Oreo Cupcakes

For the Chocolate Cupcakes:

Dry ingredients

• 1 1/3 of a cup of cocoa powder
• 2 ½ cups of flour
• 2 1/4 cups of white sugar
• 2 teaspoons of baking soda
• 2 teaspoons of baking powder
• 1 ¼ of a teaspoon of salt

Wet ingredients

• 2 eggs
• 2/3 of a  cup of  warm water
• 1 ½ teaspoons of vanilla extract
• 1 ¼ cups  of milk
• 2/3 of a cup of coffee
• 2/3 of a cup of vegetable oil

1. Preheat your oven to 180 degrees Celsius
2. Grease your muffin tins
3. In two separate bowls, mix your dry ingredients in one and the wet ingredients in another
4. Slowly add the dry ingredients to the wet and mix them with a hand mixer (or do it old school and get your wooden spoon out)
5. Pour the batter in your muffin cups (about half to 3/4 of the way full.. mine rosse like crazy)
6. Bake for about 15 minutes (stab them with a knife and make sure it comes out smooth just to be sure) and them cool before icing

For the Oreo Icing

Please note I suck at measuring things and I always encourage you to taste as you go. I made wayyyy too much icing but, this is APPROXIMATELY how much of what I used:

• 100 grams of Philadelphia cream cheese
• 2-3 tablespoons of softened butter
• 3/4- 1 cup of ground oreos (plus full oreos left aside for garnish)
• 3 tablespoons of icing sugar 

Once you have iced your cupcakes, garnish them with an oreo cut in half! Ohm nom. 

Chocolate Fondant Cake

1/2 a cup of dark chocolate

1/2 a cup of butter

1 cup of icing sugar

2 eggs

2 egg yolks

6 tablespoons of flour

1. Preheat the oven to 220 degrees Celsius (425 Fahrenheit) 
2. Melt the chocolate and butter and whisk together the mixture (don't burn it!)
3. Beat the eggs until they are frothy and add them along with sugar and mix well before adding the flour.
4. Grease your muffin cups or ramekins before filling them 3/4 of the way up with the fondant mix. 
5. Bake them for about 11 minutes and let them sit for a moment before gently flipping them and serving.  
6. Top them with fruit and or whipped cream!

Apple Cinnamon Oatmeal Cake

Nom :)

3/4 of a cup of butter

1 cup of brown sugar

3 eggs

1 & 1/2 cups of flour

2 teaspoons of baking powder

3 teaspoons of cinnamon

1 teaspoon of nutmeg

1 teaspoon of vanilla essence

1 teaspoon of baking soda

3 apples

2 tablespoons of oatmeal

2 tablespoons of apple sauce

1. Grease the baking tin and preheat the oven to 180 degrees Celsius.
2. Peel and grate the apples.
3. Mix the softened butter & sugar before slowly adding the beaten eggs, apple sauce, vanilla and apple sauce.
4. Combine the flour, baking powder, cinnamon, nutmeg, baking soda and oatmeal together and slowly add the dry mix to the wet mix. 
5. Pour the batter into your baking tin and top it with sliced apples and oatmeal.
6. Bake for about 40 minutes! 

Chocolate Fudge Cupcakes with Chocolate Fudge Icing

A heavenly recipe from Spinach Tiger

Ingredients

• 3⅓ cups all purpose flour
• ⅔ cups Hershey’s dark chocolate unsweetened cocoa powder
• ⅔ cups unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1 tablespoon baking soda
• 1⅓ cup brown sugar
• 1⅓ cups sugar
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 12 ounces butter (3 sticks)
• 3 cups buttermilk
• 2 teaspoons vanilla
• 5 eggs
• FROSTING INGREDIENTS
• ½ cup dark chocolate cocoa
• ½ cup regular unsweetened cocoa
• 5 cups confectioner’s sugar 5
• 2 teaspoons vanilla
• ¾ cup heavy cream
• 8 ounces butter (2 sticks)
• 4 tablespoons cream cheese

Instructions

1. Sift together cocoa, flour, baking soda, salt into a bowl.
2. Put flour mixture all the rest of the ingredients in mixer and mix for 3 minutes.
3. Pour into cupcake pans or three cake pans.
4. Bake at 350. Cupcakes take between 15-20 minutes. Mini bundt cakes take 20-25 minutes. One large cake takes between 50-55 minutes. Layer cakes take anywhere from 35-50 minutes.
5. FROSTING INSTRUCTIONS
6. Mix together butter and cream cheese. Add salt and confectioner’s sugar and mix well. Pour in heavy cream which will begin to thin the frosting. Once the frosting is at the consistency you like, add in vanilla and mix until done. You can make the frosting a day ahead, cover with plastic and once ready to frost cakes, take out for 30 minutes.
7. NOTE: This makes ample frosting, but I always double this recipe because I like to use a lot of frosting.

Vanilla Cupcakes with Strawberry Buttercream

For the cake:

2/3 cup (130 grams) granulated white sugar

3 large eggs

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Zest of 1 large lemon(outer yellow skin)

1 1/2 cups (195 grams) all purpose flour

1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 cup (60 ml) milk

For the Icing:

¾ of a cup of unsalted butter (room temperature)

1 cup of freeze dried strawberries

1 ½ tablespoons of heavy cream

2 cups of icing sugar

Fresh strawberries for garnish

1. Preheat the oven to 180 degrees celsius 
2. Combine the wet ingredients and dry ingredients in separate bowls before slowly combining them
3. Pour your batter into muffin cups 3/4 of the way up
4. Bake them for about 15-20 minutes or until cooked on the inside
5. Leave the muffins to cool and whisk together the icing after blending the strawberries
6. Garnish them with fresh strawberries and eat!

Chocolate Loaf Drizzled with Jam

• 1 cup of butter softened
• 1 and 2/3 of a cup of dark brown sugar
• 2 eggs
• 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract
• 100 grams of baking chocolate melted
• 1 and 1/3 cups of flour
• 1 teaspoon of baking soda
• 1/2 a teaspoon of salt
• 1 cup of boiling water
• 3 tablespoons of marmelade 
• 1 tablespoon of water

1. Preheat the oven to 160 degrees celsius 
2. Combine the eggs, butter, sugar, melted chocolate and vanilla
3. In a separate bowl combine the flour, baking soda & salt and slowly add the two mixtures with the boiling water
4. Pour the batter into greased baking pans and bake for about 30 minutes
5. In a bowl with the tablespoon of hot water, mix in the marmelade and drizzle it over the cake

Fluffy Vanilla Strawberry Cake

• 
  
  
  • 1 1/3 cups granulated sugar 
  • 6 tablespoons butter, softened 
  • 1 tablespoon grated lemon rind 
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • 2 large eggs
  • 2 large egg whites
  • 2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1 1/4 cups buttermilk
  The Icing & Garnish:
  • 8 ounces of cream cheese
  • 1 stick of butter (really healthy, I know)
  • 3 cups of icing sugar
  • 1 tablespoon of freshly squeezed lemon juice
  • 1/2 a cup of shredded coconut
  • Fresh Strawberries sliced

1. Preheat the oven to 180 degrees Celsius
2. Combine the sugar, butter, lemon, vanilla, eggs and buttermilk in one bowl
3. In a separate bowl, mix together the remaining ingredients for the cake and slowly mix the wet and dry ingredients together.
4. Pour the mix into two greased baking tins and bake for about 20 minutes. To test if the cake is done stick a knife in it until it comes out clean. 
5. Mix together the icing and slice the strawberries. Line the inside of the cake with strawberries and icing and garnish the top of the cake with icing and strawberry slices

(A song from Brian from Carmen ;])

Carrot Cake/Cupcakes/Muffins

I found a carrot cake recipe on Ezra Pound Cake two years ago and I haven't stumbled upon a better one yet. While I've made a few changes to mine, it is almost exact to that one. I hope you enjoy it :)

For the cake you will need:

• 2 cups of flower
• 2 teaspoons of baking powder
• 2 teaspoons of baking soda
• 1 tablespoon of cinnamon
• 1/2 a teaspoon of freshly ground nutmeg
• 3/4 of a teaspoon of salt
• 3 cups of grated carrots
• 1 cup of chopped walnuts
• 1/2 a cup of ground almonds
• 1 cup of shredded coconut
• 2 cups of sugar
• 1 cup of canola or sunflower oil
• 4 eggs
• 1 & 1/2 teaspoons of vanilla essence

1. Preheat your oven to 180 degrees Celsius, grease your cake pan(s)
2. In a bowl, mix together all dry ingredients: flower, baking soda, baking powder, almonds, cinnamon, coconut, nutmeg and salt
3. In a separate bowl, mix together your oil, sugar, eggs and vanilla essence
4. Chop the walnuts and add them to the bowl with oil, eggs, etc
5. Peel and grate your carrots and add them to the second bowl.
6. Slowly add the flower to your bowl of wet ingredients, stir well
7. Pour the mix into the cake pan(s) and place in the oven
8. Bake for approximately 45 minutes (to make sure it's cooked, slide a knife into the middle and if it comes out gooey, you need to let it cook longer)

Let the cake(s) cool before icing

For the icing:

• 8 ounces of cream cheese
• 1 stick of butter (really healthy, I know)
• 3 cups of icing sugar
• 1 tablespoon of freshly squeezed lemon juice
• 1/2 a cup of shredded coconut

Strawberry Cheesecake Tart

• Approximately 15 large strawberries
• 20 ounces of cream cheese
• Just under a cup of sugar
• 1 tablespoon of vanilla essence 
• Pie dough

1. Grease a pie dish and bake the dough based on the instructions
2. Allow the crust to cool
3. Mix the vanilla, cream cheese and sugar together well and then pour it on to the crust
4. Leave the tart in the freezer until serving, then garnish them with the sliced strawberries, laying them on top of the filling starting from the outside

Chocolate Raspberry Cake

For the Cake:

• 4 handfulls of fresh raspberries

Dry ingredients

• 1 1/3 of a cup of cocoa powder
• 2 ½ cups of flour
• 2 1/4 cups of white sugar
• 2 teaspoons of baking soda
• 2 teaspoons of baking powder
• 1 ¼ of a teaspoon of salt

Wet ingredients

• 2 eggs
• 2/3 of a  cup of  warm water
• 1 ½ teaspoons of vanilla extract
• 1 ¼ cups  of milk
• 2/3 of a cup of coffee
• 2/3 of a cup of vegetable oil

1. Preheat your oven to 180 degrees Celsius
2. Grease your baking pans
3. In two separate bowls, mix your dry ingredients in one and the wet ingredients in another
4. Slowly add the dry ingredients to the wet and mix them with a hand mixer (or do it old school and get your wooden spoon out)
5. Pour the batter in your 2 cake pans
6. Bake for about 30 minutes and let cool before icing

For the Icing:

• 1/2 a stick of room temperature butter
• 2/3 of a cup of icing sugar
• 3 tablespoons of tepid water
• 1/4 of a cup of cocoa powder

(Line the centre of the cake with raspberries and garnish the top with them as well)

Orange Cake

I used mandarins, but oranges are good too :)

You will need: 

• 4 eggs
• 1 cup of canola oil
• 2 cups of orange or mandarin juice (with pulp)
• 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract
• 2 teaspoons of orange zest
• 1 teaspoon of baking powder
• 1 teaspoon of baking soda
• 2 & 3/4 cups of flour
• 2 cups of sugar

1. Preheat your oven to 180 degrees Celsius 
2. I used a food processor to blend peeled mandarins, but you can simply squeeze them if you would rather
3. Combine the squeezed juice, canola oil, eggs, sugar, grated orange zest and vanilla extract in one bowl
4. In another, mix together the flour, baking soda and powder 
5. Slowly add the two mixtures together
6. Fill your baking tins and cook for about 45 minutes

I hate dubstep.... HOWEVER, this song is good, until it drops, then it is just horrible. God, I hate dubstep. 

Orange Butternut Cupcakes

Cupcakes made of squash seem a bit odd, but sooo yummy :) They taste amazing with lots of cinnamon and an icing with freshly squeezed orange juice. 

You will need:

• A butternut squash
• 2 cups of flour
• 2 teaspoons of baking powder
• 2 teaspoons of baking soda
• 2 teaspoons of cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon of nutmeg
• 3/4 of a teaspoon of salt
• 2 oranges
• 3/4 of a cup of canola oil
• 4 eggs
• 2 cups of sugar

For the icing: 

• 7 tablespoons of butter
• 2 cups of icing sugar
• 2 tablespoons of freshly squeezed orange juice

1. Preheat the oven to 180 degrees celsius 
2. Slice the squash in half and with a knife, slice along the inside of it after you remove the seeds and pulp
3. Melt a tablespoon of butter. Dip a cooking brush in it the butter and slide it over the squash then sprinkle it with some cinnamon and brown sugar
4. Leave the squash to bake for about 30 minutes or until it is tender
5. Once baked, scoop out the soft squash and puree it with a hand mixer
6. In a bowl, combine 2 1/2 cups of the pureed squash, oil, eggs, sugar, juice and pulp from the oranges
7. In a separate bowl, mix together the flour, baking soda, powder, salt, cinnamon and nutmeg
8. Slowly combine the ingredients mixing very well.
9. Fill muffin cups 3/4 of the way up and leave them to bake for about 16 minutes (or until they are fully cooked inside) 
10. Let them cool before icing them :)

And just a little drum and bass..

Chocolate Strawberry Cake

For the Strawberries:

I made about 15 chocolate covered strawberries but you can serve as many as you'd like.

This is so easy to do, all you need is a block of good quality chocolate and washed strawberries. Warm your chocolate in the microwave (taking it out frequently after very short intervals and stirring), dip the strawberries in and let them sit on a sheet of foil and place them in the fridge to cool.

For the Cake:

• 3 hand fulls of fresh strawberries

Dry ingredients

• 1 1/3 of a cup of cocoa powder
• 2 ½ cups of flour
• 2 1/4 cups of white sugar
• 2 teaspoons of baking soda
• 2 teaspoons of baking powder
• 1 ¼ of a teaspoon of salt

Wet ingredients

• 2 eggs
• 2/3 of a  cup of  warm water
• 1 ½ teaspoons of vanilla extract
• 1 ¼ cups  of milk
• 2/3 of a cup of coffee
• 2/3 of a cup of vegetable oil

1. Preheat your oven to 180 degrees Celsius
2. Grease your baking pans
3. In two separate bowls, mix your dry ingredients in one and the wet ingredients in another
4. Slowly add the dry ingredients to the wet and mix them with a hand mixer (or do it old school and get your wooden spoon out)
5. Pour the batter in your 2 cake pans
6. Bake for about 30 minutes and let cool before icing

For the Icing:

• 1/2 a stick of room temperature butter
• 2/3 of a cup of icing sugar
• 3 tablespoons of tepid water
• 1/4 of a cup of cocoa powder

The middle is full of icing and sliced strawberries, very yummy!

Carl liked his cake :)