Monday 20 May 2013

Cheeky lemon sponge cupcakes with lemon curd buttercream

Lovely lemon sponge, tangy lemon curd filling, topped with lemony buttercream

Raspberry jam cupcakes with vanilla buttercream

Vanilla sponge, filled with tangy raspberry jam and topped with vanilla buttercream (design inspired by old fashioned swimming hats!)

Friday 17 May 2013

Baking & soon-to-be Bank Holiday...Blog on!

Having never put pen to paper (or should I say, fingers to keyboard) in order to share my ramblings, this should be, at worst, interesting. I hope you enjoy! 

Are we sitting comfortably? Then I'll begin ... 

A few weeks a go I received a text from my mother, kindly informing me that I'd been volunteered to make cupcakes for my niece's christening. So that's what I'll be doing this weekend, whilst hubby will no doubt be gaming (needless to say, he loves it when I bake) :-) 
Having looked through various books, my favourite at the moment being one from the Primrose Bakery, I've decided that suitably springy/summery flavours are lemon (which I've made tons of) and raspberry (which I've never tried, so I'm making a small trial batch today). Both cakes involve a flavouring throughout the sponge and also, when cold, a blob of jam or curd inside. I cut a small circle of the sponge out of the top and drop in a blob of really zingy lemon curd (a good one for "blobbing" consistency and flavour is Tesco's Finest) and for the raspberry ones I'm using Wilkin & Sons seedless jam. You then replace the sponge "plug" and generously swirl the buttercream on top as normal. I do love using curds inside the sponge, it adds a different texture, taste and keeps the cake moist! I imagine the jam will work the same way, will post pictures and let you know the results of the all important taste test next time.

Anyway, enough chit chat for now. Enjoy your weekend and thanks for reading x