This cupcake recipe is so simple, and delicious – try cutting off the tops when they are done and put in a spoonful of strawberry jam and some Cream Cheese topping or whipped cream…..
To make your cupcake recipe, you’ll need the following:
Ingredients:
- 1 1/2 cup self raising flour
- 2/3 cup castor sugar
- 125g butter, softened
- 2 eggs
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 2/3 cup milk.
Firstly, make sure the butter is definitely softened – otherwise the mixture ends up lumpy.
Put all ingredients into a mixing bowl. Beat on low speed until combined, then on medium speed until batter is smooth.
Line cupcake tray with paper liners. Oven to 160 deg C. Put spoonfuls of mixture into patty pans to about 3/4 full. Bake about 15-20 mins until golden.
Once cooled, gently make an insertion from the side of the cupcake toward the middle (in the shape of a smiley face) – spoon some jam into the slot.
Make up some frosting – see my recipe here
And generously cover the cakes with frosting.
Cream Cheese Topping
All good cakes deserve a cream cheese topping – so yummy!
This is a really simple cream cheese topping to make for cakes – a creamy alternative to icing. Fluffy and creamy – delicious. You can add whatever flavour you want, here’s the basic recipe.
- 100g softened butter
- 100g cream cheese (softened)
- 2 cups icing sugar
- Vanilla essence to taste.
Once the butter and cream cheese is nice and smooth (taste it, should be creamy) gradually add the icing sugar. Don’t add it all at once or you will spend the rest of the day cleaning up the kitchen. Add about a tablespoon of vanilla essence to taste. Add a little milk if the mixture is too firm.
The end consistency should be about that of thick whipped cream – ice your cakes.
Banana Cake
For something a bit different, you can add cocoa powder (sifted); or purée some fresh or frozen berries; zest of lemon or orange; anything that takes your fancy.
Shortcrust Pastry – Easy to Make and Better than Frozen ~ Everyday!
Making your own shortcrust pastry is so easy, you will wonder why you ever spent the extra dollars on the store bought variety. Use this recipe for either sweet or savoury dishes and create a simple, yet short (that’s where you get that crisp base from) pastry.
Yum, who doesn’t love a lovely tart with a really lovely shortcrust pastry base? This can be used for quiche, sweet tarts, savoury tarts – it’s simple and delicious.
This recipe is made in the food processor – if you do not have a food processor, you can still make it by hand – work quickly and only use the tips of your fingers when getting the mix to “breadcrumb” stage (if you use your palms the mix will heat up).
Ingredients:
- 1 3/4 cup plain flour
- 125g chilled butter (roughly chopped)
- 1 egg yolk, lightly whisked
- 2 teaspoons iced water
Put the flour and butter into the processor – process until it looks like fine breadcrumbs.
Add egg yolk and water and process until dough just starts to come together (note – add more water if required).
You are aiming for a soft, smooth dough.
You will need to blind bake the pastry.
Blind Bake Pastry – Step by Instructions Made Easy
The trick to a good base is to blind bake pastry. By doing this, you are setting the foundations for a really good, short, crisp base instead of a soggy mess.
A blind bake pastry is really easy to make. The idea is so that you can keep a fairly thin crust without it bubbling up before you put the filling in.
Once you have made your pastry, follow these steps.
Roll out onto a lightly floured surface – roll out to the size of the tray you intend to use for the tart. Line the tray with baking paper, then place into tray and trim to fit.
Refrigerate for at least half an hour to let the pastry rest. This will let the gluten relax and stop shrinkage.
The next step is to place grease-proof paper over the pastry, and cover with either baking beads or uncooked rice to weigh the pastry down and to stop it bubbling up.
Bake 180ºc for about 15 minutes to set the pastry.
Then remove the weights and put tray back into the oven, cook until slightly golden.
Remove from oven.
Carefully inspect your pastry – if it has cracks like mine does, the liquid will leak into the tray when you add the filling. You need to make a “putty” to fill the cracks and seal the pastry.
To make the putty, mix some flour and water together to form a paste.
Then spread a film of paste over the baked pastry, making sure you fill any cracks.
Then, back into the oven to cook off the base again.
You will see that the “putty” will be firm when ready.
Once your tart base is ready, you can then continue on with the recipe and fill as per the recipe instructions.
Sausage Rolls – Easy Homemade Bulk Version – Ready to Freeze
My boys always loved home made sausage rolls – we knew what went into them – and they would eat them in no time – this recipe is perfect to freeze and keep for a quick meal later – no need to defrost, just straight into the oven – you’ll know when they are cooked – they will be golden and just begging to be devoured.
There are lots of variations to making sausage rolls – change the spices to whatever flavours you like – another variation which we have made (and loved) have been with pork, apple and sage (my favourites to date!).
You will need:-
- 1kg beef mince
- 500g pork mince
- 12 sheets puff pastry
- 1 cup chopped corriander
- 2 eggs
- 1 cup breadcrumbs
- 1/2 cup Kepap Manis (Indonesian sweet soy sauce)
- 1/2 cup sweet chilli sauce
Separate your sheets of puff pastry and spread out so they can defrost – use a knife to gently separate the sheets. Do not remove the plastic divider sheets, you will need these later.
Place all ingredients (except for the puff pastry of course) in a bowl.
Mix well by hand. I grab and squeeze to mix this – I’ve found its easier and quicker – just dip your hands into it, grab and handful, lift and squeeze – repeat.
You want it to be mixed to a consistency of rissoles – firm but not dry.
Divide the mixture up into 12 even quantities.
Take one of the mince balls, and spread it out over half of one of the puff pastry sheets. Repeat for each ball to a sheet of pastry.
Start to roll up the pastry, leaving the plastic behind.
Continue to roll up the pastry to the end of the plastic.
Then roll the plastic back around the newly formed sausage roll.
Next, cut the roll in half – you now have 2 sausage rolls with the plastic wrapped around the outside of the sausage roll (you don’t want it rolled inside the roll – yuck!)
To cook: heat oven to about 200ºc and place sausage rolls on lined tray – make sure that the edge of the roll is on the underside of the sausage roll to prevent it unravelling when it cooks.
Cook until golden. Depending on your oven, you may need to rotate the tray part way through cooking to ensure even cooking. If they explode a little (like mine) its because the mince could probably have been spread a little further before rolling it up.
The rest of them? Place them in a plastic container in the freezer – the sheets of plastic will stop them sticking together in the freezer. To cook, just put on a lined tray (no need to defrost) in oven at 200ºc until golden.
Hot tip:- where the seal for the edge of the sausage roll is, make sure that you have it on the underside of the sausage roll when you freeze it – this way it stops the sausage roll unravelling when its cooking.
I thought for this one, I would do up a quick pricing, just to show how great these are for value for money along with a little effort.
Let’s pretend that you don’t have any of the ingredients in your pantry – I am going to use no-name brands where possible so that we can try and make it as cheap as – prices are as at today (May 17, 2015) and priced via online shopping prices through Coles – prices will vary, depending on your location of course, so this is only a rough guide.
- 1kg beef mince $7.00
- 500g pork mince $5.50
- 12 sheets puff pastry $5.40
- bunch fresh coriander $2.98
- 12 eggs $2.99
- 500g breadcrumbs $1.71
- 240ml Kepap Manis (Indonesian sweet soy sauce) $5.72
- 500ml sweet chilli sauce $2.00
Total amount to spend on initial spend: $33.30
Cost per sausage roll: $1.39
Now, just remember, this is for a full carton of eggs, a full bottle of sauce, etc and that you can use these ingredients in other things too – keep the coriander for the Sticky Asian Lamb dish. So let’s break it down a little further:
- 1kg beef mince $7.00
- 500g pork mince $5.50
- 12 sheets puff pastry $5.40
- 1 cup chopped corriander $1.50
- 2 eggs $0.50
- 1 cup breadcrumbs $0.80
- 1/2 cup Kepap Manis (Indonesian sweet soy sauce) $1.00
- 1/2 cup sweet chilli sauce $0.50
Outlay: $22.20
Cost: $0.92 cents per sausage roll
See how you can save? Add a mashed potato and some vegetables and you have a meal for under $2.00 (if you only eat one sausage roll of course!)