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    Coffee and Walnut Cupcakes

    Coffee sponge with walnut pieces made with light brown sugar topped with a sweet coffee butter cream!
    I personally use Douwe Egberts strength 4 for the coffee but whatever you have on hand is fine!

    RECIPE

    CAKE

    • 175g Self raising flour.
    • 175g Light brown sugar.
    • 175g Stork margerine.
    • 3 large eggs.
    • 50-100g Walnuts depending on preference. 50g will give an average amount where 100g will be quite dense with walnuts.
    • 2 tsp of instant coffee, dissolved in a very little hot water.

    Topping

    • 150g Unsalted butter.
    • 350g Icing sugar.
    • 2 tsp of instant coffee, dissolved in a very little hot water.
    • 25-50g Walnuts.

    METHOD

    Cake

    • Baking temperature is gonna be trial and error for your own oven as all are a little different but for mine, I pre heat the oven to 170c for my fan assisted oven.
    • Cream the margarine and sugar together in a bowl.
    • Next, make a gap in the bowl and crack the 3 eggs in.
    • Give them a little mix to combine the yolks and whites, then combine with the rest of the mix.
    • Once done, you should have a smooth mix.
    • Add the coffee and mix again until combined.
    • Add the flour and combine.
    • Roughly chop the walnuts and fold in.
    • Split the mix evenly between 12 cupcake cases.
    • I find 2 level scoops of a “small” ice cream scoop does the trick for me.
    • Bake for 16-18 minutes until baked.
    • You can do it by feel, as you can feel if it’s sufficiently spongy but you can’t go wrong with the tried and tested skewer method by poking a cake to the middle with a skewer and see if it comes out clean.

    Topping

    • Beat the butter in a food mixer.
    • Add the coffee and combine.
    • Sieve in the icing sugar and combine.
    • You may need a little extra icing sugar depending on how much water you used in the coffee. I accounted for this in the recipe but add a little more icing sugar if the coffee buttercream is too thin.

    Construction

    • Pipe the buttercream on to the cakes.
    • Rough chop half of the walnuts and sprinkle on top.
    • Fine chop the other half and sprinkle on top.
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    Vegan Oreo Cupcakes

    Given that Oreos are naturally vegan, and delicious, there are a perfect candidate to make into cakes!
    Vegan chocolate cake base made with black cocoa and soy milk.
    Buttercream made with stork and ground Oreos!

    RECIPE

    CAKE

    • 200 g Self raising flour.
    • 200 g Light brown sugar.
    • 15g Black cocoa.
    • 15g Regular cocoa.
    • 225 ml Chocolate soy milk (You can use 225 regular soy/almond milk and 10g extra cocoa).
    • 1tsp baking powder.
    • 1 tsp Vanilla.
    • 100g Flora vegan butter.
    • 1 tbsp Cider/Rice vinegar.

    Topping

    • 150g Flora vegan butter / Stork baking block.
    • 300g Icing sugar.
    • 100g ground Oreos.
    • 30 Drops of Foodie vanilla essence.

    METHOD

    Cake

    • Baking temperature is gonna be trial and error for your own oven as all are a little different but for mine, I pre heat the oven to 170c for my fan assisted oven.
    • In a large bowl, whisk together your flour, cocoa baking powder and sugar.
    • Melt your vegan butter/stork and make sure there are no lumps.
    • Pour your milk, vanilla, butter and vinegar in and whisk till smooth!
    • Split the mix evenly between 12 cupcake cases.
    • I find 2 level scoops of a “small” ice cream scoop does the trick for me.
    • Bake for 18-20 minutes until baked. The vegan ones take a little longer than traditional dairy cakes.
    • You can do it by feel, as you can feel if it’s sufficiently spongy but you can’t go wrong with the tried and tested skewer method by poking a cake to the middle with a skewer and see if it comes out clean.
    • Once baked, leave to cool fully.

    Topping

    • Blitz a sleeve of Oreos in a blender until a fine powder.
    • In a large bowl, beat your plant butter / stork with the vanilla till smooth. 
    • Sieve in the icing sugar, add 100g of the Oreo and combine.
    • Add in the icing sugar and beat again until fully combined. 
    • If too thick, add a little plant cream / plant milk until pipeable.

    Construction

    • Not a great deal to the construction of these ones ones so…….
    • Pipe the buttercream on to the cakes.
    • Pop an Oreo on top!
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    Millionaire Shortbread Bites

    Nice and buttery Millionaire Shortbread bites with a chewy caramel middle and milk chocolate top!

    This recipe yields 30 “bites” when using the moulds I have linked below.

    Additional Equipment Required

    I use 3.5 cm square silicone moulds for these Millionaire Shortbread Bites.
    Specifically these but any will do.

    RECIPE

    Shortbread Base

    • 250g Plain flour.
    • 150g Unsalted butter.
    • 85g Caster sugar.
    • 30 Drops of Foodie vanilla essence.

    Caramel Filling

    • 150g Unsalted butter.
    • 150g Light brown soft sugar.
    • 3 tablespoons golden syrup.
    • 200g Condensed milk.
    • 30 Drops of Foodie vanilla essence (optional).

    Chocolate Topping

    • 300g Milk chocolate but you can get away with a block of 200 if used sparingly. I like a generous topping!

    METHOD

    Shortbread

    • Preheat the oven to 190c/170c fan assisted.
    • Add the flour and sugar into a blender and give a quick blitz to combine.
    • Chop in the cold butter and add the vanilla.
    • Blitz until all combined.
    • The colour will change from white to a yellow doughy colour.
    • Scoop out, finish combining by hand and squeeze into a ball.
    • Pinch off pieces of 15g and press down into the silicone moulds.
    • Bake for 10-12 minutes or until the shortbread starts turning golden brown.
    • Leave to cool.

    Caramel Filling

    • Add all the ingredients into a saucepan on high heat.
    • Stir until all combined.
    • Bring to the boil and stir for around 4 minutes, until the caramel starts to darken and thicken.
    • Remove from the heat and stir vigorously for another 3 minutes.

    Chocolate Topping

    • Not much to say here! Melt the chocolate how you like.
    • Can microwave in 20 second bursts, stirring each time.
    • Melt in a pot over a medium heat, slowly stirring.
    • Boil water in a pot and add the chocolate to a bowl, place the bowl over the water and stir the chocolate until melted.

    CONSTRUCTION

    • The shortbread will already be in the moulds as you baked it in them.
    • Spoon a teaspoon of caramel into each mould cavity as soon as you have finished stirring.
    • You don’t want to let it set and get too thick to spoon out.
    • Now spoon a teaspoon of chocolate into each mould cavity.
    • Set in the fridge until the chocolate is set.
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    Vegan Mint Slice Bites

    You may need to be of a certain age to remember the old school (literally) mint slices!
    Delicious chocolate biscuit base with a mint icing layer and chocolate topping!
    These are moulded in silicone moulds for uniform bites but you can make in a square tin and cut later.

    Also, these are made with black cocoa for the black look and slightly darker Oreo like taste on the bottom but you can substitute for “regular” cocoa should you prefer.

    “That minty thing was the best thing I’ve ever had in my mouth” Jesse Carson

    Additional Equipment Required

    I use 3.5 cm square silicone moulds for these Mint Slice Bites.
    Specifically these but any will do. Recipe makes about 20 bites.

    Recipe

    Short Bread (You can use any basic vegan store bought biscuit but I like to make my own)

    • 150g plain flour.
    • 100g plant butter.
    • 50g caster sugar.
    • 20 drops foodie vanilla essence or 1 tsp of non concentrate vanilla.

    Base

    • 225g of the shortbread you have just baked.
    • 3 tbsp golden syrup.
    • 75g plant butter.
    • 3 tbsp Black cocoa powder.
    • 100g Dark chocolate.

    Filling

    • 350g Icing sugar.
    • 2-3 tbsp Hot water (a LITTLE more if too thick but it should be very thick or it will not set).
    • 20 – 30 drops of foodie peppermint to taste.
    • Green food colouring (optional).

    Topping

    • 300g Dark chocolate / Dark mint chocolate.
    • Be sure to check the ingredients as not all dark chocolate is vegan..

    Method

    Shortbread

    • Mix the flour and sugar thoroughly in a bowl.
    • Add the butter, vanilla and mix until fully combined.
    • Clump into a ball, press down into a rough rectangle for ease of rolling later and wrap in cling film.
    • Refrigerate until quite firm.
    • Heat oven 190C/170C fan.
    • On a lightly floured surface, use a rolling pin to roll out the dough to a thickness of ½ cm.
    • Cut the dough into pieces. Don’t be too precious about the shapes as they will be chopped up later!
    • Place on a tray lined with baking paper.
    • Bake for 12-14 minutes, or until they just start turning golden.
    • Leave to cool.

    Base

    • Roughly chop the shortbread you have made into small pieces.
    • Add the chocolate, plant butter and syrup to a pan over a medium heat.
    • Stir to combine as the chocolate and butter melts.
    • Once all the chocolate has almost melted, add the cocoa and continue to stir.
    • Once you have a smooth liquid, add the shortbread and combine.

    Mint Layer

    • Sieve the icing sugar into a bowl.
    • Make a well and add 2 tbsp of hot water in the well.
    • Add the peppermint flavour and food colouring.
    • Stir the well, slowly combining in the sugar, from the inside of the well out.
    • Add a few drops more warm water if it’s becoming so thick that you can’t combine the rest of the sugar.
    • You want to get it to a fondant icing like consistency. You will need to finish combining by hand as if you are making dough.
    • You should be able to pinch pieces off and roll into a ball that will retain its shape.

    Topping

    • Not much to say here! Melt the chocolate how you like.
    • Can microwave in 20 second bursts, stirring each time.
    • Melt in a pot over a medium heat, slowly stirring.
    • Boil water in a pot and add the chocolate to a bowl, place the bowl over the water and stir the chocolate until melted.

    Construction

    • Add a heaped teaspoon of base mixture to each mould cavity and press down.
    • Leave in the fridge until partially, but not totally set.
    • Once partially set but still tacky, remove from the fridge and add the mint layer.
    • You want the mint to be able to bond with the base so it wont just separate.
    • Pinch a lump of mint icing off, roll into a ball just over 1 cm in size roughly and press into the mould, making sure to spread over the whole base.
    • Once all are filled, spoon a teaspoon of the melted chocolate into each cavity.
    • Once all are filled, gently tilt the mould around so all bites are fully covered.
    • Refrigerate until set.
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    Soft Bake Cookies

    Here’s my recipe for soft chocolate chip cookies.
    I’ve almost exclusively been doing cupcakes so wanted to branch out a little and try some cookies and here is the result!
    Took a couple of tries and a bit of tweaking but I’m happy with this version of them and have the texture and taste exactly where I wanted!

    Recipe

    • 250g Plain flour.
    • 150g Unsalted butter softened to room temperature.
    • 125g Caster sugar.
    • 50g Dark brown sugar.
    • 1/2 Tsp salt.
    • ½ Tsp baking powder.
    • 25g Golden syrup.
    • 1 Large egg.
    • 25 Drops of concentrated vanilla essence.
    • 125g Chocolate chips.

    Method

    • Mix caster and dark brown sugar together in a bowl with the salt and baking powder.
    • Add the butter and hand whisk until combined.
    • Add the golden syrup and whisk in.
    • Add the egg and vanilla then whisk in.
    • Now add the flour and combine with a spatula, being sure to scrape the edge of the bowl to get it all!
    • Add the chocolate chips and mix.
    • Lay out some cling film and dust with flour.
    • Scrape the mix out. It will be soft and sticky!
    • Dust the top with flour and flour your hands.
    • Mould into a ball and wrap.
    • Put in the fridge until firm.
    • Overnight is fine but you may need to let it soften slightly before portioning.
    • Turn the oven on at 180c/160c Fan assisted.
    • Set out 2 baking trays lined with baking paper.
    • Split in to 12 portions and roll into balls. (60g each)
    • Place the balls on the trays, 3 per tray with plenty of space between them. It will require 2 batches in a standard sized oven.
    • Bake for 14 – 16 minutes, until the edges start to go golden brown.
    • They will be VERY soft. Leave on the trays a few minutes before transferring to a wire rack.
    • Leave to cool.
    • Tan them!
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    Custard Cream Cupcakes

    Custard cream cupcakes were a special request by my friends son, Dylan.
    White chocolate and custard filling with custard sponge and custard icing!
    Good ol’ custard cream biccie on top for good measure!

    Cake

    • 145g self raising flour.
    • 30g of Birds custard powder.
    • 175g caster sugar.
    • 175g stork margarine.
    • 3 large eggs.
    • 10 – 20 drops of Foodie custard essence (optional).

    Centre

    • 196g of white chocolate. That is very specific as I use 1 large bag of Milkybar buttons but 200g of any white chocolate you prefer.
    • 125g of Devon Custard.
    • 100ml of double cream (optional)

    Topping

    • 150g of butter.
    • 300g of icing sugar.
    • 50g of Birds custard powder.
    • Double cream for thinning.
    • 10 – 20 drops of Foodie custard essence (optional),

    METHOD

    Cake

    • Baking temperature is gonna be trial and error for your own oven as all are a little different but for mine, I pre heat the oven to 170c for my fan assisted oven.
    • Cream the margarine and sugar together in a bowl.
    • Next, make a gap in the bowl and crack the 3 eggs in.
    • Give them a little mix to combine the yolks and whites, then combine with the rest of the mix.
    • Once done, you should have a smooth mix.
    • Add the custard essence if using and give it another little mix.
    • Now sieve in the flour and custard powder.
    • Fold that in then give it a good mix until fully combined.
    • Split the mix evenly between 12 cupcake cases.
    • I find 2 level scoops of a “small” ice cream scoop does the trick for me.
    • Bake for 16-18 minutes until baked.
    • You can do it by feel, as you can feel if it’s sufficiently spongy but you can’t go wrong with the tried and tested skewer method by poking a cake to the middle with a skewer and see if it comes out clean.

    Centre

    • The most important step here, have a Milkybar button or piece of white chocolate for yourself!
    • Heat the white chocolate and custard over medium heat in a pot and stir until combined.
    • If you want a more oozy centre, add the cream at this point and combine.
    • Leave to cool.

    Topping

    • Beat the butter in a food mixer.
    • Sieve in the icing sugar, the custard and combine.
    • Add the custard essence if not tasting “Custardy” enough for you.
    • Mixture will be quite thick so slowly add some double cream until the icing is of pipeable consistency. It should fall off a spatula easy with a small tap.

    Construction

    • Core out the centre of the cakes with a cake corer or a teaspoon.
    • Fill the cakes with the chocolate custard mix.
    • Pipe on the icing.
    • Add a custard cream biscuit on top!
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    Black Forest Cupcakes

    Delicious chocolate and cherry flavoured cupcakes with a dark chocolate cherry ganache centre.

    They are topped with sweetened whipped cream, a cherry sauce, dark chocolate shavings and a glace cherry.

    The flavourings I use are concentrate so if you are using a different brand, you may need to add more to get the desired flavour.

    Cake

    • 145g self raising flour.
    • 30g cocoa powder.
    • 175g caster sugar.
    • 175g stork margarine.
    • 3 large eggs.
    • 20 drops of Foodie Cherry Flavour.

    Centre

    Topping

    • 500ml of Double Cream.
    • 50g Icing Sugar.
    • 20 drops of Foodie Vanilla Flavour.
    • 50g Dark Chocolate for Shaving.
    • Glace Cherries.
    • The liquid from a tin of Princes Cherries.
    • Juice of 1 lemon.
    • 1/4 tsp of Xanthan gum or unflavoured powdered gelatine for stabilizing.

    METHOD

    Cake

    • Baking temperature is gonna be trial and error for your own oven as all are a little different but for mine, I pre heat the oven to 170c for my fan assisted oven.
    • Cream the margarine and sugar together in a bowl.
    • Next, make a gap in the bowl and crack the 3 eggs in.
    • Give them a little mix to combine the yolks and whites, then combine with the rest of the mix.
    • Once done, you should have a smooth mix.
    • Add the cherry essence and give it another little mix.
    • Now sieve in the flour and cocoa.
    • Fold that in then give it a good mix until fully combined.
    • Split the mix evenly between 12 cupcake cases.
    • I find 2 level scoops of a “small” ice cream scoop does the trick for me.
    • Bake for 16-18 minutes until baked.
    • You can do it by feel, as you can feel if it’s sufficiently spongy but you can’t go wrong with the tried and tested skewer method by poking a cake to the middle with a skewer and see if it comes out clean.

    Centre

    • Melt 300g of dark chocolate in a pot on the hob on a medium heat.
    • Stir until there are no lumps.
    • Add 100ml of double cream and fully combine.
    • Finely chop the cherries from the Princes cherries and mix in.
    • If it is not cherry tasting enough for your liking, add a few drops of the cherry essence at a time until it’s right for you.
    • Once all combined, leave to cool.

    Topping (Cream)

    • Add 500ml of cold double cream and the icing sugar to a cold bowl.
    • Add the Xanthan or gelatine.
    • Mix it slowly until combined.
    • Now add the vanilla essence and mix again.
    • Once all combined, mix on a fast speed until the cream is forming stiff peaks and is pipeable.

    Topping (Cherry Sauce)

    • Add the cherry liquid to a bowl.
    • Add the lemon juice half a lemon at a time.
    • Mix together and the lemon juice will thin the cherry out so you can drizzle.
    • If too thick after half a lemon, add the juice from the other half.

    Construction

    • Core out the centre of the cakes with a cake corer or a teaspoon.
    • Drizzle a little of the cherry sauce in the hole.
    • Spread a little on the top of the cake.
    • Fill the hole with the chocolate cherry ganache.
    • Pipe on the cream.
    • Drizzle the sauce over the cream.
    • Shave over the dark chocolate.
    • Add the literal (glace) cherry on top!

  • Coming Soon

    This is a holding page for my wee baking blog that I’m starting up.
    The idea is to hone my baking skills that I acquired during the apocalypse and share the creations online for other budding bakers to try!