Christmas Cupcakes Treats! 6 Days

It's Christmastime! And now that I've finally broken up from school I have decided that everyday until Christmas day I will upload a blog post to celebrate Christmas and also to make up for my lack of dedication this year. I thought a great way to kick this off would be to bake some cupcakes! This recipe desires no electric equipment or rare ingredients so it's one that basically everyone can enjoy. Hoping that this lifts my spirit for Christmas, and yours, lets bake!



(recipe not mine)

For the cupcakes - 

* 75g unsalted butter, softened

* 100g caster sugar

* 125ml black treacle

* 1 large egg

* 1 large egg yolk

* 175g plain flour 
* 1tbsp cocoa powder 
* 1 1/4tsp ground ginger 
* 1tsp ground cinnamon 
* 3/4tsp ground nutmeg
* 1/4tsp salt 
* 1tsp baking power
* 125ml hot milk

For buttercream and decoration- 

* 240g butter, softened

* 400g icing sugar, sifted
* 2tsp vanilla extract
* 3tbsp milk

* Edible confetti/sprinkles/snowflakes/etc of your choice

First, preheat your oven to 170˚C/350˚F/Gas Mark 4 and prepare the baking tins by lining them with the 12 cupcake cases.
Then get a large bowl and cream the butter and the sugar. Then mix the wet ingredients together: the egg, egg yolk, and the black treacle. This may take some time, and if using a wooden spoon like I did instead of a hand or electrical whisk, make sure there are no lumps of butter in the mixture. 
Once the wet ingredients are combined, in a separate bowl, mix the dry ingredients: the flour, cocoa powder, ginger, cinnamon, nutmeg and salt. 


Afterwards, warm the milk on the hob and dissolve the baking powder in it. Be careful not to boil the milk. 
Fold the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients gradually. If your milk has a foamy top to it, pour it in to your mixture.
Mix all of the ingredients well for a thick, creamy dark brown substance. 
Afterwards, evenly disperse your cupcake mixture into the cupcake cases. To do this, I used an ice-cream scoop and tablespoon. Don't apply too much mixture into one- you can always add more but you can't take away! 
Bake the cupcakes for 20 minutes, or until when you poke them with a skewer, it comes out dry. 
When they're baked, allow them to fully cool.

Personally, I don't thick a cupcake is complete wither the buttercream. Cream the butter in a bowl and very gradually add the icing sugar. If you aren't using an electrical whisk, persevere! I always find making buttercream very frustrating but it's worth it. When the buttercream is thick, creamy and smooth, add the milk if necessary and the vanilla extract.

When your cupcakes are completely cooled, just add the buttercream! Many people are led to believe that you must pipe your buttercream, but they look just as good and taste as delicious doing it the traditional way. Either pipe the buttercream or spread it on the cupcake, preferably using a palette knife or alternatively a teaspoon. Apply as much icing as you would like. Optionally, you can then decorate with confetti, sprinkles, chocolate and edible glitter! Enjoy!

Hope you liked this post and give these cupcakes a go! I'm going to go and enjoy a delicious festive Christmas cupcake and read a book...

Inspired by https://www.zoella.co.uk/2015/12/gingerbread-cupcakes.html

Hannah

 ♥