For my fist ever blog post I will be sharing with you theses summer inspired cupcakes. As I live in New Zealand it is summer at the moment and I am loving the weather!!! I thought these basic vanilla cupcakes are perfect for those summer picnic get togethers and tea parties.
These cupcakes are really simple to create yet will make a perfect addition to whatever summer occasion you have.
Vanilla Cupcake recipe (makes 12):
You can use whatever cupcake recipe you prefer but here is my go to vanilla cupcake recipe that I use.
What you will need
Standard size muffin tin (12)
Cupcake cases (12)
125g softened unsalted butter
3/4 cup caster sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla essence
2 eggs (room temperature)
1 1/2 cups standard flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 cup milk (room temperature)
Method
1. preheat oven to 180 degrees Celsius and place cupcake cases in tin
2. Add softened butter, sugar and vanilla essence into a bowl and beat together until smooth and light. Then add eggs while beating.
3. In a separate bowl sift and combine flour and baking powder, then add to wet mixture. Fold together with the milk.
4. Spoon mixture into cases about 1/2 to 2/3 full and bake for around 15min. When time is up insert a skewer to test if they are cooked. Place on a wire rack to cool.
Vanilla Buttercream Icing Recipe:
What you will need
1 cup white vegetable shortening (you can buy this at Millie's Kitchen in Ponsonby and Parnell if you live in Auckland)
1 teaspoon of vanilla flavouring (make sure it is clear to get true to colour icing when adding food colouring)
3-4 teaspoons of cold water
450g icing sugar (sifted)
Method
1. Cream/beat vegetable shortening, flavouring and water together
2. Add icing sugar and beat until all the ingredients are combined.
3. make sure your icing is a good consistency to pipe, not too thin or thick.
Decorating!!!!!
What you will need
Wilton 1M piping nozzle
Wilton 2D piping nozzle
Wilton 3 piping nozzle
3 disposable decorating bags (or reusable)
Baking paper
Gel food colouring (green and yellow)
Method
1. split your icing into 3 bowls with the majority of the icing in the first, about 2 heaped spoons in the second, and 1 in the last. Adding green colouring to the first, leaving the second white and yellow colouring to the last.
3. Add the green icing to your piping bag with the 1M nozzle. Piping ice-cream like swirls onto your cupcakes starting from the outside of the cupcake working your way in and upward.
4. Place some baking paper onto the bench. Add the white icing to the piping bag with the 2D nozzle. Placing your nozzle lightly onto the paper, position your elbow outward at a 90 degree angle and while squeezing the icing turn your arm back towards you clockwise to create a swirl that will become the base of your daisy flower. Make 24.
5. Add the yellow icing to your piping bag with the 3 nozzle. pipe small circular spots into the middle of the flowers to create the centre.
6. Put flowers into the freezer for 5-10 minutes to set. when they have set take a few out at a time (as they soften quickly) and remove them off the baking paper and place them on top of the cupcakes.
