Happy Easter! - Cupcakes for all

For those who observe, a very joyous Easter; for those who celebrate, Happy Pesach. Regardless of your beliefs, I hope all of you are enjoying all the best of this time of year.

Over here, right now, we're enjoying a lovely warm spell with temperatures more like early June than early April. My teeny little flower bed is waking up with a few icicle pansies in bloom and bleeding hearts poking throught the soil.

There's definitely something light and joyful in the air.

There must be because I decided to make these springtime cupcakes. Cute ones, if I do say so myself...

Those of you who know me or have followed this site during the past few years know that I am not a fancy or frilly cake person. Foofy cakes just aren't my thing--anything that needs more than a dusting of icing sugar, a dollop of billowy whipped cream or at worst an easy schmear of icing rarely enter, are made in or leave my kitchen.

But after spying some overly cute bunny cupcakes at my fancyfooderie of choice, I knew I had to make them. Maybe it's this time of year--it was the same shop that sold the bunny bread that I deconstructed so I can make them myself (here's my step-by-step how to on making bunny shaped bread)--but again, I bought so I could see how it was put together...and eat it.

And yes, I realise the eyes on my bunnies are a tad on the maniacal side (you can use smaller candies, if you wish), but I think they add a certain je ne sais quoi leaning towards "you really aren't going to eat me, are you?"

How to make fuzzy bunny cupcakes:

What you need:

• cupcakes
• marshmallows
• coloured sugar (optional)
• icing
• sweetened desiccated coconut
• Smarties (or any other candy)

For the ears: cut a giant marsmallow on the diagonal and stand each half on the flat side. If you wish, you can brush the cut sides with a bit of water and then sprinkly some pink coloured sugar, with more sugar applied at the base of the ears, lightening up as to you get to the tips.

Schmear the cupcake with icing and position the ears in a bunny-like way. Place appropriately coloured candies for the eyes (and nose, you wish and if the candies are small enough) and then spoon coconut over the rest of the surface to make a fuzzy face.

If you wish, you can put a little white marshmallow for the bunny's teeth, but that's up to you

While I was at it, I decided to make some nests. Again, so easy I can manage it.

How to make nest cupcakes:

What you need:

• cupcakes
• icing
• sweetened, desiccated coconut
• candy eggs (I prefer Cadbury's mini eggs, but gummy eggs would work as well)

Lightly toast the coconut in a dry pan until most of it is lovely and golden. Set aside to cool

If your cupcakes have domed, cut off the peaks and enjoy the cook's treat. Schmear the survace with icing. Roll the outer edge of the cakelettes in the tosted coconut, leave the centre coconut free.

Place the eggs in the centre of the nest.


Vanilla cupcakes
Yield: 12

110g (0.75c +4tsp) cake flour
1 tsp baking powder
pinch of salt
125g (0.5c + 1Tbsp) unsalted butter, softened
125g (0.5c+ 2Tbsp) sugar (vanilla sugar, preferably)
2 eggs, lightly beaten
1 tsp vanilla extract
3Tbsp milk

Preheat oven to 200C/400F. Line a 12-bowl cupcake tin with papers.

Sift together the flour, baking powder and salt. Set aside.

Cream together the butter and sugar until light, fluffy and almost pearlescent. Mix in the eggs one at at a time (or as best as you can), followed by the vanilla.

Incorporate half the flour into the batter, scrape down the sides and then continue with the rest of the flour. Mix in the milk, one tablespoon at a time, until smooth.

Divide between the papered bowls and bake for 15-20 minutes, or until the cakelettes have risen, are golden and an inserted skewer comes out clean. Cool on a wire rack; decorate as desired.




cheers!
jasmine

I'm a quill for hire!