbread Cupcakes with Maple Frosting.

Gingerbread Cupcakes

Cupcakes

1 + 1/2 cups plain flour

2 tablespoons ground ginger

2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon ground cloves

1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg

1 + 1/2 cups butter

1 + 1/2 cups sugar

3 tablespoons golden syrup

4 eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 180 degrees

In a large bowl, sift together flour and spices; set aside

In a separate bowl, cream butter and sugar until light

Add golden syrup

Beat in eggs, one at a time

Add vanilla

Add flour, mix on low speed until combined

Fill cupcake liners

Bake for approximately 25 minutes

Allow to cool before frosting.

Maple Frosting

1/3 cup butter

28 grams cream cheese

1/4 cup brown sugar

pinch of salt

1/4 cup maple syrup

1 cup icing sugar

Cream the butter, cream cheese, brown sugar and salt until light and fluffy;

Beat in maple syrup and vanilla;

Gradually add icing sugar until combined.

*Note: Yes.. sadly we are the family who use plastic cutlery on Christmas Day. The table is covered with a plastic Christmas themed table cloth and we pop cheap bon-bons and wear the tacky paper hats. Don't judge us.

xx

Smells Like Pancakes

It was Miss Morgan's Birthday last weekend.

I made cupcakes.

It's what I do.

These were vanilla with a butterscotch frosting topped with a malteser.

They smelt like pancakes. Warm pancakes drenched in maple syrup. It made my mouth water.

They tasted pretty good too.. In fact, it was suggested that these were "the best cupcakes ever". 

That's a pretty big statement.

I think the frosting was the winner. Make some and tell me it's not delicious.

How ?

100g butter

3 cups icing sugar

1/4 cup butterscotch liquor

YUM

Happy Birthday for last weekend Miss Morgan

 xx