Let's Bake: Cupcakes

Because I looooveee baking and often desserts and baked goods are integral parts of events, I thought I would share my love of baking with you all.

First recipe post: Basic Cupcakes

150g unsalted butter, softened

150g caster sugar

175g self-raising flour

3 eggs

1 tsp vanilla extract

1. Preheat oven to 180C. Line a 12-hole muffin pan with 12 cupcake papers.

2. Crack eggs into a cup and beat lightly with a fork.3

3. Place all ingredients into a bowl. Beat with an electric mixer for 2 minutes or until light and creamy. Divide mixture evenly between cupcake cases.

4. Bake in the oven for 12-15 minutes (depending on oven) or until firm to touch. Allow to cool for a few minutes and transfer to a wire rack. Allow to cool completely before icing.

Tips

- I always use unsalted butter in my cooking, but you can use normal butter if you wish.

- I chop my softened butter up into little pieces and then cream it by itself before adding anything else. I beat until pale and then add the rest of the ingredients. It just helps to ensure that all the butter is sufficnetly beat and to mix better with the other ingredients

- I find 1 tsp of vanilla extract never enough, so I always add a bit extra

- Make sure eggs are room temperature

What was that you say? You don't want just BASIC cupcakes? Easy...

Now, to turn these basic cupcakes into Tim Tam Cupcakes with Chocolate Ganache. Now, don't panic, it's a lot easier than it sounds, all you have to do is add some crushed up Tim Tams after Step 3. I put some Tim Tams in a zip lock bag and beat them with a rolling pin (a good time to take any frustrations out, give them a reaaaallllyy good beat and crush them to smithereens). Bake as normal

After you let your cupcakes cool, place one larger saucepan with a bit of water in it on your stove, and in the other saucepan, place half a block of chocolate and half a cup of thickened cream. Stir continuously until melted and then spread on your cupcakes. Easy!