Berry Muffins/Cupcakes August 10, 2009

(I divide the batch in half and do half raspberry and half blueberry.)

Ingredients:
1/2 cup butter (approx) – room temperature
1/2 to 3/4 cup sugar
2 eggs
1/2 cup milk
2 cups SR flour
handful of berries

Method:
Cream butter & sugar, add 1 egg, beat well then add the other egg, mix in half the milk and flour, beat well then add remaining milk & flour. Beat until pale and creamy.  Add the berries and stir to mix them in.  Spoon into muffin tins.   Bake in a preheated 180C oven for 10 – 15 mins until golden on top.  Best eaten while still warm

Chocolate Self Saucing Pudding August 9, 2009

Ingredients:
1/2 cup melted butter
3 tb cocoa powder
1/2 cup milk
1 cup SR flour
1/2 cup raw sugar
1 egg
1/2 cup raw sugar additional
2tb cocoa powder additional
1 1/4 cups boiling water

Method:
Mix the flour, sugar and first lot of cocoa together. Add the egg, melted butter and milk, and beat until smooth. Spoon this mixture into a greased baking dish (needs to be about a 6 cup capacity) and smooth off the top. Mix together the additional sugar and cocoa, and sprinkle this ontop of the pudding mixture, then carefully pour the boiling water over the back of a large spoon (this helps to stop the water creating holes when you pour it on). Bake at 180ºC for about 30 mins (until the top bounces back when pressed)

Rainbow cake June 14, 2009

http://omnomicon.blogspot.com/2009/01/how-to-make-rainbow-cake.html

Carrot Muffins May 24, 2009

These are yummy, and the crumble topping makes them look a bit fancier than your average muffin!

ok, yes, I know these aren’t really muffins in the pic, but I cleaned out the cupboards and rediscovered my mini loaf pans, and just had to make some.. there are proper muffins in the pic below.

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Ingredients:
1½ c SR flour
1 c wholemeal SR flour
2 tsp mixed spice
¾ c raw sugar
¾ c sultanas (or ½ c sultanas and ¼c walnuts)
1½ c grated carrot
1 tb golden syrup
2 tb vegetable oil
1¼ c milk
1 egg, lightly beaten

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Topping:(optional)
2 tb plain flour
¼ tsp mixed spice
1 tb butter
1 tb raw sugar
1 tb rolled oats
1 tb desiccated coconut

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Method:
1). Mix the flours and spice in a large bowl. Add the sultanas, carrot and sugar, mixing well.
2). Mix the milk, golden syrup, oil and egg together, then mix this through the carrot mixture
3). fold this together gently, not mixing it too much (overmixing can make muffins tough)
4). Spoon the mixture into muffin tins.
5). If adding the topping, mix all the ingredients together, rubbing in the butter until you have a crumbly mixture. Sprinkle this over the tops of the muffins.
6). Bake in a 180°C preheated oven for 20 mins, until muffins are browning and a skewer comes out clean.

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Muffin recipe from here:
http://www.ausport.gov.au/ais/nutrition/recipes/survival_I/treats2/carrot_muffins
topping recipe from here – http://au.lifestyle.yahoo.com/b/new-idea/747/apple-and-carrot-muffins/

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This mixture was enough to make 12 cupcake sized muffins plus some mini loaves.

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Other carrot muffin recipes that look nice:
http://au.lifestyle.yahoo.com/b/new-idea/747/apple-and-carrot-muffins/
http://www.freshforkids.com.au/recipes/pdf/FFKcarrotzuccmuffins.pdf

Tim Tam Cupcakes May 19, 2009

Ingredients:
250g plain flour
2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
125g unsalted butter, room temperature
200g sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla extract
180ml cream
1 packet Tim Tams

 
Ingredients for frosting:
180g white chocolate, broken into pieces
180g cream cheese, cut into pieces
185g unsalted butter, room temperature, cut into pieces

 
Method;
1). Combine the flour, baking powder and salt.
2). Cream the butter and sugar, until it is light and fluffy.
3). Mix the eggs into the creamed butter & sugar, one at a time and add the vanilla.
4). Add the flour mixture and the cream in alternating lots while mixing well. Beat until the mixture is smooth.
5). Crush the timtams, and sprinkle half this into the mixture (Keeping the other half aside).
6). Spoon the mixture into muffin/cupcake trays (will make about 12-18 depending on the size).
7). Bake in a preheated 180°C oven for 20-25 mins, until a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean. Turn cupcakes out onto a cake rack to cool.

 
Frosting:
1). Place a heatproof bowl over a saucepan with a little simmering water, and add the chocolate to the bowl to melt it. Allow it to get warm but not too hot.
2). Beat the cream cheese together with the butter until it forms a light, fluffy mixture.
3). Mix in the melted chocolate and continue to mix well to combine.
4). Pipe or spread the frosting on straight away (before it sets) and sprinkle the remaining crushed timtams on top.

 

 
(From – http://thatsnoice.com/tim-tam-cupcakes)

Spiced (Chai) Sultana Scrolls April 20, 2009

Ingredients:
1 cup wholemeal SR flour
1 cup white SR flour
2tb sugar
1/2 cup Butter (Softened)
1/2 to 1 cup sultanas
3/4 cup milk
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1 tsp ground ginger
1/2 tsp ground cloves
1/4 tsp ground cardamon

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Method:

Mix together the ingredients in a bowl. Turn out onto floured board and knead. break dough into 4 pieces. Take each piece and press it into a rectangle (about 1cm thick). Roll the dough from one end. Cut the scroll in half, and place with cut side down onto a baking tray. Leave about 2cm between each if you want them to just touch, closer if you want them to form one large “pull apart”, or about 3cm apart if you want them to be separate. Brush lightly with milk and bake at about 180 until going golden on top and sound hollow to tap. Cover with a teatowel to keep them soft (I line a large serving bowl with a teatowel, slide the hot scrolls into this straight from the oven and put a teatowel on top) Best eaten while still warm (can be microwaved to heat them up)

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Rolling instructions (with pictures) below:

Strawberry Yoghurt & Banana Muffins March 23, 2009

Ingredients:
1 cup wholemeal SR flour
1 1/2 cups white SR flour
2 tb Fructose
1 1/4 to 1 1/2 cup strawberry yoghurt
1/4 cup rolled oats
1 egg
2 ripe bananas

Method:
Mash bananas, mix all the ingredients together, and pour into muffin pans (This makes about 24 muffins). Bake at 180 for about 20 mins.

(Adapted from the recipe here – Banana Muffins recipe – Best Recipes)

Guilt Free Fruitcake January 16, 2009

Ingredients:
750g dried fruit
2c wholemeal SR flour
600mls milk
 
Method:
Soak the fruit in the milk overnight (or at least several hours)… then mix in the flour. Pour into a lined lammington tin, and bake at 170C for around 50 mins.

 

 

Change the types of fruits for different flavoured cakes. Try around 500g of sultanas and 250g mixed fruit, or use dried apricots and apple….
 
You can add cocoa powder to make a chocolate fruitcake.
 
Substitute coconut milk or soy milk for a vegan/dairy free version

Earl Grey Tea Muffins January 8, 2009

Ingredients:
2 cups plain flour
1 1/2 tsp. baking powder
4 Tbs. sugar
Pinch of salt
2 large eggs
3 Tbs vegetable oil
1 1/3 cups buttermilk (or 1 1/3 regular milk + 1 Tbs. vinegar)
1 tsp. or 1 teabag fine Earl Grey tea leaves.

 
Method:
1). Grease muffin tins and preheat oven to 180°C
2). Combine all dry ingredients in a bowl
3). In a separate bowl, combine the wet ingredients and beat well.
4). Gently combine the wet and dry ingredients, making sure not to over mix.
5). Divide the mixture between the muffin tins (this mixture will rise a lot), and bake for approx 20-30 mins, until a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean
6) Turn onto a cake rack to cool

 
From http://justbento.com

Quick Easy Choc Cake January 7, 2009

Ingredients:
3 tablespoons melted butter
1 cupSR flour
1/2 cup milk
1 teaspoon vanilla essence
3 tablespoons cocoa
1 cup caster sugar
2 eggs

 
Method:
Preheat oven to 170/180 deg C.
Mix all ingredients together with an electric mixer for 1 minute.
pour into prepared cake tin and bake in oven for 30 minutes or until cooked.

 
Recipe from JohT but I’ve lost the link

Vegan Chocolate Cupcakes January 6, 2009

Another recipe I found when looking for cupcake recipes using oil. I haven’t tried it yet.
http://www.chow.com/recipes/10794

Vegan Chocolate Cupcake Recipe January 6, 2009

I found this recipe when searching for a cupcake recipe when I’d run out of oil. When I made it, it was too moist (as in fell apart when the paper was taken off), So I’m going to try it with 2 cups flour next time.

 

Ingredients:
1 1/2 cups wholemeal self raising flour
1 cup brown sugar
3 tbs cocoa (or 1/2 tsp powdered ginger + 1/2 tsp cinnamon + 1/2 tsp ground cloves)
1 tsp bicarb soda
1 tsp vanilla extract
5 tablespoons oil
1 cup cold water.

 

Method:
Put all dry ingredients into the bowl, then add the wet ingredients and mix well. Pour into patty cases and bake at 180C for 15-20 mins.

 

From: http://forums.naturalparenting.com.au/recipes/15648-cupcake-recipe-please.html#post250295

Cinnamon, Cardamon and Sultana Scones January 4, 2009

A recipe I was experimenting with to make something like a biscuit that had no egg in it (I have a friend who can’t have egg). It actually turned out nice – like a thick biscuit

 
Ingredients:
2 cups self raising flour
1/8c butter
3/4c milk
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon (finely) ground cardamon
handful of sultanas (you could use raisins)

 
Method:
1). Sieve the dry stuff into a bowl and rub in the butter until it does the breadcrumb thing.
2). Add the sultanas and milk… mix into a dough
3). Roll out onto a floured surface and use a sharp cookie cutter to cut out your desired shapes. Put on a greased baking tray. brush the tops with milk.
4). Bake for 15 mins.

Banana and Cinnamon cake January 4, 2009

Ingredients:
Packet cake mix (Vanilla or butter cake) or basic cake recipe
2-3 Bananas (depending on size) – must be overripe
1 teaspoon Cinnamon
and whatever ingredients the cake mix requires (usually 1 egg and milk)
Icing sugar to decorate

 
Method:
1). mash the bananas well.
2). Make cakemix as the packet says.
3). Add the bananas to the mix, and add cinnamon. Beat well. Then let stand for a minute to release some air.
4). Pour into greased/lined cake tin.
5). Bake according to packet mix. When browned and cooked, remove from tin and dust with icing sugar

Quick & Easy Strawberry cake January 4, 2009

Ingredients:
Packet cake mix (Vanilla or butter cake)
1 tin strawberries (or other berries…. tinned is better than fresh for this recipe due to the jaminess of them)
Dash of vanilla essence
2 tablespoons milk powder
and whatever ingredients the cake mix requires (usually 1 egg and milk)
Icing sugar to decorate

 
Method:
Puree the strawberries (or mash and leave some bits whole), add the milk powder (for extra creaminess). Make cakemix as the packet says, but instead of adding the milk, add the strawberry puree (which will be a bit more liquid than the milk would equal to – but that should be fine and make a moist cake). Beat well. Then let stand for a minute to release some air. Pour into greased/lined cake tin Bake according to packet mix. When browned and cooked, remove from tin and dust with icing sugar.

Gingerbread Cake January 4, 2009

My best friend made this, she’d loosely followed a recipe, which ended up being not like it was supposed to, but very yummy. Method written how she e-mailed it to me, because I love the way she writes

 
Ingredients:
1/2 cup white sugar
1/2 cup butter
1 cup golden syrup
1 egg lightly beaten
2 1/2 cups plain flour
about 2 heaped tablespoons fresh grated ginger – but add more if it doesn’t look like enough in the mixture
About a tablespoon ground cinnamon
A teaspoon of nutmeg
2 teaspoons bicarbonate of soda
1 cup boiling water

 
Method:
“Line and grease a tin that’s about 21 x 29 x 5 cm or whatever happens to be laying about that looks alright. Heat oven to 350F or 180C. Sift dry ingredients together. Including the sugar. (Cause I did by mistake.) Melt the butter in a big enough sized bowl. Add the egg and golden syrup to butter and mix. Mix in dry ingredients, add ginger. Stir, slowly adding the boiling water, until it is reasonably sloppy. And smooth. Pour in tin.
“Bake” for 25-35 minutes. Well that’s what the recipe said. I kept going for about 45 or 50. But I kept opening the oven and jiggling the tray, and when the contents in the middle finally started to firm up I figured it was probably almost ready so gave it another 5 or so minutes then pulled it out. Leave to cool in tin. “

Banana Bread January 4, 2009

Ingredients:
6 ripe bananas mashed
1/2 cup of sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 cup of plain flour
1 cup wholemeal plain flour
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp baking powder
as much cinnamon as you want

 
Method:
Mix all the dry ingredients together, then add banana and vanilla, mixing well. Transfer to a loaf tin and cook at 180 for 40-50 minutes.

 
(From Sarah from http://www.joyousbirth.info) I hate using baking powder, so maybe use SR flour instead and leave out the baking soda & powder?

Castle Cake January 4, 2009

Children’s birthday cake idea….that looks like a castle! (or if you’re like me, an adult’s birthday cake )

 
You will need:
2 x Cake mix (or ingredients to make 2 cakes)
1 “furry friend” or similar thin rectangle chocolate bar
Jelly snakes, musk sticks and other things to decorate with
Icing sugar (and butter if making butter frosting)
cocoa
box of “nutragrain” brick shaped cereal

 

Method:
1). Bake 2 cakes (square) and 4 large cupcakes (or make it in a tube cake tin and cut 4 equal slices) using your cake mix of choice (choc mud is good)…
2). Put a layer of jam and cream ontop of one square cake, then top it with the other square cake, so you have a large square cake. Stick a cupcake on each corner with the jam/cream to form turrets. Ice the cake with chocolate icing/frosting to cover the lot.
3). You can stick the windows and door on before you brick or after – it’s up to you (see below on that)
4). Have a bowl of more choc icing/frosting and your box of nutragrain. Using the nutragrain like bricks, apply the mortar (icing) and lay your bricks to cover the cake – including your turrets. Remembering that real bricks are laid overlapping, not one ontop of the other. When doing the top of the turrets (and cake if you wish) do the embattlements (the poking up bits) by laying a brick upwards instead of flat, followed by a flat one, and so on.
5). Stick the “furry friend” to the front of the castle, as the door. Cut a bit of snake/mashmallow etc. off and stick that to the door to make a doorknob. Or you can get creative and make a portcullis from liquorice strips and make the chocolate into a drawbridge. Add windows and things if you wish…. you can always spread melted chocolate on a tray and when it has just set, cut out your window shapes, and use that.

 
Now, I’ve heard that laying cut up jelly babies/snakes on waxed paper and baking in the oven until they melt makes a stained glass window effect, but it just burned and stuck to the paper for me, so I’d suggest cutting a square shape from a marshmallow, and cutting the back and front off so its all sticky, and stick it to the walls, then cut thin slices of snake or other transparent coloured jelly lolly to make a decorative stained glass window…

 
I guess you could make windows and doors from fondant icing – and use food colour to paint them… Use your imagination.

Chai Teacake January 4, 2009

This recipe looks and sounds so divine… you have to look at the cake!

http://www.bakingobsession.com/2007/11/30/chai-tea-spice-cake

Carrot Cake January 4, 2009

Ingredients:
1 c Self Raising Flour
1 tsp Bicarb Soda
1 c Brown Sugar
1/2 c sultanas
1/2 c Walnuts
2 eggs, beaten
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp cloves (ground)
1 1/2 c grated carrot
1/2 c chopped glazed ginger
2/3 c vegetable oil

 
Method:
Sift the flour, baking soda and spices into a bowl. Stir in the sugar, carrot, sultanas, ginger and nuts. Stir in the combined oil and eggs. Beat with an electric mixer on medium speed for 5 minutes. Pour out into prepared cake pan and bake in a moderate-slow oven for 1 hour. Stand for 5 mins before turning out.

Strawberry Choc Chip Cupcakes/Muffins January 4, 2009

Use a plain cupcake/muffin recipe or a packet cake mix)…

Instead of adding milk to the recipe, take a tin of strawberries, drain off the syrup, mash/puree the strawberries and this puree to the cake mix in the amount you were supposed to for the milk (so if it calls for 1cup milk, use 1cup of the puree… a little more puree is fine, as it will make the cakes more moist) with about 2 tb powdered milk. Which gives it a nice pink colour. Adding coconut would also go nicely. Mix through a handful of choc chips through the whole cakemix…Cook as per cupcake instructions

Lime & Pistachio Teacake January 4, 2009

Ingredients:
220g soft unsalted butter
180g caster sugar
3 eggs
200g self-raising flour
90g plain flour
Rind of 1 lime, finely grated
1/4 cup lime juice
1/3 cup shelled pistachios, coarsely chopped

 
Icing
200g cream cheese
110g caster sugar
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1-2 tbsps lime juice
1/3 cup shelled pistachios, coarsely chopped

 
Method:
1). Pre-heat oven to 170C. Grease and line a loaf pan.
2). Beat together the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add one egg one at a time, beating well.
3). Sift and combine the flours, and add them to the wet mixture. Add the lime rind and juice and mix well.
4). Fold in the pistachios, then pour the mixture into the cake pan and bake for 60-65 minutes, until a skewer comes out clean. Allow to cool then turn out onto serving plate.

 
Cream Cheese Icing
Beat the cream cheese, sugar and vanilla until smooth. Add lime juice to taste and blend until well combined. Spread this over the top of the cake and top with sprinkling of nuts.

 
From http://www.cuisine.com.au/recipe/Lime-and-pistachio-tea-cake-with-cream-cheese-frosting

Chai Latte Cupcakes January 4, 2009

(Makes 24 large cupcakes) 

Ingredients:
1 1/4 cups milk
2 black (normal) tea bags
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground cardamom
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
pinch of ground black pepper
3/4 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
1 3/4 cup castor sugar
2 large eggs, room temperature
2 tsp vanilla essence (or vanilla bean)
1/2 tsp salt
2 1/2 tsp baking powder
2 cups Plain flour
1/2 cup wholemeal flour

Method:
1). In a saucepan, heat the milk until just before boiling. Add the teabags and spices (including the split vanilla bean if using this), cover and remove from heat. Allow to stand for 10 minutes, then give the milk a stir and remove the teabags, squeezing them to remove as much tea flavour as possible. (and remove and scrape the vanilla bean). Allow to cool. Measure out 1 1/4 cups of this, adding extra (plain) milk if some has evaporated off (I needed to add 2 tb).
2). Beat the sugar and butter until creamy. Add eggs. Sift together the baking powder, salt and flours.
3). Gradually add the spiced milk and sifted flour mix alternately, mixing well.
3). Spoon mixture into baking cases and bake at 190C for around 20 minutes, or until cakes are cooked (skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean). Allow to cool before icing.

Vanilla Chai Frosting:
100g softened butter
100g softened cream cheese
Whatever you need of icing sugar
1 tsp vanilla essence/paste (or 1 vanilla bean)
1/2 tsp nutmeg
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp ground cardamon
1/4 tsp ground cloves

Beat butter and cream cheese together, then add spices, vanilla and enough icing sugar to make the right consistency. Halve the spices for a more subtle flavour.

If you would prefer to use Chai teabags instead of the spices, use 3 Chai teabags and do not use the spices or black teabag, however the result will not be the same flavour as using the spices. If you really like Chai, try the Chai frosting, or if you prefer something more subtle, perhaps a plain vanilla frosting.

Zesty Lemon Cheesecake/Cupcake Topping December 19, 2008

Zest or finely grate some lemon peel, and mix that with a little lemon juice, and about equal parts icing sugar and coconut.

Sprinkle this ontop of the cheesecake or cupcake.  It will harden a little as it sets.

Chai Pikelets / Pancackes December 19, 2008

Ingredients:
1 cup Self Raising flour
2 tablespoons of sugar (optional)
1 Egg
1 Cup Milk
2-3 chai teabags (or 1 tsp cinnamon, 1 tsp nutmeg, 1/4 tsp cardamon)

Method:
1). In a saucepan, heat the milk with the teabags/spices until it starts to bubble, then remove from heat and allow to stand for 10 mins, then remove the teabags (squeezing out all the milk).

Or – If you want to skip this step, just mix the spices and the milk in with the mixture without simmering them together first

2). Sift the flour, stir in the sugar, egg and milk. Beat until smooth.
3). Get a good frying pan and put it on the heat. Add a light amount of oil.
4). When the pan is hot, spoon/pour some mixture onto the pan – about the size of an egg ring or smaller for a pikelet…. larger for a pancake… It should fizz when you pour it on. Within a few moments you should see bubbles forming, this is the sign to flip them over, and the other side should be nice and golden brown.
5). Once you think the other side is cooked (you can peek at it), remove it and leave it to cool on some kitchen paper. Allow the pan to heat up again if needed before adding another.

Pikelets – Serve cooled with jam and cream, or cool or warm a squirt of lemon juice and a sprinkle of sugar.

Pancakes – Serve hot with maple syrup