Cupcakes are irresistible and delightful, a perfect balance of cake and frosting served up in its own holder, make it a perfect portable snack. What started out as a major treat for children, has indeed become a trendy treat for grownups.The cupcake craze started about eight years ago in New York where a myriad of shops serving a wide range of styles and flavours mushroomed all over the city.Cupcakes aren't as popular these days and those shops have taken this "sugar rush" of a treat down a notch lately. They're now serving mini cupcakes, so you can still have your cake and eat it too!
COCONUT CUPCAKES WITH LIME ICING
1 cup unsalted butter
1 cup granulated sugar
4 large eggs
21/3 cups cake flour
1/2 cup finely shredded fresh coconut
3 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1 tbsp grated orange zest
1/2 tsp orange extract or vanilla
1/4 cup fresh orange juice
METHOD
Preheat oven to 350F.
Line 24 cupcake moulds with cases.
Cream butter until light, add sugar one tablespoon at a time, beating well until sugar is dissolved and mixture is fluffy.
Sift flour with baking powder.
Add eggs one at a time beating well between additions.
Combine orange juice, orange zest and orange extract or vanilla.
Combine coconut with flour mixture.
Fold in flour alternately with juice in three additions, beginning and ending with flour.
Spoon batter into prepared cup cake tins tin, bake for about 20 minutes until a wooden pick inserted through the centre comes out clean.
Cool on wire racks before frosting.
Makes 24
LIME ICING
4 cups icing sugar, sifted
4 to 6 tbsp fresh lime juice
Fresh coconut for garnish
Combine icing sugar with lime juice until you get a firm but soft texture, drizzle onto cake and sprinkle with coconut.
DOUBLE CHOCOLATE CUPCAKES
1 cup butter
2 cups brown sugar
21/4 cup all purpose flour
1 cup powdered cocoa
2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
2 tsp vanilla essence
4 eggs
1 cup yogurt
METHOD
Line 24 cupcake moulds with cases.
Preheat oven to 350F.
Cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy and doubled in volume.
Sift flour three times, add baking powder and baking soda sift cocoa and combine with flour.
Add eggs one at a time to creamed margarine mixture, making sure to beat well between additions, batter must be fluffy.
Add vanilla to milk. Add flour to batter alternately with yogurt in three additions. Beginning and ending with the flour/cocoa mixture.
Spoon batter into prepared cup cake tins tin, bake for about 20 minutes until a wooden pick inserted through the centre comes out clean.
Cool on wire racks before frosting.
Makes 24
CHOCOLATE BUTTER FROSTING
4 cups sifted icing sugar
1/2 cup cocoa powder
1/2 cup butter
1 tbsp evaporated milk
METHOD
Sift icing sugar with cocoa powder and combine.
Cream butter and gradually add icing sugar and cocoa mixture.
Add a couple drops milk at a time to bring the frosting to a creamy consistency, if necessary.
Frosts two nine-inch cakes.
CHERRY BUTTER SPONGE with CREAM CHEESE FROSTING
1 cup butter
2 cups granulated sugar
3 cups sifted all-purpose flour
1 tbsp baking powder
� tsp salt
4 eggs
1 cup milk
1 tsp vanilla
METHOD
Preheat oven to 350F.
Line 24 cupcake moulds with cases.
Sift the flour three times and add the baking powder and salt, set aside.
With an electric mixer, cream the butter with the sugar until light and creamy, about 10 minutes.
Add the eggs one at a time, beating well between additions. Add vanilla.
Reduce the mixer speed to medium low, or low and divide the flour into four portions and the milk into three portions.
Add the flour alternately with the milk, starting and ending with the flour
Mix just until incorporated after each addition.
Spoon batter into prepared cup cake tins tin, bake for about 20 minutes until a wooden pick inserted through the centre comes out clean.
Cool on wire racks before frosting.
Makes 24
CREAM CHEESE FROSTING
Cream 2/3 cups butter with 1 lb cream cheese until smooth.
Add about 21/2 cups sifted icing sugar with 2 tbsp sour cream, add 1 tsp orange zest.
Colourise with pink food colouring if desired.
Frost cupcakes.