Cupcake Practice Stage 1 - PASS!

I cannot believe how easy this was (see the video link):

Italian Meringue Butter Cream Frosting for cupcakes.

If you have a KitchenAid or stand mixer, you will find this a doddle. First make some simple cakes, I put some chopped cherries in mine too.

• 115g soft unsalted butter
• 115g golden caster sugar
• 115g self raising flour
• 2 eggs
• 1tbsp of milk

Stick the butter and sugar in the mixer and cream until it whitens.  Add the eggs a little at a time, so it doesn't curdle.  Fold in the sifted flour and then finally fold in the milk.

• 300g Butter
• 3 egg whites
• 180g caster sugar
• 60ml of water

The hardest part (first 3 minutes):
Put the 130g of the sugar and water in a pan, put on a high heat and whisk until all the sugar is dissolved. Using a pastry brush, wet it with water and brush down any sugar or sugar solution from the inside of the pan (if you don't it will burn on later and make your syrup a golden colour).  Once boiling leave it for 3 minutes and do not stir.

The easy part (after 3 minutes):
Whisk the egg whites in the KitchenAid stand mixer for 2 minutes until stiff, gradually add the remaining 50g of sugar.  Take the syrup solution you have just made and pour slowly into the mixer bowl while it is still whisking the egg whites.  Leave to whisk while it cools down for about 5 - 7 minutes.

Then gradually add the butter in large cubes, once all whisked in smoothly, add your colour and flavouring. Plop it in a piping bag and swirl it all over your cupcakes.

Cupcake Frosting Tutorial Video

OK so I have found a frosting recipee, I didn't want to do just plain butter cream, as it is very sickly. So here we go...

Italian Meringue Buttercream

Cupcakes Glarlore! Learning the Art of Cupcaking

I don't know what it is about cupcakes, but in the last 12 months there has been a bit of a crazy about them in the UK.  We used to call them fairy cakes, which was smaller and flatter and had runny icing on the top and maybe a few sprinkles.

Now all of a sudden, there is this big thing about cupcakes with a big mound of swirly icing.  Honestly, I have no idea how some of them are made, they are like little bundles of art inside a little paper case.  I have got to get into this, they are soooooOOO impressive.  Surly I cannot become a 'real' housewife until I can take impressive cupcakes to parties or family celebrations.

WoW how much has the humble cupcake evolved!

Just in case you are thinking 'hurrmmm might try that', they are a plant pot, with plastic drinking cups fixed together inside to make little holders for the cupcakes, then decorate to hide any ugly bits, insert your cupcakes and away we go!