Chocolate Melt in the Middle Buns

I say buns... I'm sick of the word cupcake. I'm British. And after choosing to do a bloody dissertation on that fricking subject I refuse to refer to fairy cakes as them. Anyone with me on this?

Anywho, ranting aside, Abby and I decided to make some scrumptious buns the other day - chocolate melt in the middle with chocolate buttercream (not frosting ;) ) and sugar decorations. I can't remember the recipe as such, but it doesn't matter - any general chocolate bun mixture will suffice; the only difference you make for the "melt in the middle" part is by adding a square of your favourite chocolate into the middle of the buncases when you've filled them about a 1/3 of the way full.

The recipe we used did advise to eat them straight away, and we did for the image above, and they were extremely yummy! However I waited a few hours before sharing with my other half, and the square of Galaxy I'd used had turned back to a solid :(

Luckily, as an alternative, I know how to make the real melt in the middle puddings. I'd try using a melted chocolate and double cream mixture in the centre of each fairy cake next time - preferably dark chocolate even though I don't like it on it's own - it does add to the flavour.

I've got a cake treat for the majority of my followers in the next post ;) Hopefully it will turn out alright, it's setting at the moment...

Happy Baking x

Pink Muffins

I really think I need to broaden my horizons. All I post about is deserts and pasta. Sorry :( I think that's my culinary calling...
Okay! After a lovely evening baking cupcakes with the gorgeous Abby on Monday, I decided to do some more baking today, since the weather wasn't as nice as it has been all weekend. Sucks, it's my day off, too :(

My boyfriend was around, and he likes to help in the kitchen (score!) so I bought some pink and blue food colouring to make girl and boy muffins :D Unfortunately, the blue buttercream didn't turn out so well... Fear not! It wasn't my cooking's fault - Asda's own blue food dye won't let you go a shade darker than baby blue, no matter how much you add. I added about half a bottle of colouring until I realised, "okay, this just isn't gonna work, and my buttercream has the consistency of water, now." Fail.

So... Girly Pink Muffins it is! Abby and I had a blast experimenting with buttercream the other day - we added two capfuls of Bailey's Irish Cream to the mixture and oooh! What a kick ;) This is all in preparation of my boyfriend's 21st... Remember I'm baking the cupcake tier-cake! :D Eeeeee!!

Ingredients:

110g Butter
250g Caster Sugar
2 Large Eggs
150g Self-Raising Flour
125g Plain Flour
120ml Semi-Skimmed Milk
2 tsps Vanilla Extract

For the Buttercream:

60ml Semi-Skimmed Milk
500g Icing Sugar
110g Butter
A few drops of food colouring (optional)

Any other toppings e.g. Chocolate Chips, Marshmallows, Buttons, Sweets, Mini Oreos etc.

Method:

1) Preheat the oven to 180C. Line a baking tray with bun or muffin cases.
2) Cream the butter and sugar together.
3) In a separate bowl, whisk the eggs until smooth.
4) Gradually add the eggs into the creamy mixture, mixing well. Add your vanilla extract.
5) Sift both flours into the mixture, half at a time. Add half your milk, and fold well.
6) Add the remaining flour and milk together until light and fluffy :)
7) Spoon evenly into 12 bun cases, and bake until golden brown. This will be about 15 minutes later. Pop a skewer into the middle bun and if it comes out clean, you're good to go.
8) Leave to cool on a wire rack.
9) Sift the icing sugar into a new, clean bowl. Add your butter and milk until completely creamed together. If you are colouring the buttercream, add in just a few drops and mix really, really well.
10) Your buns should be cool by now. With a flat-edged knife, smear a big teaspoon-ful of buttercream over a bun, and repeat for all of them.
11) Add your toppings, and devouuur :)

Kirsten x