Cupcakes / Muffin

Strawberry Cupcakes

Ingredients
1 quantity classic cupcake recipe
250g punnet strawberries, hulled, chopped
250g tub reduced-fat cream cheese
2 tablespoons pure icing sugar
2 tablespoons strawberry jam

Method of cooking:
Step 1
Lightly grease or line 16 x 1/3-cup capacity muffin holes with paper cases. Follow step 1 of classic cupcake recipe.
Step 2
Follow step 2, reducing milk to 1/2 cup. Fold through strawberries.
Step 3
Bake cupcakes following step 3.
Step 4
Make icing: Using an electric mixer, beat cream cheese and icing sugar together until smooth. Spread over cupcakes. Top each with 1 teaspoonful of jam. Use a teaspoon to swirl jam and icing together. Serve.

Strawberry swirl cupcake

Ingredients
250g small strawberries
1 1/2 cups self-raising flour
1/2 cup caster sugar
1/2 cup milk
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
100g butter, melted, cooled
Frosting
125g butter, softened
1 1/2 cups icing sugar mixture
1 tablespoon milk

MethodStep 1
Preheat oven to 200°C/180°C fan-forced. Line a 1/3 cup-capacity muffin pan with paper cases. Reserve 6 strawberries. Place remaining strawberries in a small food processor. Process until smooth.
Step 2
Place flour and sugar in a bowl. Stir to combine. Make a well in centre. Whisk milk, eggs and vanilla together in a jug. Add butter and milk mixture to well. Stir to combine. Fold strawberry puree through mixture. Divide mixture between paper cases. Bake for 12 to 15 minutes or until a skewer inserted into the centre of 1 cake comes out clean. Stand in pan for 5 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack to cool.


Banana Cupcakes

Ingredients
1/2 cup shortening
1-1/2 cups sugar
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup mashed ripe bananas (about 2 medium)
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup buttermilk

FROSTING:
1/2 cup butter, softened
2-1/2 cups confectioners' sugar
3 to 4 tablespoons milk
Colored sprinkles, optional

Method of cooking:
In a large bowl, cream shortening and sugar until light and fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in vanilla and bananas. Combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt; add to banana mixture alternately with buttermilk, beating well after each addition.
Fill 18 paper-lined muffin cups two-thirds full. Bake at 350° for 15-20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean. Remove to wire racks to cool completely.
In a small bowl, cream butter and confectioners' sugar until light and fluffy; add enough milk to achieve desired spreading consistency. Frost cupcakes. Garnish with sprinkles if desired. Yield: 1-1/2 dozen.

PUFF
Ingredients:
120g Butter
300ml water
180g hard flour
4 eggs
1/2 tsp sald and sugar
Method:
Bring water and butter to boil.add salt and sugar
add sift flour and cook roux till it leaves the sides
transfer to a mixing bowl with paddle attachment and add eggs one at a time.
beat until well combined.
pipe batter into desired shapes and bake until golden brown.


Pavlova
(A light meringue dessert)

Ingredients                              Serve: 6

• 4 large egg whites, room temperature
• Pinch of salt
• 1 cup plus 2 tablespoons superfine sugar
• 1 teaspoon cornstarch
• 2 teaspoons white-wine vinegar
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 1 1/4 cups heavy cream, whipped
• 10 passion fruits, for serving (optional)
• 4 bananas, for serving (optional)
• Mixed berries, such as raspberries, blueberries, strawberries, boysenberries, or blackberries, for serving (Optional)                                                                   

Method:

1. Preheat oven to 300 degrees. Using an 8-inch bowl as a guide, trace the perimeter of the bowl onto a sheet of parchment paper. Transfer parchment paper, pencil side down, to a baking sheet. Set aside.
   
2. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, beat egg whites and salt together until glossy peaks form. With mixer running, add sugar in three additions, beating until meringue is stiff and glossy. Sprinkle in cornstarch, vinegar, and vanilla; gently fold to combine.
   
3. Mound the meringue in the center of the 8-inch circle. Using a spatula, evenly spread meringue out towards the edges. Transfer baking sheet to oven and immediately reduce the temperature to 250 degrees. Bake for 1 hour and 15 minutes.
   
4. Turn off oven and let meringue cool completely in oven. When meringue is cool and completely dry, top with whipped cream and desired fruits.

I love Steward Martha Recepi, So just try her Pavlova today for tonight dessert.
The Martha Stewart Show, May Spring 2007

 Blueberry Muffins

Ingredients

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

3/4 cup white sugar

1/2 teaspoon salt

2 teaspoons baking powder

1/3 cup vegetable oil

1 egg

1/3 cup milk

1 cup fresh blueberries

1/2 cup white sugar

1/3 cup all-purpose flour

1/4 cup butter, cubed

1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

Methods of Cooking:

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C). Grease muffin cups or line with muffin liners.

1. Combine 1 1/2 cups flour, 3/4 cup sugar, salt and baking powder.Place vegetable oil into a 1 cup measuring cup; add the egg and enough milk to fill the cup. Mix this with flour mixture. Fold in blueberries. Fill muffin cups right to the top, and sprinkle with crumb topping mixture.
2. To Make Crumb Topping: Mix together 1/2 cup sugar, 1/3 cup flour, 1/4 cup butter, and 1 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon. Mix with fork, and sprinkle over muffins before baking.
3. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes in the preheated oven, or until done.

Banana Crumb Muffins

Ingredients

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

3 bananas, mashed

3/4 cup white sugar

1 egg, lightly beaten

1/3 cup butter, melted

1/3 cup packed brown sugar

2 tablespoons all-purpose flour

1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1 tablespoon butter

Methods of cooking: 

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Lightly grease 10 muffin cups, or line with muffin papers.
2. In a large bowl, mix together 1 1/2 cups flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt. In another bowl, beat together bananas, sugar, egg and melted butter. Stir the banana mixture into the flour mixture just until moistened. Spoon batter into prepared muffin cups.
3. In a small bowl, mix together brown sugar, 2 tablespoons flour and cinnamon. Cut in 1 tablespoon butter until mixture resembles coarse cornmeal. Sprinkle topping over muffins.
4. Bake in preheated oven for 18 to 20 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into center of a muffin comes out clean.

English Muffins

 Ingredients:

1 cup milk

2 tablespoons white sugar

1 (.25 ounce) package active dry yeast

1 cup warm water (110 degrees F/45 degrees C)

1/4 cup melted shortening

6 cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon salt

 

 

 

Methods of cooking:

Warm the milk in a small saucepan until it bubbles, then remove from heat. Mix in the sugar, stirring until dissolved. Let cool until lukewarm. In a small bowl, dissolve yeast in warm water. Let stand until creamy, about 10 minutes.

1. In a large bowl, combine the milk, yeast mixture, shortening and 3 cups flour. Beat until smooth. Add salt and rest of flour, or enough to make a soft dough. Knead. Place in greased bowl, cover, and let rise.
2. Punch down. Roll out to about 1/2 inch thick. Cut rounds with biscuit cutter, drinking glass, or empty tuna can. Sprinkle waxed paper with cornmeal and set the rounds on this to rise. Dust tops of muffins with cornmeal also. Cover and let rise 1/2 hour.
3. Heat greased griddle. Cook muffins on griddle about 10 minutes on each side on medium heat. Keep baked muffins in a warm oven until all have been cooked. Allow to cool and place in plastic bags for storage. To use, split and toast. Great with orange butter, or cream cheese and jam.

Strawberry Cupcakes

Ingredients

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for pans

1 1/2 cups cake flour (not self-rising)

1 tablespoon baking powder

1 teaspoon salt

1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature, plus more for pans

1 3/4 cups sugar, plus more for sprinkling fruit

4 large eggs

2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

1 1/4 cups milk

10 ounces strawberries, hulled and cut into small dice, plus more for garnish

Strawberry Meringue Buttercream

Methods of Cooking:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line 2 1/2 standard 12-cup cupcake pans with paper liners; set aside.
   
2. Into a medium bowl, sift together flours, baking powder, and salt; set aside.
   
3. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter and sugar until light and fluffy, 3 to 4 minutes, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed. Beat in eggs, one at a time, and then beat in vanilla. With the mixer on low speed, add the flour mixture in three parts, alternating with the milk and beginning and ending with the flour; beat until combined after each addition. Fold in strawberries.
   
4. Divide the batter evenly among the prepared cups so that each is about two-thirds full, about 2 ounces each. Bake, rotating the pans halfway through, until the cupcakes are golden brown and a cake tester inserted in the centers comes out clean, about 20 minutes. Transfer pans to a wire rack to cool for 5 minutes. Remove cupcakes from pan and cool completely on wire racks.
   
5. Make Strawberry Meringue Buttercream and spread or pipe about 1/2 cup frosting on top of each cupcake. Garnish with strawberries, cut into halves, quarters, or left whole, depending on the size.

Strawberry Meringue Buttercream

Ingredients

• 4 large egg whites
• 1 1/4 cups sugar
• 1 1/2 cups (3 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature, cut into tablespoons
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 1 1/2 cups (12 ounces) strawberry jam, pureed in a food processor

Methods of cooking:

1. In the heatproof bowl of an electric mixer set over a saucepan of simmering water, combine egg whites and sugar. Cook, whisking constantly, until sugar has dissolved and mixture is warm to the touch (about 160 degrees).
2. Attach the bowl to the mixer fitted with the whisk attachment. Beat the egg-white mixture on high speed until it holds stiff (but not dry) peaks. Continue beating until the mixture is fluffy and cooled, about 6 minutes.
3. Switch to the paddle attachment. With mixer on medium-low speed, add butter several tablespoons at a time, beating well after each addition. (If frosting appears to separate after all the butter has been added, beat on medium-high speed until smooth again, 3 to 5 minutes more.) Beat in vanilla. Beat on lowest speed to eliminate any air bubbles, about 2 minutes. Stir in strawberry jam with a rubber spatula until frosting is smooth.

Variations

Doubled this recipe and used 2 cups strawberries, hulled and diced, plus 1/2 cup strawberry preserves, in place of the pureed strawberry jam