Chocolate Mint Cupcakes

Chocolate Mint Cupcakes

Makes 12 Cupcakes

100g plain or all-purpose flour

20g cocoa powder

140g caster 

1 ½ tsp baking powder

a pinch of salt

50g unsalted butter, softened

2tbsp Creme de Menthe 

120ml milk

1 egg

For the Mint Buttercream:

250g icing sugar

85g unsalted butter, softened

25ml milk

50ml Crene de Menthe (more or less to taste)/few drops mint extract

3 squares Dark chocolate plus extra for topping, finely grated

Silver Edible cake glitter I grated dark chocolate

Preheat oven to 170c/GM 3 and line muffin tin with large cupcake cases.

With an electric mixer beat the butter and sugar till well creamed.

In a separate bowl add flour, coco and baking powder. And in a jug beat the egg till frothy and and add the milk.

Sift a third of the flour mixture into the butter and sugar and mix. Then while mixing add a third of the milk mixture. Keep adding the ingredients alternately until all combined.

Continue to beat till mixture slightly lightens. When ready add the Creme de Menthe/mint extract and mix in with a spatula. If you want it more minty add more but the icing has plenty so not too much is needed. You can also keep the sponge mint free if you like and just have the mint frosting.

Spoon the batter evenly between the cake cases and bake for 20-25 minutes until springy and a sharpe pointed knife comes out of the cake clean.

While the cake is in the oven it's time to make the frosting.

Mix the very soft butter and milwith 1/4 of the icing sugar and add a few drops of the Creme de Menthe/mint extract and use an electric mixer to beat. Continue to add all the icing and beat until light and fluffy. Add more mint to taste. If using extract add a few drops of green food colouring if desired. Once ready grate in  the chocolate and combine with a spatula. 

Put into a piping bag with your desired piping nozzle. 

Once the cakes come out I the oven leave to cool for ten minutes and transfer to a wire cooling rack. When completely cooled pipe the icing in your desired design and sprinkle over more grated chocolate and the glitter.

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Roasted Pumpkin Seeds

Good morning!!! So I thought I would share what to do with those left over Pumpkin Seeds.

They are super easy!

Ingredients

-Pumpkin Seeds

-1 Tsp Cinnamon 

-1 1/2 tsp Smoked Paprika 

-1 tsp Cayenne Chilli powder

-1 tsp Flaked Sea Salt

- 2 tbsp Olive Oil

Method

First of all wash the pumpkin seeds in cold water in a sieve. Lay out on a tea towel. Fold the tea towel in half an rub to dry the seeds. Lay the seeds on a flat baking tray and pop in the oven on 180• for 2-3 min until completely dry. 

Take out of the oven and sprinkle the spices and salt over the seeds. Mix well, then drizzle over the olive oil and mix well again. 

Lay the seeds out evenly back on the baking tray and roast at 180• for 10-20 min until the seeds are golden and a little puffed up.

Delicious eaten warm or cold. Keep in an air tight tub for up to a week.

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Cupcake bouquet

Good morning all!! Wow the weather has finally picked up! Bring on summer! So I thought I'd do a quick post to share what me and Carly go up to on Saturday. It was her friends birthday and we made her a cupcake bouquet! The idea came from the BBCGoodFood magazine and WOW! Carly made the sponge which was vanilla and orange then I did the piping. We had to change the piping as we couldn't find the 5 point star nozzle that was recommend by the recipe. We did buy another wired nozzle after watching some YouTube videos on how to pipe flowers but it was a disaster. The using for the recipe was rubbish so we just went with a colored butter cream. I'd anyone knows of a good video or something that can teach me how to pipe flowers and other things please let me know! As time was running short I went for the usual swirls and it was pretty effective once all put together. Carly's friend Cat helped do the leaves and took the pictures that I have used, thank you!

If anyone would like me and Carly to make something like this for you please contact me. We can do a number of colours/flavors in this design and a selection of other ideas and savory cupcakes that i will be posting on a cupcake page on here soon :D

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