Hello Cupcake by Fox Chapel Publishing

Hello Cupcake! Hello Cupcake! has heaps of delicious ideas for cupcakes and www.newhollandpublishers.com

US $14.99 UK £12.99 Cookery

whoopie pies so you’ll find the perfect treat for every taste and occasion. Leila Lindholm will inspire everyone who is planning a party for adults or children with thoroughly tested cupcake recipes topped with decadent frostings and garnishes. You’ll also meet cupcake’s best friend—the whoopie pie—which is filled with tempting frostings. Allow yourself to be inspired and take a bite out of the sweet life.

LEILA LINDHOLM

Leila Lindholm grew up in the inner Stockholm archipelago. She knew, early on, that it was the art of cooking that she wanted to devote herself to. She started at a restaurant school and afterwards worked in several famous restaurants in Sweden and New York. Leila has also worked as a food stylist for ads and commercials and is the author of five cookbooks including A Piece of Cake, a baking bible, and One More Slice. Her books have been published internationally. Over the years, Leila’s books and programs have received a number of awards including Female Cook of the Year in 1999, Channel 4 Cook of the Year in 2004, several nominations for the Gourmand Cookbook Award and others. Hello Cupcake! is Leila’s fifth book.

LEILA LINDHOLM

Hello Cupcake!

This book is for you Walter. Mamma loves you!

Hello cupcake! *

LEILA LINDHOLM

NEW HOLLAND PUBLISHERS

Hello cupcake! I fell in love with cupcakes for the first time when I moved to New York City when I was 21 years old. Cupcakes were everywhere and I especially remember the ones I used to buy from a snack van in Central Park. I’d been baking muffins since I was a child, but they were often a bit bigger and weren’t garnished in any particular way, while it turned out that small, cute cupcakes came in an endless array of types in the US. A cupcake should be a bit firmer in consistency and not as crumbly as muffins. A cupcake is a bit like a sponge cake that you then glaze with frosting and you almost always put sprinkles and decorations on top. In the US, people have been baking cupcakes like this since the 1950s and they’ve always been popular, but recently, there’s been a surge of interest and cupcakes are now hotter than ever. The same is true of cupcake’s buddy, the whoopie pie, which was created when a housewife took some leftover cupcake batter, put it on a baking tray, and baked it into big, flat cakes that she then put together in pairs with some marshmallow fluff in the middle. She pressed it all together like a macaron. In this book, you’ll find all my favourite recipes for cupcakes and whoopie pies and I hope you’ll like them as much as I do! Hugs, Leila

Contents Sweet potato cupcakes 9

Hi-hat cupcakes 75

Blueberry lemon cupcakes 10

Raspberry coconut pie cupcakes 77

Caramel cupcakes 12

French meringue cupcakes 78

Chocolate swirl cheesecake cupcakes 17

Chocolate mint whoopie pies 80

Sticky pecan upside-down cupcakes 20

Double chocolate whoopie pies 85

Fourth of July cupcakes 23

Jane’s apple pie cupcakes 87

Peanut butter whoopie pies 25

Walnut brownie cupcakes 89

Mississippi mud cupcakes 26

Nutella cupcakes 90

Bounty cupcakes 31

Elvis Presley’s cupcakes 93

Rocky road cupcakes 33

Coconut cream cupcakes 94

Rhubarb cheesecake cupcakes 36

After eight cupcakes 99

Saffron cupcakes 39

Hazelnut cupcakes 101

Chocolate and lavender cupcakes 40

Lime and raspberry cupcakes 102

Key lime pie cupcakes 43

Almond pavlova cupcakes 102

Butterfly lemon cupcakes 45

Passionfruit meringue cupcakes 108

Banoffee whoopie pies 52

Ginger raspberry whoopie pies 111

Mazarin cupcakes with fresh berries 55

Madeleine whoopie pies 112

Easter cupcakes 56

Wedding cupcakes 115

Walter’s birthday cupcakes 59

Classic cupcakes 116

Nutella whoopie pies 62

Vanilla cat cupcakes 118

Lemon meringue whoopie pies 65

Chocolate whoopie pies 121

Chunkey monkey cupcakes 66

Miss Piggy cupcakes 122

S’mores whoopie pies 69

White princess cupcakes 125

Strawberry cupcakes 70

Bling whoopie pies 126

Nutty pistachio cupcakes 72

Sweet potato cupcakes 16 C U P C A K E S 450 g (15 oz) sweet potato purée (1 large sweet potato) 3 free-range eggs 300 g (10½ oz) sugar 3oo g (10½ oz) plain (all-purpose) flour 1 tsp vanilla extract 1½ tsp baking powder 1½ tsp ground cinnamon 1 tsp ground cardamom ½ tsp ground ginger 2 pinches salt 150 ml (5 fl oz) oil CREAM CHEESE FROSTING

60 g (2 oz) softened butter 400g (14 oz) icing (confectioners’) sugar 1 tsp vanilla extract grated peel from 1 lime 150 g (5 oz) cream cheese

1. Turn the oven to 175°C (345°F). 2. Peel and cube the sweet potato. Boil the pieces in lightly salted water until soft. Pour off the water and mix the sweet potato into a smooth purée. 3. Whisk the eggs and sugar together until white and really fluffy. 4. Mix all the dry ingredients together and fold them into the eggs. 5. Add the oil and sweet potato purée. 6. Set out paper cups in a muffin tin and fill the cups until two-thirds full with the mixture. 7. Bake them in the middle of the oven for about 20-25 minutes. Put a toothpick in them to test them; they should not be sticky. Leave them to cool. 1. Mix together the butter, icing sugar, vanilla, grated lime peel and cream cheese. 2. Place a round nozzle on an icing bag and fill it with the frosting. 3. Frost the cupcakes and garnish with pumpkin seeds.

pumpkin seeds, for garnish

Blueberry lemon cupcakes 1 2 CUPCAKES 2 free-range eggs 150 g (5 oz) sugar 2 tsp vanilla extract 75 g (2½ oz) butter 75 ml (2¼ fl oz) milk 275 g (9½ oz) plain (all-purpose) flour 1½ tsp baking powder 1 pinch salt grated peel and juice from 2 lemons 250 g (9 oz) fresh blueberries

W H I T E C H O C O L AT E F R O S T I N G

200 g (7 oz) good-quality white chocolate 200 g (7 oz ) cream cheese

1. Turn the oven to 175°C (345°F). 2. Whisk the eggs, sugar and vanilla until white and really fluffy. 3. Melt the butter. Pour in the milk and mix it with the eggs. 4. Mix the flour, baking powder and salt together and carefully fold this into the egg mixture. 5. Mix in the grated peel and the lemon juice. 6. Set out paper cups in a muffin tin. 7. Layer the mixture with the blueberries and fill the cups until tw0-thirds full. 8. Bake them in the middle of the oven for about 15-20 minutes. Leave them to cool. 1. Chop the chocolate and melt it in a water bath (in a bowl over boiling water). Let it cool down a bit. 2. Mix the chocolate with the cream cheese. 3. Frost the cupcakes, using a round nozzle.

Caramel cupcakes 1 2 CUPCAKES 3 free-range eggs 250 g (9 oz) sugar 1 tsp vanilla extract 350 g (12 oz) plain (all-purpose) flour 2 tsp baking powder 3 tbsp good-quality cocoa 1 pinch salt 50 g (1¾ oz) butter 100 ml (3½ fl oz) double cream 2 tbsp cold coffee 100 g (3½ oz) good-quality 70% dark chocolate 1 package choc-coated caramels C H O C O L AT E G A N A C H E F R O S T I N G

250 g (9 oz) good-quality 70% dark chocolate 150 ml (5 fl oz) double cream 2 tsp golden syrup 1 pinch sea salt 1 tbsp butter 100 g (3½ oz) cream cheese

1. Turn the oven to 175°C (345°F). 2. Whisk the eggs, sugar and vanilla until white and really fluffy. 3. Mix the flour, baking powder, cocoa and salt and fold it carefully into the egg mixture. 4. Melt the butter and mix it with the cream. 5. Mix this into the eggs and add the coffee. 6. Coarsely chop the chocolate and melt it in a water bath (in a bowl over boiling water). 7. Add the chocolate to the mixture. 8. Set out paper cups in a muffin tin and fill the cups until two-thirds full. 9. Press two caramels into each cup. 10. Bake them in the middle of the oven for about 15 minutes. Leave them to cool. 1. Finely chop the chocolate in a mixer. 2. Boil the cream, syrup and salt and pour it over the chocolate while mixing it. Add the butter and cream cheese and pulse (press on and off, on and off). Note: Only mix it until it’s mixed together. If you mix it too much, it will separate. 3. Frost the cupcakes, using a star nozzle.

Chocolate swirl cheesecake cupcakes 16

CUPCAKES

BISCUIT BASE

400 g (14 oz) digestive biscuits 150 g (5 oz) butter CHEESECAKE MIXTURE

600 g (21 oz) cream cheese 875 ml (30 fl oz) quark 150 g (5 oz) sugar 2 tsp vanilla extract 4 free-range eggs 100 ml (3½ fl oz) double cream C H O C O L AT E S W I R L

150 g (5 oz) good-quality 60% dark chocolate 3 tbsp espresso TOPPING

200 ml (7 fl oz) crème fraîche 300 ml (10½ fl oz) double cream

1. Turn the oven to 150°C (300°F). 2. Finely crush the biscuits in a mixer (or put them in a plastic bag and crush them with a rolling pin). 3. Melt the butter and mix it with the biscuit pieces. 4. Set out paper cups in a muffin tin and divide the biscuits amongst them. 5. In a bowl, whip the cream cheese and quark until creamy. 6. Mix in the sugar and vanilla. 7. Mix in one egg at a time and finally add the cream. 8. Break the chocolate in pieces and melt it in a water bath (in a bowl over boiling water). Mix in the coffee. 9. Mix half of the cheesecake mixture with the chocolate. 10. Swirl the mixtures into the cups with a spoon. 11. Bake for about 25 minutes. They should be firm but can jiggle a bit. Leave them to cool and then chill them in the refrigerator until they are refrigerator-cold. 12. Mix the crème fraîche and cream and whip them until fluffy with an electric mixer. Put some on top of each cupcake.

T H I S I S A F I L L I N G C H E E S E C A K E C U P C A K E F O R A L L C H E E S E C A K E - LO V E R S . I T I S I M P O R T A N T T O C H O O S E A C H O C O L AT E T H AT D O E S N ’ T H AV E T O O H I G H A C O C O A P E R C E N T A G E S O T H AT T H E C U P C A K E I S N ’ T T O O B I T T E R ( 7 0 % C H O C O L AT E I S O F T E N T O O B I T T E R ) . I U S U A L LY S E R V E T H E M W I T H F R E S H B E R R I E S .

The cupcake story... In the US, people have been baking cupcakes for over 100 years, but it was in the 1950s that there was a big surge of interest! I’ve always been a big fan of that historical period and I’ve been inspired by it. After I moved to New York City I discovered cupcakes and fell in love with them. It was the look that I liked the most, because they often bake cupcakes from a mix. I became inspired and started baking cupcakes at home with real butter and fresh ingredients.

s! cupcake

What I really love about cupcakes is that they can be varied with beautiful decorations and different tastes. There isn’t a right or a wrong; what’s most important is that they’re tasty!

Sticky pecan upside-down cupcakes 12

CUPCAKES

PECAN CARAMEL

50 g (1¾ oz) butter 2 tbsp honey 50 g (1¾ oz) brown sugar 3oo g (10½ oz) pecans melted butter, to brush on the cups CUPCAKES

2 free-range eggs 150 g (5 oz) sugar 1 tsp vanilla extract 75 g (2½ oz) butter 50 ml (1¾ fl oz) milk 250 g (9 oz) plain (all-purpose) flour 1½ tsp baking powder ½ tsp ground cinnamon 1 pinch ground cloves 1 pinch salt

1. Turn the oven to 175°C (345°F). 2. Start with the caramel. Melt the butter, honey and brown sugar in a saucepan while stirring it for a couple of minutes, until it turns into a caramel. Remove it from the heat. 3. Halve the pecans lengthwise. 4. Set out paper cups in a muffin tin and brush them with the melted butter. 5. Put just 1 tablespoon of caramel in each cup and distribute the pecans over the caramel. 6. Whisk the eggs, sugar and vanilla until white and really fluffy. 7. Melt the butter, add the milk and mix it into the egg mixture. 8. Mix the flour, baking powder, cinnamon, cloves and salt together and carefully fold this into the egg mixture. 9. Pour the mixture over the pecans. Bake them in the middle of the oven for about 15 minutes. Leave them to cool a bit and then turn them upside-down. Carefully pull off the paper before they have cooled.

T H E S E W O N D E R F U L , T A S T Y A N D M O I S T C A K E S A R E M Y F AV O U R I T E S . Y O U M A K E T H E M I N P A P E R M U FF I N C U P S I N A M U FF I N T R AY A N D P U T T H E P E C A N C A R A M E L I N T H E B O T T O M . Y O U S P O O N C U P C A K E B AT T E R O V E R T H AT A N D T H E N B A K E T H E M I N T H E O V E N . W H E N Y O U TAKE OUT THE CUPCAKES AND THEY’RE STILL WARM, YOU REMOVE THE PAPER. I BAKE THEM O F T E N T H R O U G H O U T T H E Y E A R , B U T T H E Y ’ R E P A R T I C U L A R LY G O O D T O S E R V E A T C H R I S T M A S B E C A U S E T H E Y H AV E A S P I CY F L AV O U R .

Fourth of July cupcakes 1 2 CUPCAKES 2 free-range eggs 150 g (5 oz) sugar 1 tsp vanilla extract 75 g (2½ oz) butter 75 ml (2½ fl oz) milk 275 g (9½ oz) plain (all-purpose) flour 1½ tsp baking powder 1 pinch salt grated peel and juice from 3 limes 200 g (7 oz) fresh blueberries 200 g (7 oz) fresh raspberries CREAM CHEESE FROSTING

60 g (2 oz) softened butter 400 g (14 oz) icing sugar 1 tsp vanilla extract 1 tbsp freshly squeezed lime juice 100 g (3½ oz) cream cheese

1. Turn the oven to 175°C (345°F). 2. Whisk the eggs, sugar and vanilla until white and really fluffy. 3. Melt the butter, add the milk and then mix it with the egg mixture. 4. Mix the flour, baking powder and salt together and carefully fold this into the eggs. 5. Mix in the grated peel and juice from the limes. 6. Set out paper cups in a muffin tin. 7. Layer the blueberries, raspberries and dough mixture in the cups. Fill them two-thirds full. 8. Bake them in the middle of the oven for about 15–20 minutes. Leave them to cool. 1. Whip the butter, sugar, vanilla, lime juice and cream cheese until creamy. 2. Spread the frosting on the cakes and garnish with flags and berries.

flags, blueberries and raspberries, for garnish

C E L E B R A T I N G T H E F O U R T H O F J U LY I S A B I G D E A L I N T H E U S . T H E Y O F T E N C E L E B R A T E W I T H A B A R B E Q U E O N T H E G R A S S A N D , O F C O U R S E , A LO N G W I T H T H I S Y O U H AV E T O H AV E B A K E D G O O D S I N T H E C O LO U R S O F T H E A M E R I C A N F L A G .

Peanut butter whoopie pies 2 0 WHOOPIE PIES 3 free-range eggs 250 g (9 oz) sugar 1 tsp vanilla extract 50 g (1¾ oz) butter 100 ml (2¾ fl oz) sour cream 2 tbsp cold coffee 350 g (12 oz) plain (all-purpose) flour 2 tsp baking powder 4 tbsp good-quality cocoa 1 pinch salt 100 g (3½ oz) good-quality 70% dark chocolate

PEANUT BUTTER FROSTING

50 g (1¾ oz) softened peanut butter 250 g (9 oz) icing sugar 2 tbsp good-quality cocoa 1 tsp vanilla extract 100 g (3½ oz) cream cheese 1 tbsp warm coffee

1. Turn the oven to 175°C (345°F). 2. Whisk the eggs, sugar and vanilla until white and really fluffy. 3. Melt the butter, add the sour cream and coffee and mix this into the eggs. 4. Mix the flour, baking powder, cocoa and salt, and carefully fold this into the egg mixture. 5. Coarsely chop the dark chocolate and melt it in a water bath (in a bowl over boiling water). Mix it with the other ingredients. 6. Pipe or spoon out the mixture onto baking paper with a tablespoon. 7. Bake them in batches in the middle of the oven for about 10 minutes. Leave them to cool completely. Meanwhile, make the peanut butter frosting. 1. Blend the peanut butter, icing sugar, cocoa, vanilla and cream cheese together until creamy. Add the coffee and whip the frosting with an electric mixer. 2. Fill an icing bag and use a round nozzle. 3. Pipe the frosting onto the underside of one cake and put it together with another cake (without frosting), like a macaron. Pipe a little frosting on top and garnish with peanuts.

salted peanuts, for garnish

Mississippi mud cupcakes 1 2 CUPCAKES 2 free-range eggs 250 g (9 oz) sugar 1 tsp vanilla extract 350 g (12 oz) plain (all-purpose) flour 1 tsp bicarbonate of soda (baking soda) 1 pinch salt 200 g (7 oz) good-quality 70% dark chocolate 100 g (3½ oz) butter 2 tbsp strong coffee

FUDGE GLAZE

125 ml (4 fl oz) double cream 200 ml (7 fl oz) milk 2 tsp golden syrup 100 g (3½ oz) good-quality 70% dark chocolate whipped cream and maraschino cherries, for garnish

1. Turn the oven to 175°C (345°F). 2. Whisk the eggs, sugar and vanilla until white and really fluffy. 3. Mix the flour, bicarbonate of soda and salt in a mixing bowl. 4. Coarsely chop the dark chocolate and melt it in a water bath (in a bowl over boiling water). 5. Melt the butter and add the coffee. 6. Carefully fold everything together. 7. Set out paper cups in a muffin tin. Fill them two-thirds full. 8. Bake them in the middle of the oven for about 10 minutes. They should sink in the middle after you take them out of the oven. Leave them to cool. 1. Boil the cream, milk and syrup in a saucepan. Remove from the heat and leave to cool for a little while. 2. Finely chop the dark chocolate, put the pieces in the saucepan and stir until smooth. Let it cool a bit and then pour it into the valley in the middle of the cupcakes. 3. Garnish with lightly whipped cream and a maraschino cherry.

THIS IS MY VERSION OF THE AMERICAN MISSISSIPPI MUD CAKE. IN THE US, IT’S OFTEN SERVED WITH A F LO O D O F C R E A M Y C A R A M E L O N T O P A N D S O M E T I M E S W I T H C H O C O L AT E S A U C E , C A R A M E L S A U C E A N D M A R S H M A L L O W S A S W E L L . T H E R E A R E S U R E LY T H O U S A N D S O F V A R I A T I O N S O N H O W I T C A N B E B A K E D A N D S E R V E D . . . T H I S I S H O W I L I K E I T B E S T.

DET HÄR ÄR EN SMASKIG KLASSIKER SOM JAG ALLTID GÖR MED ”FIN” MÖRK CHOKLAD.VALNÖTTERNA SKA VARA FÄRSKA OCH ROSTADE DET HÄR ÄR EN SMASKIG KLASSIKER SOM JAG ALLTID GÖR MED ”FIN” MÖRK CHOKLAD.VALNÖTTERNA SKA VARA FÄRSKA.

. . . h c a be

e h t o t e n o G The beach is my son Walterâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s paradise. We spend

hours on the sand while Walter bakes his own sand cakes. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s good to bring along something to snack on.

Une journée sur la plage... We spend the summer in Montalivet in France. Here we sun-bathe, swim, fly kites and look for treasure on the beach. We always bring a well-filled picnic basket with us. In it, there is a drink or soup in a thermos (so it stays warm all day) and cupcakes and whoopie pies in my little cake tin with an icepack.

ma!! Look, mam

Of course, we also take a good lunch with us. In France, there’s unbelievable bread and fantastic raw ingredients for salads. You can’t live on cupcakes alone!

Bounty cupcakes 1 2 CUPCAKES 100 g (3½ oz) coconut flakes 100 g (3½ oz) good-quality 70% dark chocolate 2 free-range eggs 150 g (5 oz) sugar 1 tsp vanilla extract 250 g (9 oz) plain (all-purpose) flour 1½ tsp baking powder 1 pinch salt 100 g (3½ oz) butter 75 ml (2½ fl oz) coconut milk 2½ tbsp good-quality cocoa 1½ tbsp cold coffee 1 tbsp Malibu (coconut liqueur) 6 Bounty or Mounds bars

BOUNTY GLAZE

250 g (9 oz) good-quality 70% dark chocolate 150 ml (5 fl oz) double cream 2 tbsp honey 1 pinch sea salt 1 tbsp butter 100 g (3½ oz) cream cheese

1. Turn the oven to 175°C (345°C). 2. Toast the coconut flakes in a dry frying pan until they have lightly browned. 3. Coarsely chop the dark chocolate and melt it in a water bath (in a bowl over boiling water). 4. Whisk the eggs, sugar and vanilla until white and really fluffy. 5. Mix the flour, bicarbonate of soda and salt and carefully fold it into the egg mixture. 6. Melt the butter, add the coconut milk and mix into the egg mixture. 7. Stir in the melted chocolate, the toasted coconut flakes, the cocoa, coffee and Malibu. 8. Set out paper cups in a muffin tin and fill them twothirds full. 9. Halve the Bounty bars and stick one half into each cupcake. 10. Bake them in the middle of the oven for about 12 minutes. Leave them to cool. 1. Finely chop the chocolate in a mixer. 2. Boil the cream, honey and salt and pour it over the chocolate while mixing it. Add the butter and cream cheese and pulse (turn it on and off, on and off). Note: mix only until the cream has come together; if you mix it for too long, it will separate. 3. Spread the frosting over the cupcakes. 4. Garnish with coconut flakes.

coconut flakes, for garnish I ’ M C H I L D I S H I N T H AT I LO V E H AV I N G S W E E T S I N M Y B A K E D G O O D S A N D T H I S I S P R O B A B LY O N E O F M Y M O S T S U C C E S S F U L R E C I P E S . I F Y O U L I K E C O C O N U T, Y O U M U S T B A K E T H E S E C U P C A K E S . T H E Y ’ R E T O - D I E - F O R !

Rocky road cupcakes 1 2 CUPCAKES 3 free-range eggs 250 g (9 oz) sugar 1 tsp vanilla extract 50 g (1¾ oz) butter 100 ml (3½ fl oz) sour cream 2 tbsp cold coffee 350 g (12 oz) plain (all-purpose) flour 2 tsp baking powder 4 tbsp good-quality cocoa 1 pinch salt 100 g (3½ oz) good-quality 70% dark chocolate 2 handfuls choc-coated caramels 2 handfuls mini marshmallows 2oo g (7 oz) salted peanuts FUDGE GLAZE

150 ml (5 oz) double cream 50 ml (1¾ fl oz) milk 2 tbsp honey 200 g (7 oz) good-quality 70% dark chocolate 1 tbsp butter

1. Turn the oven to 175°C (345°F). 2. Whisk the eggs, sugar and vanilla until white and really fluffy. 3. Melt the butter, add the sour cream and coffee and mix it with the egg mixture. 4. Mix the flour, baking powder, cocoa and salt and carefully fold this mixture into the eggs. 5. Coarsely chop the dark chocolate and melt it in a water bath (in a bowl over boiling water). 6. Add the chocolate to the rest of the ingredients. 7. Set out paper cups in a muffin tin and layer the batter, the choc-coated caramels, mini marshmallows and peanuts in them. Fill them two-thirds full. 8. Bake them in the middle of the oven for about 15 minutes. Leave them to cool.

1. Boil the cream, milk and honey in a saucepan. Remove from the heat and let it cool a little. 2. Finely chop the chocolate and mix it into the warm milk so the chocolate melts. Stir in the butter. 3. Spoon some glaze onto the middle of each cupcake and garnish with small pieces of choc-coated caramels, peanuts and mini marshmallows.

choc-coated caramels, salted peanuts and mini marshmallows, for garnish

. . . s e i r o mem t e e Sw

One of my strongest food-related memories is when I stood on a

little stool in my grandma’s kitchen and spooned batter into muffin tins. Grandma and I created masterpieces in the oven and she even let me lick the bowl! I was probably just three years old, but I remember it so strongly. That’s what’s so wonderful about baking with your children and grandchildren. We are creating memories for life and at the same time we’re doing something creative and fun together. Also, we can eat and offer others our delicious homemade creations without worrying about any strange additives. That’s why I’ve decided that this is something I want to share with and give to my children and I really hope I can inspire others to do so too. Walter often talks about how Mamma bakes and, of course, you can understand why. He loves baking too, which bodes well. It’s a real gift to be able to bake and cook. The best way to get to eat good food is to learn to make it yourself. That’s why it can be a good idea to allow children to get familiar with the kitchen and to create that magic early in their lives...

Rhubarb cheesecake cupcakes 16 C UPCAKES RHUBARB COMPOTE

½ litre (17 fl oz) sliced rhubarb 2oo g (7 oz) sugar BISCUIT BASE

400 g (14 oz) digestive biscuits 150 g (5 oz) butter C H E E S E C A K E B AT T E R

300 g (10½ oz) cream cheese 175 ml (6 fl oz) quark 50 g (1¾ oz) sugar 50 g (1¾ oz) cornstarch (cornflour) 1 tsp vanilla extract 2 free-range eggs 50 ml (1¾ fl oz) double cream 100 g (3½ oz) good-quality white chocolate

1. Turn the oven to 150°C (300°F). 2. Cook the rhubarb with the sugar (no water is needed as the rhubarb has so much water in it). Cook for about 20 minutes, until the rhubarb is soft. Stir carefully. 3. Crumble the digestive biscuits in a mixer. 4. Melt the butter and mix it with the biscuit crumbs. 5. Set out paper cups in a muffin tin and put biscuits in the bottom of each cup. 6. Whip the cream cheese and quark until creamy. 7. Mix in the sugar, cornstarch and vanilla. 8. Mix in the eggs and finally the cream. 9. Chop the dark chocolate and melt it in a water bath (in a bowl over boiling water). 10. Fold the rhubarb compote into the cheesecake mixture and fill the muffin cups. 11. Bake for about 25 minutes. 12. Store them somewhere cold and serve cold with a little whipped cream and fresh raspberries.

whipped cream and fresh raspberries, for garnish

M Y R H U B A R B C H E E S E C A K E C U P C A K E S A R E A R E A L T R E AT T H AT N E V E R D I S A P P O I N T A N Y O N E . T H E C O M P O T E I S R E A L LY E A S Y T O M A K E , A S I S T H E C H E E S E C A K E B A T T E R . I F Y O U W A N T , Y O U C A N M A K E C H E E S E C A K E C U P C A K E S W I T H O T H E R F L AV O U R I N G S , S U C H A S W I T H M I X E D B E R R I E S O R B L U E B E R R I E S . S W I R L T H E B E R R I E S W I T H T H E B AT T E R I N T H E M U FF I N C U P S .

Saffron cupcakes 1 2 CUPCAKES 3 free-range eggs 250 g (9 oz) sugar 1 tsp vanilla extract 100 g (3½ oz) butter ½ g (1 sachet) saffron 100 ml (3½ fl oz) double cream 350 g (12 oz) plain (all-purpose) flour 2 tsp baking powder 1 pinch salt 1 tbsp light rum

CREAM CHEESE FROSTING

60 g (2 oz) softened butter 400 g (14 oz) icing sugar 1 tsp vanilla extract 1 tbsp freshly squeezed lemon juice 100 g (3½ oz) cream cheese

1. Turn the oven to 175°C (345°F). 2. Whisk the eggs, sugar and vanilla until white and really fluffy. 3. Melt the butter with the saffron. Mix in the cream and boil. Mix with the eggs. 4. Mix the flour, baking powder and salt together and carefully fold this into the egg mixture. 5. Flavour with rum. 6. Set out paper cups in a muffin tin and fill the cups until two-thirds full with the mixture. 7. Bake them in the middle of the oven for about 15-20 minutes. 1. Mix the butter, icing sugar, vanilla, lemon juice and cream cheese until creamy. 2. Spread the frosting on the cupcakes. 3. Garnish with sprinkles.

sprinkles, for garnish

I U S U A L LY B A K E T H E S E F O R C H R I S T M A S A N D E A S T E R . C H I L D R E N O F T E N C A L L T H E M ‘ D U C K M U FF I N S ’ B E C A U S E O F T H E G O R G E O U S B I R D - Y E L LO W C O LO U R . Y O U C A N A L S O G A R N I S H THEM WITH A LITTLE GROUND CINNAMON INSTEAD OF SPRINKLES.

Chocolate and lavender cupcakes 1 2 C UPCAKES 3 free-range eggs 250 g (9 oz) sugar 1 tsp vanilla extract 350 g (12 oz) plain (all-purpose) flour 2 tsp baking powder 3 tbsp good-quality cocoa 1 pinch salt 50 g (1¾ oz) butter 100 ml (3½ fl oz) double cream 3 fresh lavender flowers (or ½ tsp dried lavender) 2 tbsp cold coffee 100 g (3½ oz) good-quality 70% dark chocolate

C H O C O L AT E A N D L AV E N D E R F R O S T I N G

250 g (9 oz) good-quality 70% dark chocolate 150 ml (5 oz) double cream 3 fresh lavender flowers (or ½ tsp dried lavender) 2 tbsp honey 2 pinches sea salt 1 tbsp butter 100 g (3½ oz) cream cheese

1. Turn the oven to 175°C (345°F). 2. Whisk the eggs, sugar and vanilla until white and really fluffy. 3. Mix the flour, baking powder, cocoa and salt and carefully fold into the egg mixture. 4. Warm the butter, cream and lavender. Let it steep for a few moments and then strain out the lavender flowers. 5. Mix this with the egg mixture and add the cold coffee. 6. Coarsely chop the dark chocolate and melt it in a water bath (in a bowl over boiling water). 7. Add the chocolate to the batter. 8. Set out paper cups in a muffin tin and fill the cups until two-thirds full with the mixture. 9. Bake them in the middle of the oven for about 15 minutes. Leave them to cool. 1. Finely chop the chocolate in a mixer. 2. Boil the cream, lavender, honey and sea salt and pour it over the chocolate while stirring it. 3. Add the butter and cream cheese and pulse (press on and off, on and off). Note: only mix it until it’s mixed together. If you mix it too much, it will separate. 4. Using an icing bag with a round nozzle, frost the cupcakes. Garnish with lavender flowers.

lavender flowers, for garnish

C H O C O L AT E A N D L AV E N D E R A R E A W O N D E R F U L A N D P E R H A P S U N E X P E C T E D C O M B I N AT I O N . S O M E T I M E S I F L AV O U R M Y C H O C O L AT E C A K E W I T H F R E S H L AV E N D E R F LO W E R S . I T ’ S A L S O D E L I C I O U S T O M A K E A L AV E N D E R S U G A R BY M I X I N G F R E S H L AV E N D E R F LO W E R S W I T H S U G A R A N D S E R V I N G I T O N S T R AW B E R R I E S .

Key lime pie cupcakes 16

CUPCAKES

BISCUIT BASE

400 g (14 oz) digestive biscuits 125 g (4 oz) melted butter FILLING

2 tins (800 g/28 oz) sweetened condensed milk 8 free-range yolks grated peel and juice from 10 limes whipped cream and lime, to serve

1. Turn the oven to 175°C (345°F). 2. Crumble the digestive biscuits in a mixer and mix them with the melted butter. 3. Set out paper cups in a muffin tin and press biscuits in the bottom and around the sides of each cup. 4. Pre-bake the biscuit base in the oven for about 10 minutes. Leave to cool. 5. Mix the condensed milk with the egg yolks, grated lime peel and lime juice. Let steep for at least 30-60 minutes. Strain through a fine strainer and throw away all the peels. 6. Pour the filling over the biscuit base and bake in the middle of the oven for about 25 minutes. Leave them to cool completely and serve with whipped cream and slices of lime.

K E Y L I M E I S A L I T T L E S W E E T - S O U R F R U I T F R O M K E Y W E S T, A P E N I N S U L A O U T S I D E M I A M I I N THE US. THE PIE HAS BECOME ALMOST LEGENDARY AND THERE ARE MANY FIRM OPINIONS ABOUT HOW IT SHOULD BE MADE. I THINK IT’S BEST WHEN YOU MAKE IT WITH SWEETENED CONDENSED MILK.

4535

Butterfly lemon cupcakes 1 2 CUPCAKES 3 free-range eggs 250 g (9 oz) sugar 1 tsp vanilla extract 100 g (3½ oz) butter 100 ml (3½ fl oz) sour cream 400 g (14 oz) plain (all-purpose) flour 2 tsp baking powder 1 pinch salt 100 g (3½ oz) poppy seeds grated peel of 3 and juice of 2 lemons LEMON CREAM

3 lemons 150 g (5 oz) sugar 50 g (1¾ oz) butter 2 tbsp cornstarch (cornflour) 2 free-range eggs 2 free-range yolks 150 ml (5 fl oz) double cream

1. Turn the oven to 175°C (345°F). 2. Whisk the eggs, sugar and vanilla until white and really fluffy. 3. Melt the butter, add the sour cream and mix with the egg mixture. 4. Mix the flour, baking powder, salt and poppy seeds and carefully fold into the mixture. 5. Mix in the grated peel and lemon juice. 6. Set out paper cups in a muffin tin and fill the cups until two-thirds full with the mixture. 7. Bake them in the middle of the oven for about 15 minutes. Leave them to cool. 1. Heat the juice from two lemons and the grated peel from three with the sugar and butter. 2. Strain and throw out the peel. 3. Mix the cornstarch with the juice from the third lemon and add to the warm mixture. 4. Whisk the eggs and yolks. 5. Add the eggs to the mixture and simmer over heat until the cream has thickened. 6. Pour the cream into a bowl and leave to cool completely. 7. Whip the cream until fluffy and fold it together with the cool lemon cream. 8. Slice the top off every cupcake and halve the top. Cut little lines into the sides. 9. Using a teaspoon, scoop out a little of the cupcake and fill the hole with lemon cream. 10. Place the halved top over the cream like wings.

Celebrate a child’s birthday with a party—it is usually really important to them. Of course, it’s extra fun if they get to help with the baking and other activities in the kitchen. Also, it’s wonderful to be able to have creative quality time with your children—you can create magic in the kitchen with eggs, sugar, baking powder, butter, milk and flour!

y a d h t r i y b p p a H

! r e alt W

Party tips... You can freeze cupcakes if you want to prepare them a few days before the party. They should be cooled completely before you freeze them and they should be frozen fresh and well-wrapped in plastic. Then take them out and defrost them completely before you top them with frosting. If they arenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t completely defrosted, there is a chance that the frosting might melt from the moisture in the cupcakes.

You can prepare the frosting and keep it in the refrigerator overnight. Just whip it again before frosting the cupcakes. This doesnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t work for frosting that includes melted chocolate, as it gets too hard.

Mazarincupcakes med färska bär 16 C UPCAKES 250 g mjukt smör 500 g mandelmassa 5 ekologiska ägg 1 dl vetemjöl TOPPING

2 liter valfria färska bär (jord gubbar, bigarråer och hallon) 5 dl vispgrädde

1. Sätt ugnen på 175 grader. 2. Vispa smör och riven mandelmassa krämigt. 3. Tillsätt ett ägg i taget under vispning. 4. Vänd till sist i vetemjölet för hand. 5. Placera ut pappersformar i en muffinsplåt och fyll formarna till 2/3 med smet. 6. Grädda kakorna i mitten av ugnen i cirka 20 minuter. Låt dem svalna helt. 7. Vispa grädden fluffig och skiva jordgubbarna. 8. Spritsa grädden på kakorna som en liten ”bikupa” och fäst bären i grädden.

Lovely Jane!

Mix and match! I like to use both old and new things when setting the table. Doing so creates a nice feeling and character. Donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t be scared to try different colours and patterns.

... Yummy

Make napkins from your favourite material or scraps with crafting scissors. The napkins may not last forever, but theyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll be fun for the party. Cut out crowns from gold paper. Tape them together and add a piece of elastic that goes under the chin. 50

Three types of cakes! For my cupcake parties, I usually make three different types of cupcakes. They are like small, cute individual cakes with different flavours, so you can be pretty sure that everyone will be satisfied. But cupcakes arenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t just for kids. You can also offer them on other occasions, such as afternoon teas, weddings, christenings, Easter, graduation parties, Christmas and birthdays. I love beautiful cake dishes and I think they really make the party. If you have different levels on the table, it makes things seem more festive than if everything is at the same height.

Flags!

Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s easy to make nice little

flags for the cupcakes. All you need are cocktail sticks, coloured paper, glue and scissors. I like to cut an oblong strip, put glue on one side and then fold it over the cocktail stick. Then I cut out the shape of a flag. Sometime I make a strip in another colour, so the flag has two colours.

Banoffee whoopie pies 1 2 WHOOPIE PIES 100 g (3½ oz) softened butter 150 g (5 oz) sugar 350 g (12 oz) plain (all-purpose) flour 2 tsp vanilla extract 1 tsp baking powder 1 tsp bicarbonate of soda (baking soda) 1 free-range egg 100 ml (3½ fl oz) double cream 50 g (1¾ oz) walnuts CARAMEL SAUCE

250 ml (9 fl oz) double cream 50 g (1¾ oz) sugar 1oo ml (3½ fl oz) golden syrup FILLING

3oo ml (10½ fl oz) double cream 2 bananas

1. Turn the oven to 175°C (345°F). 2. Whisk the butter and sugar until creamy. 3. Mix the dry ingredients and fold them into the batter. 4. Mix in the egg and cream and stir into a smooth batter. 5. Pipe or spoon out the mixture onto baking paper with a tablespoon. 6. Place a walnut half in half of the cakes (these will be the tops of the whoopie pies) 7. Bake them in batches in the middle of the oven for about 10 minutes. 8. Make the caramel. Mix the cream, sugar and syrup in a heavy-bottomed saucepan and cook the caramel for about 20 minutes. Leave to cool. 9. Whip the cream for the filling until fluffy. 10. Slice the bananas. Place a spoonful of whipped cream on a whoopie bottom (the half without walnut), drizzle with caramel sauce, place two slices of bananas on it, and drizzle with more caramel. Add the top of the whoopie pie (the half with the walnut).

H O W D O Y O U K N O W W H E N C A R A M E L I S R E A DY ? C H I L L A P L AT E I N T H E F R E E Z E R . P U T A S P O O N F U L O F C A R A M E L O N T H E P L A T E T O T E S T T H E C O N S I S T E N C Y. T H E L O N G E R Y O U C O O K THE SAUCE, THE THICKER IT WILL BE.

Mazarin cupcakes with fresh berries 1 6 CUPCAKES 250 g (9 oz) softened butter 500 g (17½ oz) almond paste 5 free-range eggs 100 g (3½ oz) plain (all-purpose) flour TOPPING

500 g (17½ oz) double cream 2 litres (70 fl oz) berries (strawberries, cherries or raspberries)

1. Turn the oven to 175°C (345°F). 2. Whip the butter and grated almond paste until creamy. 3. Add an egg, one at a time, while continuing to whip. 4. Fold in the flour last. 5. Set out paper cups in a muffin tin and fill the cups until two-thirds full with the mixture. 6. Bake them in the middle of the oven for about 20 minutes. Leave them to cool completely. 7. Whip the cream until fluffy and slice the berries. 8. Pipe the cream on the cakes so it looks like a little beehive and top with berries.

T H I S M O I S T A L M O N D C A K E W A S P R O B A B LY N A M E D A F T E R A L E G E N D A R Y F R E N C H C A R D I N A L . I T I S O F T E N S E R V E D W I T H A S U G A R I C I N G A N D S O M E T I M E S R A S P B E R R Y J A M ( A N D I S T H E N C A L L E D C AT A L A N ) . M A Z A R I N S S H O U L D B E H E AV Y A N D M O I S T A N D T H E Y S H O U L D C O N T A I N LO T S O F A L M O N D S A N D B U T T E R . D O N ’ T B A K E T H E M F O R T O O L O N G O R T H E Y ’ L L B E D R Y.

Easter cupcakes 1 2 CUPCAKES 2 free-range eggs 150 g (5 oz) sugar 100 g (3½ oz) hazelnuts 150 g (5 oz) plain (all-purpose) flour 1 tsp baking powder 75 ml (2½ fl oz) milk

NUTELLA FROSTING

1oo g (3½ oz) Nutella 400 g (14 oz) icing (confectioners’) sugar 4 tbsp good-quality cocoa 2 tsp vanilla extract 150 g (5 oz) cream cheese 1 tbsp coffee

1. Turn the oven to 175°C (345°F). 2. Whisk the eggs and sugar until white and really fluffy. 3. Pulverise the nuts in a mixer or grind them. 4. Mix the nuts, flour and baking powder and fold into the egg mixture. 5. Add the milk. 6. Set out paper cups in a muffin tin and fill the cups until two-thirds full with the mixture. 7. Bake them in the middle of the oven for about 20 minutes. Test them with a toothpick; they shouldn’t be sticky. Leave them to cool. 1. Mix the Nutella, icing sugar, cocoa, vanilla and cream cheese until creamy. 2. Add the coffee and whip until fluffy. 3. Spread the frosting on the cakes. 4. Squeeze the almond paste through a garlic press. 5. Shape the threads into a small nest on top of the frosting. 6. Place a few chocolate eggs in each nest.

NEST

400 g (14 oz) almond paste 36 small chocolate eggs

I U S U A L LY B A K E T H E S E N U T T Y A N D M O I S T C U P C A K E S A T E A S T E R . Y O U C A N , O F C O U R S E , M A K E T H E M AT A N Y T I M E O F T H E Y E A R , A N D T H E N Y O U C A N F I L L T H E N E S T S W I T H S O M E T H I N G E L S E , S U C H A S B E R R I E S O R A N O T H E R S W E E T.

Walter’s birthday cupcakes 1 2 CUPCAKES 3 free-range eggs 250 g (9 oz) sugar 1 tsp vanilla extract 100 g (3½ oz) butter 100 ml (3½ fl oz) milk 350 g (12 oz) flour 2 tsp baking powder 1 pinch salt grated peel and juice from 3 limes

CREAM CHEESE FROSTING

60 g (2 oz) softened butter 400 g (14 oz) icing (confectioners’) sugar 1 tsp vanilla extract grated peel from 3 limes 150 g (5 oz) cream cheese

1. Turn the oven to 175°C (345°F). 2. Whisk the eggs, sugar and vanilla until white and really fluffy. 3. Melt the butter, add the milk and mix with the eggs. 4. Mix the flour, baking powder and salt and carefully fold this into the egg mixture. 5. Mix in the grated peel and juice from the limes. 6. Set out paper cups in a muffin tin and fill the cups until two-thirds full with the mixture. 7. Bake them in the middle of the oven for about 15 minutes. Leave them to cool. 1. Whip the butter, icing sugar, vanilla, grated lime peel and cream cheese until really fluffy. 2. Spread the frosting on the cakes and garnish with sprinkles. Put candles in the cakes.

sprinkles and candles, to garnish

! i e p o o h w Say

The whoopie story ... Small, cute whoopie pies were created in the 1920s in Maine, which is in the Amish country in the US. The legend claims that the cake got its name because children shouted â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;whoopie!â&#x20AC;&#x2122; when they found these sweet treats in their lunchboxes. Whoopie pies were initially made with marshmallow fluff but over the years many fillings have been developed.

Tip! I often colour the

frosting in different colours or flavour it in different ways, such as with chocolate, spices, coconut, nuts, peanut butter or Nutella. You can also roll the cupcakes with frosting in sprinkles, which is a job children often like to have...

Nutella whoopie pies 2 0 WHOOPIE PIES 3 free-range eggs 250 g (9 oz) sugar 1 tsp vanilla extract 50 g (1¾ oz) butter 100 ml (3½ fl oz) sour cream 2 tbsp cold coffee 350 g (12 oz) plain (all-purpose) flour 2 tsp baking powder 4 tbsp good-quality cocoa powder 1 pinch salt 100 g (3½ oz) good-quality 70% dark chocolate

NUTELLA FROSTING

100 g (3½ oz) Nutella 400 g (14 oz) icing (confectioners’) sugar 4 tbsp good-quality cocoa powder 2 tsp vanilla extract 150 g (5 oz) cream cheese 1 tbsp coffee

1. Turn the oven to 175°C (345°F). 2. Whisk the eggs, sugar and vanilla until white and really fluffy. 3. Melt the butter, add the sour cream and coffee and mix it together with the eggs. 4. Mix the flour, baking powder, cocoa and salt and carefully fold this into the egg mixture. 5. Coarsely chop the chocolate and melt it in a water bath (in a bowl over boiling water). Mix this in with the other ingredients. 6. Pipe or spoon out the mixture onto baking paper with a tablespoon. 7. Bake them in batches in the middle of the oven for about 10 minutes. Leave them to cool completely while you make the Nutella frosting. 1. Mix the Nutella, icing sugar, cocoa, vanilla and cream cheese until creamy. Add the coffee and whip with an electric mixer. 2. Fill an icing bag with a round nozzle. 3. Frost the underside of one cake and put it together with another cake (without frosting), like a macaron. Put a little frosting on top and garnish each pie with a hazelnut.

whole hazelnuts, for garnish

Lemon meringue whoopie pies 2 0 WHOOPIE PIES 100 g (3½ oz) softened butter 150 g (5 oz) sugar 2 tsp vanilla extract 350 g (12 oz) plain (all-purpose) flour 1 tsp baking powder 1 tsp bicarbonate of soda (baking soda) 1 free-range egg 100 ml (3½ fl oz) double cream

LEMON CURD

3 lemons 150 g (5 oz) sugar 50 g (1¾ oz) butter 2 tbsp cornstarch (cornflour) 2 free-range eggs 2 free-range yolks 1oo ml (3½ fl oz) double cream

ITALIAN MERINGUE

3 free-range egg whites 1 pinch salt 200 g (7 oz) sugar 50 ml (1¾ fl oz) water

1. Turn the oven to 175°C (345°F). 2. Whisk the butter, sugar and vanilla until creamy. 3. Mix the dry ingredients and fold them into the butter. 4. Add the egg and cream and mix until smooth. 5. Pipe or spoon out the mixture onto baking paper with a tablespoon. 6. Bake them, in batches, in the middle of the oven for about 10 minutes. 7. Make the lemon curd and the Italian meringue. 8. Pipe lemon curd on the underside of one pie and stick it to another one, like a macaron. 9. Pipe the meringue on top of the whoopie pie and brown the meringue with a crème brûlée blowtorch. 1. Boil the juice from two of the lemons and the grated peel from three lemons with the sugar and butter. 2. Strain and throw away the peel. 3. Mix the cornstarch with the juice from the third lemon and add this to the warm liquid. 4. Whip the eggs and yolks. 5. Add the eggs to the mixture and put it back on the stove. Simmer while stirring until the cream has thickened. 6. Pour the curd into a bowl and leave to cool completely. 7. Whisk the cream until fluffy and mix it with the cool curd. 1. Whip the egg whites and salt until firm in a mixer. Meanwhile, boil the sugar and water into a syrup at exactly 121°C (250°F) in a little saucepan (use an electronic thermometer to check the temperature). 2. Pour the hot sugar syrup over the egg whites while whipping them. Continue whipping until the meringue is cool.

Chunky monkey cupcakes 1 2 CUPCAKES 2 free-range eggs 150 g (5 oz) sugar 75 g (2½ oz) butter 75 ml (2½ fl oz) milk 250 g (9 oz) plain (all-purpose) flour 2 tsp baking powder 1 pinch salt 1 tsp ground ginger 1 tsp ground cinnamon 75 g (2½ oz) good-quality 70% dark chocolate 3 bananas 100 g (3½ oz) whole walnuts C H O C O L AT E F R O S T I N G

60 g (2 oz) softened butter 500 g (17½ oz) icing (confectioners’) sugar 50 g (1¾ oz) good-quality cocoa powder 2 tsp vanilla extract 100 g (3½ oz) cream cheese 1 tbsp warm coffee

1. Turn the oven to 175°C (345°F). 2. Whisk the eggs and sugar until white and really fluffy. 3. Melt the butter, add the milk and mix this into the eggs. 4. Mix the flour, baking powder, salt, ginger and cinnamon and carefully fold this into the other ingredients. 5. Coarsely chop the chocolate. Mash one banana and slice the other two. Add the chocolate, bananas and walnuts to the mixture. 6. Set out paper cups in a muffin tin and fill the cups until two-thirds full with the mixture. 7. Bake them in the middle of the oven for about 15-20 minutes. Leave them to cool.

1. Mix the butter, icing sugar, cocoa and vanilla until creamy. 2. Whisk in the cream cheese and the coffee. 3. Spread the frosting on the cupcakes and garnish with a cherry.

fresh cherries, for garnish

C H U N K Y M O N K E Y I S A F L AV O U R O F I C E C R E A M T H AT I A L W AY S AT E W H E N I L I V E D I N N E W Y O R K . T H E C O M B I N AT I O N O F B A N A N A I C E C R E A M , D A R K C H O C O L AT E A N D W A L N U T S I S F A N T A S T I C . N O W I ’ V E B R O U G H T T H O S E F L AV O U R S T O G E T H E R I N M Y W O N D E R F U L C H U N K Y M O N K E Y CUPCAKES. YUMMY!

S’mores whoopie pies 2 0 WHOOPIE PIES 3 free-range eggs 250 g (9 oz) sugar 1 tsp vanilla extract 50 g (1¾ oz) butter 1oo g (3½ oz) sour cream 2 tbsp cold coffee 350 g (12 oz) plain (all-purpose) flour 2 tsp baking powder 4 tbsp good-quality cocoa powder 1 pinch salt 100 g (3½ oz) good-quality 70% dark chocolate FILLING

1 jar (400 g/14 oz) Nutella 1 bag marshmallows

1. Turn the oven to 175°C (345°F). 2. Whisk the eggs, sugar and vanilla until white and really fluffy. 3. Melt the butter, add the sour cream and coffee and mix with the eggs. 4. Mix the flour, baking powder, cocoa and salt and carefully fold this into the egg mixture. 5. Coarsely chop the chocolate and melt it in a water bath (in a bowl over boiling water). Add it to the other ingredients. 6. Pipe or spoon out the mixture onto baking paper with a tablespoon. 7. Bake them in batches in the middle of the oven for about 10 minutes. Leave them to cool completely. 8. Spread some Nutella on the underside of the whoopie pies. Thread the marshmallows (one or two at a time) on a skewer and grill them over a gas flame, a grill or gas burner until they have turned golden. 9. Press a grilled marshmallow into the Nutella and place the whoopie pies together like a macaron.

S’MORES ARE AN OLD AMERICAN SCOUT CLASSIC. TO MAKE THEM, YOU SQUEEZE A G R I L L E D M A R S H M A L L O W B E T W E E N T W O B I S C U I T S ( I P E R S O N A L LY L I K E M A R I E B I S C U I T S ) T O G E T H E R W I T H S O M E C H O C O L A T E C R E A M O R M E LT E D C H O C O L A T E . I T I S R E A L LY G O O D A N D B O T H A D U LT S A N D K I D S U S U A L LY L O V E I T .

Strawberry cupcakes 1 2 CUPCAKES 2 free-range eggs 150 g (5 oz) sugar 1 tsp vanilla extract 75 g (2½ oz) butter 75 ml (2½ fl oz) milk 250 g (9 oz) plain (all-purpose) flour 1½ tsp baking powder 1 pinch salt grated peel and juice from 1 lemon 300 g (10½ oz) fresh strawberries

CREAM CHEESE FROSTING

60 g (2 oz) softened butter 500 g (17½ oz) icing (confectioners’) sugar 1 tsp vanilla extract 1 tbsp freshly squeezed lemon juice 100 g (3½ oz) cream cheese

1. Turn the oven to 175°C (345°F). 2. Whisk the eggs, sugar and vanilla until white and really fluffy. 3. Melt the butter and add the milk, then mix it into the eggs. 4. Mix the flour, baking powder and salt, and carefully fold it into the egg mixture. 5. Mix in the grated peel and lemon juice. 6. Slice the strawberries and carefully fold them into the batter. 7. Set out paper cups in a muffin tin and fill the cups until two-thirds full with the mixture. 8. Bake them in the middle of the oven for about 20 minutes. Leave them to cool. 1. Whip the butter, icing sugar, vanilla, lemon juice and cream cheese until creamy. 2. Spread the frosting on the cupcakes and slice the strawberries. 3. Garnish the cakes with the strawberries.

fresh strawberries, for garnish

Nutty pistachio cupcakes 1 2 CUPCAKES 3 free-range eggs 2oo g (7 oz) sugar 200 g (7 oz) unsalted, shelled pistachios 150 g (5 oz) plain (all-purpose) flour 1 tsp baking powder 50 g (1¾ oz) butter 50 ml (1¾ fl oz) milk

NUTELLA FROSTING

100 g (3½ oz) Nutella 400 g (14 oz) icing (confectioners’) sugar 4 tbsp good-quality cocoa powder 2 tsp vanilla extract 150 g (5 oz) cream cheese 1 tbsp coffee

1. Turn the oven to 175°C (345°F). 2. Whisk the eggs, sugar and vanilla until white and really fluffy. 3. Pulverise the nuts in a mixer or grind them. 4. Mix the nuts, flour and baking powder and fold into the eggs. 5. Melt the butter and mix it with the milk and fold it into the rest of the ingredients. 6. Set out paper cups in a muffin tin and fill the cups until two-thirds full with the mixture. 7. Bake them in the middle of the oven for about 20 minutes. Test with a toothpick; the cakes shouldn’t be sticky. Leave them to cool. 1. Whisk the Nutella, icing sugar, cocoa, vanilla and cream cheese until creamy. 2. Add the coffee. 3. Spread the frosting on the cupcakes.

Hi-hat cupcakes 1 2 CUPCAKES 3 free-range eggs 250 g (9 oz) sugar 1 tsp vanilla extract 50 g (1¾ oz) butter 100 ml (3½ fl oz) sour cream 2 tbsp cold coffee 350 g (12 oz) plain (all-purpose) flour 2 tsp baking powder 4 tbsp good-quality cocoa powder 1 pinch salt 100 g (3½ oz) good-quality 70% dark chocolate

MERINGUE

6 free-range egg whites 850 g (29¾ oz) sugar 2 tsp vanilla extract juice from 1 lemon

C H O C O L AT E T O P P I N G

350 g (12 oz) good-quality 70% dark chocolate 3 tbsp oil

1. Turn the oven to 175°C (345°F). 2. Whisk the eggs, sugar and vanilla until white and really fluffy. 3. Melt the butter, add the sour cream and coffee and mix it with the eggs. 4. Mix the flour, baking powder, cocoa and salt, and carefully fold this into the egg mixture. 5. Coarsely chop the chocolate and melt it in a water bath (in a bowl over boiling water). 6. Add the chocolate to the other ingredients. 7. Set out paper cups in a muffin tin and fill the cups until two-thirds full with the mixture. 8. Bake them in the middle of the oven for about 15 minutes. Leave them to cool. 1. Mix the egg whites, sugar, vanilla and lemon juice in a stainless steel bowl. 2. Place the bowl in a water bath (over boiling water). Stir until the sugar has melted, then whip into a fluffy meringue and until there are clear tracks behind the whisk. The meringue should be about 65°C (150°F). 3. Remove the bowl from the water bath and continue to whip it (in a mixer) until it is completely cool. 4. Using an icing bag with a round nozzle, pipe the meringue into high spirals on the cupcakes. 5. Cool completely in the refrigerator before you dip them in chocolate. 1. Chop the chocolate and melt it in a water bath (in a bowl over boiling water) together with the oil. 2. Pour the chocolate into a little bowl and let it cool a little. 3. Remove the cupcakes from the fridge and dip each meringue top into the melted chocolate. Brush more chocolate where needed. 75

Raspberry coconut pie cupcakes 1 2 CUPCAKES 2 free-range eggs 150 g (5 oz) sugar 1 tsp vanilla extract 75 g (2½ oz) butter 50 g (1¾ oz) double cream 275 g (9½ oz) plain (all-purpose) flour 1½ tsp baking powder 1 pinch salt grated peel and juice from 2 limes 500 g (17½ oz) frozen raspberries 2 tbsp plain (all-purpose) flour COCONUT CRUMBLE

75 g (2½ oz) cold butter 50 g (1¾ oz) demerara sugar 150 g (5 oz) plain (all-purpose) flour 75 g (2½ oz) oats 75 g (2½ oz) coconut flakes grated peel from 1-2 limes

1. Turn the oven to 175°C (345°F). 2. Whisk the eggs, sugar and vanilla until white and really fluffy. 3. Melt the butter, add the cream and mix it into the eggs. 4. Mix the flour, baking powder and salt and carefully fold it into the egg mixture. 5. Mix in the grated peel and juice from the limes. 6. Set out paper cups in a muffin tin. 7. Mix the raspberries with the 2 tablespoons of flour. 8. Layer the batter and the raspberries in the cup. Fill the cups until two-thirds full with the mixture. 9. To make the coconut crumble, pinch together cubed butter with the sugar, flour, oats, coconut and grated lime peel. 10. Top the cupcakes with coconut crumble. 11. Bake them in the middle of the oven for about 35 minutes. Leave them to cool. 12. Whip the cream until fluffy and pipe on the cupcakes.

double cream, for garnish

French meringue cupcakes 1 2 CUPCAKES 7 free-range egg whites 5o0 g (17½ oz) sugar 1 pinch salt 50 g (1¾ oz) almond flakes 100 g (3½ oz) good-quality 70% dark chocolate TOPPING

4oo ml (14 fl oz) double cream 1 punnet fresh raspberries ½ punnet strawberries 1 handful cherries

1. Turn the oven to 150°C (345°F). 2. Mix the egg whites, sugar and salt in a stainless steel bowl. 3. Place the bowl in a water bath (over boiling water). Stir until the sugar has melted and the meringue is about 60-65°C (140–150°F). 4. Remove the bowl from the water bath and continue to whip it in a mixer at high speed for a long time until it is completely cool. 5. Toast the almond flakes in a dry saucepan or frying pan. 6. Melt the chocolate in a water bath and fold it and the almonds into the meringue so it turns striped. 7. Spoon out the meringues in muffin cups and bake them in the oven for about 50 minutes. They should be soft and chewy in the middle. 8. Whip the cream until fluffy and spoon it onto the meringue. Garnish with fresh berries.

Chocolate mint whoopie pies 2 0 WHOOPIE PIES 3 free-range eggs 250 g (9 oz) sugar 1 tsp vanilla extract 50 g (1¾ oz) butter 100 ml (3½ fl oz) cream 2 tbsp cold coffee 350 g (12 oz) plain (all-purpose) flour 2 tsp baking powder 4 tbsp good-quality cocoa powder 1 pinch salt

M I N T C H O C O L AT E F R O S T I N G

60 g (2 oz) softened butter 500 g (17½ oz) icing (confectioners’) sugar 50 g (1¾ oz) good-quality cocoa powder 2 tsp vanilla extract 100 g (3½ oz) cream cheese 1 tbsp warm coffee peppermint oil, to taste

1. Turn the oven to 175°C (345°F). 2. Whisk the eggs, sugar and vanilla until white and really fluffy. 3. Melt the butter, add the cream and coffee and mix this into the eggs. 4. Mix the flour, baking powder, cocoa and salt and carefully fold this into the other ingredients. 5. Pipe or spoon out the mixture onto baking paper with a tablespoon. 6. Bake them in batches in the middle of the oven for about 10 minutes. Leave them to cool completely while you make the mint chocolate frosting. 1. Mix the butter, icing sugar, cocoa, vanilla and cream cheese together until creamy. Add the coffee and whip the frosting with an electric mixer. Flavour with peppermint oil. 2. Fill an icing bag with a round nozzle with the frosting. 3. Pipe the frosting onto the underside of one cake and put it together with another cake (without frosting), like a macaron. Pipe some frosting on top and garnish with a sugar rose.

sugar roses, for garnish

Kitchen magic... Different ovens have different temperatures, so get to know your oven. Do you need to turn the baking tray because your oven heats up unevenly? Convection ovens are more effective and they shorten the baking time in comparison with regular ovens. I’ve used a convection oven in my recipes.

Tip! I always bake with free-range eggs. The cupcakes taste more delicious and have a more beautiful colour. Remember that all ingredients must be fresh when you bake. You won’t get good cakes from expired flour. All your tools should be clean and dry; you’ll never succeed with meringue if there is water in the bowl. Never whisk the flour into the cake batter or you’ll get compact cakes. 82

Double chocolate whoopie pies 2 0 W HOOPIE PIES 3 free-range eggs 250 g (9 oz) sugar 1 tsp vanilla extract 50 g (1¾ oz) butter 100 ml (3½ fl oz) sour cream 2 tbsp cold coffee 350 g (12 oz) plain (all-purpose) flour 2 tsp baking powder 4 tbsp good-quality cocoa powder 1 pinch salt 100 g (3½ oz) good-quality 70% dark chocolate

W H I T E C H O C O L AT E F R O S T I N G

200 g (7 oz) good-quality white chocolate 200 g (7 oz) cream cheese

1. Turn the oven to 175°C (345°F). 2. Whisk the eggs, sugar and vanilla until white and really fluffy. 3. Melt the butter, add the sour cream and coffee and mix this into the eggs. 4. Mix the flour, baking powder, cocoa and salt and carefully fold this into the other ingredients. 5. Coarsely chop the chocolate and melt it in a water bath (in a bowl over boiling water). Mix this in to everything else. 6. Pipe or spoon out the mixture onto baking paper with a tablespoon. 7. Bake them in batches in the middle of the oven for about 10 minutes. Leave them to cool completely while you make the white chocolate frosting. 1. Chop the chocolate and melt it in a water bath (in a bowl over boiling water). 2. Whisk the chocolate with the cream cheese. Fill an icing bag with a round nozzle. 3. Pipe the frosting onto the underside of one cake and put it together with another cake (without frosting), like a macaron.

T H E O R I G I N A L W H O O P I E P I E W A S B L A C K A N D W H I T E W I T H M A R S H M A L LO W F L U FF I N B E T W E E N T H E C A K E S . T H AT ’ S T O O S W E E T F O R M Y T A S T E . S O T H I S I S M Y V E R S I O N , W H I C H I S REMINISCENT OF OREO COOKIES.

Jane’s apple pie cupcakes 12 CUPCAKES 2 free-range eggs 150 g (5 oz) sugar 1 tsp vanilla extract 75 g (2½ oz) butter 75 ml (2½ fl oz) milk 250 g (9 oz) plain (all-purpose) flour 1½ tsp baking powder 1 pinch salt 1 tsp freshly ground cardamom double cream, for garnish

VANILLA FILLING

½ vanilla pod 200 g (7 oz) cream cheese 1 tbsp icing (confectioners’) sugar 1 tbsp double cream APPLE FILLING

3 apples 25 g (¾ oz) butter 1½ tbsp sugar 2 tsp ground cinnamon

1. Turn the oven to 175°C (345°F). 2. Make the vanilla filling and apple filling (see recipes below). 3. Whisk the eggs, sugar and vanilla until white and really fluffy. 4. Melt the butter, add the milk and mix it with the eggs. 5. Mix the flour, baking powder, salt and cardamom and carefully fold this into the eggs. 6. Set out paper cups in a muffin tin and layer the batter with the apple filling until the cups are two-thirds full with the mixture. 7. Fill an icing bag with the vanilla filling. Press the icing bag into the batter and pipe a little vanilla filling into each cupcake. 8. Bake them in the middle of the oven for about 20-25 minutes. Leave them to cool. 9. Whip the cream until fluffy and pipe on the cupcakes. 1. Halve the vanilla pod and scrape the seeds from it. 2. Whip the cream cheese, the vanilla seeds, the icing sugar and cream until fluffy.

1. Peel and de-seed the apples. Slice them into small pieces and fry them in butter, sugar and cinnamon until soft. Leave to cool.

Walnut brownie cupcakes 1 2 CUPCAKES 200 g (7 oz) walnuts 175 g (6 oz) butter 150 g (5 oz) sugar 150 g (5 oz) light muscovado sugar 150 g (5 oz) good-quality cocoa powder 50 ml (1¾ fl oz) golden syrup 1 pinch salt 3 free-range eggs 150 g (5 oz) plain (all-purpose) flour 1 tsp baking powder 100 g (3½ oz) good-quality 70% dark chocolate whipped cream and fresh raspberries, for garnish

1. Turn the oven to 175°C (345°F). 2. Toast the whole walnuts in a hot and dry frying pan. 3. Whip the butter, sugar and muscovado sugar until creamy. 4. Add the cocoa, syrup and salt. 5. Whisk in one egg at a time. 6. Mix the flour with the baking powder and sift it into the other ingredients. 7. Coarsely chop the chocolate and add it and the whole walnuts to the batter. 8. Set out paper cups in a muffin tin and fill the cups until two-thirds full with the mixture. 9. Bake them in the middle of the oven for about 15-20 minutes. Test them with a toothpick; they should be a little sticky in the middle. Leave them to cool. 10. Garnish the cupcakes with lightly whipped cream and fresh raspberries.

MY BROWNIE CUPCAKES SHOULD BE A LITTLE STICKY IN THE MIDDLE. YOU SHOULD THEREFORE BE CAREFUL NOT TO B A K E T H E M T O O L O N G . E X A C T LY H O W L O N G T H E Y S H O U L D B E B A K E D V A R I E S F R O M O V E N T O O V E N , S O T H E S I M P L E S T WAY TO MAKE SURE THEY DON’T GET DRY IN THE MIDDLE IS TO TEST THEM WITH A TOOTHPICK OR SIMILAR. IT SHOULD B E A L I T T L E S T I C K Y.

Nutella cupcakes 1 2 CUPCAKES 3 free-range eggs 250 g (9 oz) sugar 1 tsp vanilla extract 100 g (3½ oz) butter 100 ml (3½ fl oz) milk 350 g (12 oz) plain (all-purpose) flour 2 tsp baking powder 1 pinch salt grated peel and juice from 1 lemon TOPPING

1 jar (250 g/9 oz) Nutella sprinkles, for garnish

Elvis Presley’s cupcakes 1 2 CUPCAKES 3 free-range eggs 250 g (9 oz) sugar 1 tsp vanilla extract 50 g (1¾ oz) butter 100 ml (3½ fl oz) sour cream 350 g (12 oz) plain (all-purpose) flour 1 tsp baking powder 1 pinch salt 100 g (3½ oz) good-quality 70% dark chocolate 4 tbsp good-quality cocoa powder 2 tbsp cold coffee 3 bananas 200 g (7 oz) salted peanuts

PEANUT BUTTER FROSTING

50 g (1¾ oz) softened peanut butter 250 g (9 oz) icing (confectioners’) sugar 2 tbsp good-quality cocoa powder 1 tsp vanilla extract 100 g (3½ oz) cream cheese 1 tbsp warm coffee

1. Turn the oven to 175°C (345°F). 2. Whisk the eggs, sugar and vanilla until white and really fluffy. 3. Melt the butter, add the sour cream and mix this into the eggs. 4. Mix the flour, baking powder and salt and carefully fold into the other ingredients. 5. Coarsely chop the chocolate and melt it in a water bath (in a bowl over boiling water). 6. Add the chocolate, cocoa and coffee to the batter. 7. Mash one of the bananas and add it. Slice the other two. 8. Set out paper cups in a muffin tin. 9. Chop the peanuts and layer them with batter and banana slices in the muffin cups until the cups are two-thirds full with the mixture. 10. Bake them in the middle of the oven for about 15-20 minutes. Leave them to cool completely. 1. Mix the peanut butter, icing sugar, cocoa, vanilla and cream cheese until creamy. 2. Add the coffee and whip with an electric mixer. 3. Spread the frosting on the cupcakes and garnish with peanuts.

salted peanuts, for garnish

Coconut cream cupcakes 1 2 CUPCAKES 3 free-range eggs 250 g (9 oz) sugar 1 tsp vanilla extract 75 g (2½ oz) butter 100 ml (3½ fl oz) coconut cream 350 g (12 oz) plain (all-purpose) flour 1 tsp baking powder 1 pinch salt

COCONUT CREAM FROSTING

60 g (2 oz) softened butter 400 g (14 oz) icing (confectioners’) sugar 2 tsp vanilla extract 1-2 tbsp Malibu (coconut liqueur) 100 g (3½ oz) cream cheese

1. Turn the oven to 175°C (345°F). 2. Whisk the eggs, sugar and vanilla until white and really fluffy. 3. Melt the butter, add the coconut cream and mix this into the eggs. 4. Mix the flour, baking powder and salt and carefully fold into the other ingredients. 5. Set out paper cups in a muffin tin and fill the cups until two-thirds full with the mixture. 6. Bake them in the middle of the oven for about 15-20 minutes. Leave them to cool. 1. Whisk the butter, icing sugar, vanilla, coconut liqueur and cream cheese until creamy. 2. Spread the frosting onto the cupcakes and garnish with coconut.

grated coconut or coconut flakes, for garnish

C O C O N U T C R E A M I S T H E F AT T I E R V E R S I O N O F C O C O N U T M I L K . Y O U C A N A L S O U S E T H E T H I C K E R P A R T O F C O C O N U T M I L K T H A T U S U A L LY S E T T L E S O N T O P O F T H E M I L K I N T H E T I N . I F Y O U W A N T, Y O U C A N R E P L A C E T H E C O C O N U T L I Q U E U R W I T H C O C O N U T E X T R A C T, W H I C H YOU CAN BUY IN WELL-STOCKED GROCERY STORES OR ORDER ONLINE.

! e t a l o c o h C »too much of a good thing can be wonderful«

After eight cupcakes 1 2 CUPCAKES 3 free-range eggs 250 g (9 oz) sugar 1 tsp vanilla extract 50 g (1¾ oz) butter 100 ml (3½ oz) sour cream 2 tbsp coffee 350 g (12 oz) plain (all-purpose) flour 2 tsp baking powder 4 tbsp good-quality cocoa 1 pinch salt 100 g (3½ oz) good-quality 70% dark chocolate 24 pieces (250 g/9 oz) After Eight chocolates MINT CREAM FROSTING

150 ml (5 fl oz) double cream 50 ml (1¾ fl oz) milk 50 ml (1¾ fl oz) honey 150 g (5 oz) good-quality 70% dark chocolate peppermint oil, to taste

1. Turn the oven to 175°C (345°F). 2. Whisk the eggs, sugar and vanilla until white and really fluffy. 3. Melt the butter, add the sour cream and coffee. 4. Mix the flour, baking powder, cocoa and salt and carefully fold into the other ingredients. 5. Coarsely chop the chocolate and melt it in a water bath (in a bowl over boiling water). 6. Add the chocolate to the batter. 7. Set out paper cups in a muffin tin and fill the cups until two-thirds full with the mixture. 8. Break the After Eights and press one into each cupcake. 9. Bake them in the middle of the oven for about 15 minutes. Leave them to cool. 1. Boil the cream, milk and honey in a saucepan. Remove from the heat and Leave to cool a little. 2. Finely chop the chocolate and melt it into the cream. 3. Flavour as desired with peppermint oil. 4. Frost the cakes using an icing bag with a round nozzle.

T H I S I S P R O B A B LY M Y F A V O U R I T E F L A V O U R . I H A V E A L W A Y S L O V E D M I N T C H O C O L A T E ! I F Y O U WANT TO MAKE A SIMPLER VERSION OF THIS WONDERFUL CUPCAKE, YOU CAN SKIP THE MINT C H O C O L AT E F R O S T I N G A N D P L A C E A N A F T E R E I G H T O N T O P O F E A C H C U P C A K E A F T E R Y O U T A K E T H E M O U T O F T H E O V E N . I T M E LT S I N T O A S O R T O F G L A Z E O N T H E C U P C A K E S .

Hazelnut cupcakes 1 2 CUPCAKES 2 free-range eggs 150 g (5 oz) sugar 100 g (3½ oz) hazelnuts 100 g (3½ oz) good-quality 70% dark chocolate 150 g (5 oz) plain (all-purpose) flour 1 tsp baking powder 50 ml (1¾ fl oz) double cream

NUTELLA FROSTING

100 g (3½ oz) Nutella 400 g (14 oz) icing (confectioners’) sugar 4 tbsp good-quality cocoa 2 tsp vanilla extract 150 g (5 oz) cream cheese 1 tbsp coffee 1-2 tbsp Frangelico (hazelnut liqueur)

1. Turn the oven to 175°C (345°F). 2. Whisk the eggs and sugar until white and really fluffy. 3. Pulverise the nuts in a mixer or grind them. 4. Coarsely chop the chocolate. 5. Mix the nuts, chocolate, flour and baking powder and fold into the other ingredients. 6. Add the cream. 7. Set out paper cups in a muffin tin and fill the cups until two-thirds full with the mixture. 8. Bake them in the middle of the oven for about 15 minutes. Test them with a toothpick; they shouldn’t be sticky. Leave them to cool. 1. Mix the Nutella, icing sugar, cocoa, vanilla and cream cheese until creamy. 2. Add the coffee and Frangelico and whip until fluffy. 3. Spread the frosting on the cupcakes and garnish with a hazelnut.

hazelnuts, for garnish

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Lime and raspberry cupcakes 1 2 CUPCAKES 3 free-range eggs 250 g (9 oz) sugar 1 tsp vanilla extract 100 g (3½ oz) butter 100 ml (3½ fl oz) milk 400 g (14 oz) plain (all-purpose) flour 2 tsp baking powder 1 pinch salt 100 g (3½ oz) poppy seeds grated peel and juice from 5 limes whipped cream and fresh raspberries, for garnish

Almond pavlova cupcakes 1 2 CUPCAKES 7 free-range egg whites 525 g (18¼ oz) sugar juice from ½ lemon 50 g (1¾ oz) flaked almonds TOPPING

500 ml (17 fl oz) double cream 300 ml (10½ fl oz) Greek yoghurt 3 tbsp icing (confectioners’) sugar 1 litre (36 fl oz) fresh berries

1. Turn the oven to 150°C (300°F). 2. Mix the egg whites, sugar and lemon juice in a stainless steel bowl. Stir until the sugar has melted. 3. Place the bowl in a water bath (over boiling water) and whisk until the meringue is about 60-65°C (140–150°F). 4. Remove the bowl from the water bath and continue to whip it with a mixer until it is cool. 5. Carefully fold the almonds into the meringue. 6. Set out paper cups in a muffin tin and fill the cups until two-thirds full with the meringue. 7. Bake them in the middle of the oven for about 40-55 minutes. They should be a little chewy and soft in the middle. 8. Whip the cream for the topping and mix it with the yoghurt and icing sugar. Spoon it over the meringues. 9. Garnish each cupcake with berries. 1 02

A L M O N D P AV LO V A C U P C A K E S

Bunting ... All you need to make your own bunting is cotton rope and some scrap material (ideally in different colours and patterns). Cut the cloth into triangles and pin them to the rope. Take out your sewing machine and sew the triangles with straight or zigzag seams. If you want to cheat and make it out of paper, cut some nice paper in different colours into triangles and staple them to a rope.

y t r a P

s s e c prin

Sweet and simple...

I nearly always choose a theme for my parties. It’s so much easier and more fun to decorate, set the table and bake! Often, I make sure there are a lot of colours and I mix different chairs, tablecloths and napkins. You can set the table under a parasol, a sailcloth, a pretty tent or a piece of material decorated with bunting. Then you feel as though you’re snug inside something and it’s cosier. If you’re inside the house, you can hang up flags, lamps or balloons over the table.

Tip!

If you are putting together different tables

(round and rectangular), it’s really attractive to mix flowered, checked and spotted tablecloths.

Passionfruit meringue cupcakes 1 2 CUPCAKES 2 free-range eggs 150 g (5 oz) sugar 1 tsp vanilla extract 75 g (2½ oz) butter 75 ml (2½ fl oz) double cream 250 g (9 oz) plain (all-purpose) flour 1½ tsp baking powder 1 pinch salt

PASSIONFRUIT CURD

10 fresh passionfruits (about 150 ml/5 fl oz liquid) grated peel and juice from 1 lime 150 g (5 oz) sugar 25 g (¾ oz) butter 1½ tbsp cornstarch (cornflour) 1 free-range egg 1 free-range yolk 75 ml (2½ fl oz) double cream

ITALIAN MERINGUE

3 free-range egg whites 1 pinch salt 200 g (7 oz) sugar 50 ml (1¾ fl oz) water

1. Turn the oven to 175°C (345°F). 2. Whisk the eggs, sugar and vanilla until white and really fluffy. 3. Melt the butter, add the cream and mix this into the eggs. 4. Mix the flour, baking powder and salt and carefully fold into the other ingredients. 5. Set out paper cups in a muffin tin and fill the cups until two-thirds full with the mixture. Bake them, in the middle of the oven, for about 15 minutes. Leave them to cool. 6. Cut the top off the cupcakes using a knife at a 45-degree angle so the cakes are scooped out a little. 7. Fill the hole with passionfruit curd and top with meringue. Brown the meringue with a crème brûlée blowtorch. 1. Scrape out the juice and seeds from the passionfruits and strain the juice. Throw away the seeds. 2. Boil two-thirds of the passionfruit juice with the grated lime peel, lime juice, sugar and butter. Remove from the heat. 3. Mix the cornstarch with the remaining one-third of the passionfruit juice and whisk it into the warm liquid. 4. Whisk the egg and yolk and add to the liquid. Put back on the stove and simmer while stirring until the cream has thickened. Strain into a bowl and leave to cool completely. 5. Whip the cream until fluffy and mix it with the passionfruit cream. Put somewhere cold. 2. Whisk the egg whites and salt until firm. Meanwhile, boil the sugar and water into a syrup at exactly 121°C (250°F) in a little saucepan (use an electronic thermometer to check the temperature). 3. Pour hot sugar syrup over the egg whites while whipping them at medium speed. Continue whipping until the meringue is cool. 1 08

Ginger raspberry whoopie pies 2 0 WHOOPIE PIES 100 g (3½ oz) softened butter 150 g (5 oz) sugar 350 g (12 oz) plain (all-purpose) flour 2 tsp vanilla extract 1 tsp ground ginger 1 tsp baking powder 1 tsp bicarbonate of soda (baking powder) 1 free-range egg 100 ml (3½ fl oz) double cream RASPBERRY FROSTING

300 g (10½ oz) icing (confectioners’) sugar 150 g (5 oz) cream cheese 150 g (5 oz) fresh raspberries

1. Turn the oven to 175°C (345°F). 2. Whisk the butter and sugar until creamy. 3. Mix the dry ingredients together and add to the butter. 4. Add the egg and cream and stir into a smooth batter. 5. Pipe or spoon out the mixture onto baking paper with a tablespoon. 6. Bake them in batches in the middle of the oven for about 10 minutes. Leave them to cool completely

1. Mix the icing sugar and cream cheese until creamy. 2. Carefully fold in the raspberries and spread the frosting onto the underside of one cake and put it together with another cake (without frosting), like a macaron.

I T I S D E L I C I O U S T O F L A V O U R F R O S T I N G W I T H V A R I O U S F R E S H B E R R I E S . C A R E F U L LY C R U S H T H E M W I T H T H E F R O S T I N G S O T H AT I T T A K E S O N A L I T T L E C O LO U R . I T ’ S I M P O R T A N T N O T T O M A S H T H E M T O O M U C H O R E L S E T H E R E ’ S A R I S K T H AT T H E F R O S T I N G W I L L B E T O O R U N N Y F R O M T H E L I Q U I D I N T H E B E R R I E S . I D O N ’ T U S E F R O Z E N B E R R I E S B E C A U S E T H E Y U S U A L LY R E L E A S E L I Q U I D W H E N T H E Y D E F R O S T.

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Madeleine whoopie pies 3 0 WHOOPIE PIES 75 g (2½ oz) softened butter 75 g (2½ oz) sugar 1 tsp vanilla extract grated peel from 1 lemon 2 free-range eggs 150 g (5 oz) plain (all-purpose) flour 1 tsp baking powder softened butter, for the tin S T R AW B E R R Y F R O S T I N G

60 g (2 oz) softened butter 400 g (14 oz) icing (confectioners’) sugar 150 g (5 oz) cream cheese 1 tsp vanilla extract 100 g (3½ oz) finely cubed strawberries

1. Turn the oven to 175°C (345°F). 2. Whisk the butter, sugar, vanilla and grated lemon peel until light and creamy. 3. Mix in the eggs, flour and baking powder and add to the batter. 4. Brush the madeleine tin (preferably a small model) thoroughly with softened butter. 5. Pipe the batter into the tins and place them on the metal rack. Set the rack in the oven and bake the biscuits in batches for about 8 minutes, until golden. 1. Mix the butter, icing sugar, cream cheese and vanilla until creamy. 2. Add the strawberries and put the frosting in the refrigerator for a little while until it firms up. 3. Pipe the frosting onto the underside of one madeleine and put it together with another madeleine (without frosting), like a macaron.

MADELEINES ARE CLASSIC FRENCH BISCUITS. TO BAKE THEM, YOU NEED A MADELEINE TIN, WHICH I S S H E L L - S H A P E D ( A N D H E R E I U S E A S M A L L T I N ) . Y O U H A V E T O G R E A S E T H E T I N T H O R O U G H LY W I T H S O F T E N E D B U T T E R S O Y O U C A N G E T T H E B I S C U I T S O U T. T H E S E W H O O P I E P I E S A R E M A G I C A L W I T H T H E I R S T R AW B E R R Y F R O S T I N G .

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Wedding cupcakes 2 4 CUPCAKES 6 free-range eggs 500 g (17½ oz) sugar 2 tsp vanilla extract 200 g (7 oz) butter 200 ml (7 fl oz) milk 700 g (1 lb 9 oz) plain (all-purpose) flour 4 tsp baking powder 1 pinch salt grated peel from 2 and juice from 1 lemons

D A R K C H O C O L AT E M O U S S E

200 g (7 oz) good-quality 70% dark chocolate 4 free-range yolks 2 tbsp dark muscovado sugar 1 tbsp warm coffee 2 tbsp dark rum 300 ml (10½ fl oz) double cream 1 punnet fresh raspberries

W H I T E C H O C O L AT E F R O S T I N G

600 g (21 oz) good-quality white chocolate 600 g (21 oz) cream cheese

1. Turn the oven to 175°C (345°F). 2. Whisk the eggs, sugar and vanilla until white and really fluffy. 3. Melt the butter, add the milk and mix this into the eggs. 4. Mix the flour, baking powder and salt and carefully fold into the other ingredients. 5. Add the grated peel from two lemons and the juice from one. 6. Set out paper cups in a muffin tin and fill the cups until two-thirds full with the mixture. 7. Bake them in the middle of the oven for about 15 minutes. Leave them to cool. 1. Coarsely chop the chocolate and melt it in a water bath (in a bowl over boiling water). 2. Whisk the yolks with the muscovado sugar until creamy. 3. Add the coffee and rum, then the warm, melted chocolate. 4. Fold together with lightly whipped cream. 5. Slice off the tops of the cupcakes and scoop them out somewhat. Fill them three-quarters of the way with chocolate mousse and press in a raspberry. Put the top back on. 1. Chop the white chocolate and melt it in a water bath. 2. Whisk the chocolate with the cream cheese into a creamy frosting. 3. Spread the frosting on the cupcakes and garnish with a sugar rose.

sugar roses, for garnish

11 5

Classic cupcakes 1 2 CUPCAKES 3 free-range eggs 250 g (9 oz) sugar 1 tsp vanilla extract 100 g (3½ oz) butter 100 ml (3½ fl oz) milk 350 g (12 oz) plain (all-purpose) flour 2 tsp baking powder 1 pinch salt grated peel and juice from 1 lemon

CREAM CHEESE FROSTING

60 g (2 oz) softened butter 500 g (17½ oz) icing (confectioners’) sugar 1 tsp vanilla extract 1 tbsp freshly squeezed lemon juice 100 g (3½ oz) cream cheese

sprinkles or flowers, for garnish

I S O M E T I M E S C O LO U R C L A S S I C C U P C A K E S I N V A R I O U S P A S T E L C O LO U R S . B E C A R E F U L T H AT T H E F R O S T I N G D O E S N ’ T G E T T O O I N T E N S E LY C O L O U R E D . A C O U P L E O F D R O P S O F C O L O U R I N G I S E N O U G H . T H E N I G A R N I S H T H E M W I T H D I FF E R E N T T Y P E S O F S P R I N K L E S A N D O T H E R N I C E D E C O R AT I O N S . Y O U R I M A G I N AT I O N I S T H E L I M I T F O R W H AT Y O U C A N D O W I T H T H E S E C U P C A K E S , A S T H E Y C A N B E V A R I E D E N D L E S S LY.

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Vanilla cat cupcakes 1 2 CUPCAKES 3 free-range eggs 250 g (9 oz) sugar 2 tsp vanilla extract 100 g (3½ oz) butter 100 ml (3½ fl oz) milk 350 g (12 oz) plain (all-purpose) flour 2 tsp baking powder 1 pinch salt grated peel and juice from 1 lemon

CREAM CHEESE FROSTING

60 g (2 oz) softened butter 400 g (14 oz) icing (confectioners’) sugar 2 tsp vanilla extract 100 g (3½ oz) cream cheese 1 tbsp good-quality cocoa Smarties or M&M’s raspberry shoelaces After Eights

THESE LITTLE KITTIES ARE SO CUTE, AREN’T THEY? SMALL, CUTE ANIMAL CUPCAKES ARE U S U A L LY U N B E L I E V A B LY P O P U L A R A M O N G S T T H E Y O U N G E R C R O W D . E S P E C I A L LY I F T H E Y G E T TO HELP IN THE KITCHEN!

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Chocolate whoopie pies 2 0 WHOOPIE PIES 3 free-range eggs 250 g (9 oz) sugar 1 tsp vanilla extract 50 g (1¾ oz) butter 100 ml (3½ fl oz) sour cream 2 tbsp cold coffee 350 g (12 oz) plain (all-purpose) flour 2 tsp baking powder 4 tbsp good-quality cocoa 1 pinch salt 100 g (3½ oz) good-quality 70% dark chocolate C H O C O L AT E F R O S T I N G

60 g (2 oz) softened butter 500 g (17½ oz) icing sugar 1 tsp vanilla extract 50 g (1¾ oz) good-quality cocoa 100 g (3½ oz) cream cheese 1 tbsp warm coffee

1. Turn the oven to 175°C (345°F). 2. Whisk the eggs, sugar and vanilla until white and really fluffy. 3. Melt the butter, add the sour cream and mix this into the eggs. 4. Mix the flour, baking powder, cocoa and salt and carefully fold into the other ingredients. 5. Coarsely chop the chocolate and melt it in a water bath (in a bowl over boiling water). Add it to the batter. 6. Pipe or spoon out the mixture onto baking paper with a tablespoon. 7. Bake them in batches in the middle of the oven for about 10 minutes. 1. Mix the butter, icing sugar, vanilla, cocoa and cream cheese until creamy. Add the coffee and whip until fluffy with an electric mixer. 2. Pipe the frosting onto the underside of one cake and put it together with another cake (without frosting), like a macaron. Pipe some frosting on top and garnish with a sugar rose and some sprinkles.

sugar roses and sprinkles, as garnish

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Miss Piggy cupcakes 1 2 CUPCAKES 3 free-range eggs 250 g (9 oz) sugar 1 tsp vanilla extract 100 g (3½ oz) butter 100 ml (3½ fl oz) milk 350 g (12 oz) plain (all-purpose) flour 1 tsp baking powder 1 pinch salt grated peel and juice from 1 lemon 1 tbsp rose water

PINK CREAM CHEESE FROSTING

60 g (2 oz) softened butter 400 g (14 oz) icing (confectioners’) sugar 1 tsp vanilla extract 1 tbsp freshly squeezed lemon juice 100 g (3½ oz) cream cheese a couple of drops of red colouring

marshmallows flower sprinkles Smarties or M&M’s marzipan or sugar paste

S E R V I N G M I S S P I G G Y C U P C A K E S AT A P A R T Y I S A G U A R A N T E E D S U C C E S S . S I N C E S H E ’ S A L W A Y S W E L L - D R E S S E D A N D P E R F U M E D , I ’ V E A D D E D S O M E R O S E W A T E R . I T ’ S R E A L LY G O O D A N D I T G I V E S T H E C U P C A K E S A F LO R A L T A S T E . O F C O U R S E , Y O U C A N A L S O L E AV E I T O U T I F YOU PREFER.

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White princess cupcakes 1 2 CUPCAKES 3 free-range eggs 250 g (9 oz) sugar 1 tsp vanilla extract 100 g (3½ oz) butter 100 ml (3½ fl oz) milk 350 g (12 oz) plain (all-purpose) flour 2 tsp baking powder 1 pinch salt grated peel and juice from 1 lemon

VANILLA CREAM

500 ml (17½ fl oz) milk 1 vanilla pod 150 g (5 oz) sugar 7 free-range yolks 75 g (2½ oz) cornstarch (cornflour) 50 g (1¾ oz) softened butter 150 ml (5 fl oz) double cream

RASPBERRIES

500 g (17½ oz) fresh or frozen raspberries 50–100 g (1¾–3½ oz) sugar grated peel from 2 limes 600 ml (21 oz) double cream sugar or marzipan roses, for garnish

1. Turn the oven to 175°C (345°F). 2. Whisk the eggs, sugar and vanilla until white and really fluffy. 3. Melt the butter, add the milk and mix this into the eggs. 4. Mix the flour, baking powder and salt and carefully fold into the other ingredients. 5. Add the grated peel and juice from the lemon. 6. Set out paper cups in a muffin tin and fill the cups until two-thirds full with the mixture. 7. Bake them in the middle of the oven for about 15 minutes. Leave them to cool. 1. Boil the milk together with a vanilla pod that has been halved, with the seeds scraped out and into the milk. Take the pod out after boiling the milk. 2. Whip the sugar, yolks and cornstarch until white and fluffy. 3. Carefully add the milk, while still whipping. 4. Pour the mixture back into the saucepan and simmer while whipping hard. Pour into a cold bowl once it’s thickened. 5. Melt the butter and add it to the cream while whipping it. Continue to whip until the cream is smooth. 6. Chill the vanilla cream in an ice bath or the refrigerator. 7. Whip the cream and fold it with the vanilla cream. 1. Mix the raspberries, sugar and grated lime peel in a bowl. Strain away excess liquid. 2. Slice the top off each cupcake and scoop out some of the cake with a teaspoon. 3. Place some raspberries in each hole and top with vanilla cream. Put the top back on. 4. Whip the cream until firm and fluffy and pipe it onto the tops of the cupcakes. Garnish with a sugar or marzipan rose on each.

12 5

Bling whoopie pies 2 0 WHOOPIE PIES 100 g (3½ oz) softened butter 150 g (5 oz) sugar 2 tsp vanilla extract 350 g (12 oz) plain (all-purpose) flour 1 tsp baking powder 1 tsp bicarbonate of soda (baking soda) 1 free-range egg 100 ml (3½ fl oz) double cream W H I T E C H O C O L AT E F R O S T I N G

200 g (7 oz) good-quality white chocolate 200 g (7 oz) cream cheese silver balls and gold-coated chocolate, for garnish

1. Turn the oven to 175°C (345°F). 2. Whisk the butter, sugar and vanilla until creamy. 3. Add all the dry ingredients and mix well. 4. Mix in the egg and cream and stir until smooth. 5. Pipe or spoon out the mixture onto baking paper with a tablespoon. 6. Bake them in batches in the middle of the oven for about 10 minutes.

1. Chop the chocolate and melt it in a water bath (in a bowl over boiling water). Leave to cool. 2. Mix the chocolate with the cream cheese. Put the frosting in an icing bag with a star nozzle. 3. Pipe the frosting onto the underside of one cake and put it together with another cake (without frosting), like a macaron. 4. Pipe a little frosting on top of each whoopie pie, sprinkle with silver balls and place a gold-coated chocolate on each as garnish.

I O R D E R G O L D - C O AT E D C H O C O L AT E S O V E R T H E I N T E R N E T O R G E T T H E M F R O M W E L L STOCKED SWEET SHOPS. YOU CAN ALSO MAKE BLING WHOOPIE PIES WITH OTHER D E C O R AT I O N S , S U C H A S S U G A R R O S E S , O R Y O U C A N J U S T U S E S I LV E R B A L L S .

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Special thanks to: JANE BUTLER AT THE BEAUTIFUL BEACHHOUSE IN MONTALIVET FRANCE. MY LITTLE FAMILY WALTER AND MÅRTEN. ELSA WINBERG AND OTHER SWEET CHILDREN WHO DROPPED BY FOR MY PARTY.

A NOTE ON SPOON SIZES ¼ TEASPOON 1ML ½ TEASPOON 2.5ML 1 TEASPOON 5ML 2 TEASPOONS 10ML 1 TABLESPOON 15ML (NORTH AMERICA AND BRITAIN) AUSTRALIAN TABLESPOONS: 1 IS EQUAL TO 4 TEASPOONS = 20ML

PUBLISHED IN

2012

BY NEW HOLLAND PUBLISHERS

LONDON • CAPE TOWN • SYDNEY • AUCKLAND WWW.NEWHOLLANDPUBLISHERS.COM FIRST PUBLISHED BY WALTER AND BOOKS, STOCKHOLM GARFIELD HOUSE,

86–88 EDGWARE ROAD, LONDON W 2 2 EA, UNITED KINGDOM 8 001 , SOUTH AFRICA

80 MCKENZIE STREET, CAPE TOWN UNIT

1 , 66

GIBBES STREET, CHATSWOOD, NSW

2067 ,

AUSTRALIA

218 LAKE ROAD, NORTHCOTE, AUCKLAND, NEW ZEALAND

2012 LEILA LINDHOLM 2012 NEW HOLLAND PUBLISHERS

ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. NO PART OF THIS PUBLICATION MAY BE REPRODUCED, STORED IN ANY RETRIEVAL SYSTEM OR TRANSMITTED, IN ANY FORM OR BY ANY MEANS, ELECTRONIC, MECHANICAL, PHOTOCOPYING, RECORDING OR OTHERWISE, WITHOUT THE PRIOR WRITTEN PERMISSION OF THE PUBLISHERS AND COPYRIGHT HOLDERS. A CATALOGUE RECORD FOR THIS BOOK IS AVAILABLE FROM THE BRITISH LIBRARY. ISBN

9781780092317

PUBLISHER: CLARE SAYER DESIGNER: MIKAEL ENGBLOM PHOTOGRAPHER: WOLFGANG KLEINSCHMIDT RECIPES, TEXT AND STYLING: LEILA LINDHOLM PRODUCTION DIRECTOR: OLGA DEMENTIEV PRINTED AND BOUND BY TOPPAN LEEFUNG PRINTING LTD, CHINA

Hello Cupcake! Hello Cupcake! has heaps of delicious ideas for cupcakes and www.newhollandpublishers.com

US $14.99 UK £12.99 Cookery

LEILA LINDHOLM