nest

Cupcakes

...or, seeing as I am Australian, Patty Cakes. Everyone says 'cupcakes' these days but as a child we always called them Patty Cakes. I can only remember butter cake Patty Cakes and a fancy Patty Cake was a Butterfly Cake where the top of the patty cake was cut off and cut into two.. then buttery icing... then the bits put back... on then, maybe icing sugar... OH SO BADLY EXPLAINED!!

There, I found a picture... (gorgeousness)

...at one of my favourite blogs, Lemonpi, which is well worth a look if you love food and creative recipes and great photos. And she explains butterfly cakes beautifully!

Anyhoo...

Where was I?

Oh yes. Cupatty Cakes. (sorry)

Gluten free (GF) Cupatty Cakes, no less. I've mentioned before that my Mum can't have wheat so I've experimented with gf flour and know it's capabilities. GF don't scare me!

And it's working. This gluten free diet has changed a cranky, irritable boy into the kid you want to be with. I can't believe it. So yesterday I wrote a bit about how I'm changing the food we're eating but I didn't mention the supplements. Of course, omega3 squirty tablets, how they are eaten (and enjoyed!) everyday astonishes me- I think they're gross, a probiotic to help him recover from the damage gluten has been doing to his tummy (apparently) and a zinc supplement. All are being consumed except the zinc which is in the form of a powder that you mix with water or juice and it tastes like Tang. He eats chocolate flavoured fish oil but won't drink a Tangishly orange cordially drink, I live and learn.

When I make cupcakes I always use Nigella's recipe from her book 'Nigella Bites'.

It's just a chuck-it-all-in-the-food-processor-and-whizz recipe. In fact I use it so often that the book falls open to the page on it's own. And, I'm ashamed (proud?) to say that it's become one of those 'scratch-n'-sniff' recipes due to splatters of cake batter and flour dried to the page. I do love a well used recipe.

See that flour there? I'd better wipe it off AS IT MIGHT NOT BE GLUTEN FREE!!!!!!!

I've changed this base recipe many times but do adore the latest incarnation which is an orangey, syrupy tastebud delight... if I do say so myself....

GF ORANGE CUPATTY SYRUP CAKES

Preheat oven to 180 deg C.

These are all gram measurements so I just put the food processor bowl, with blade, on the scales and weigh the ingredients straight in.

So, weigh the following into the bowl of the food processor:

60g gluten free plain flour

60g ground almonds (no nut allergies in this house)

1 teaspoon baking powder

125g softened butter

125g caster sugar

2 eggs

rind of one orange, finely grated

Whizz this until all combined and then whizz it a bit more until light and smooth. Add a tablespoon at milk and whizz a bit more.

Spoon into 12 medium sized patty cases and bake at 180 deg C for about 20 mins or untill browned on top and a skewer comes out clean.

While they are baking make the syrup. In a saucepan put the juice of one and a half oranges and 1/2 a cup of caster sugar. Put on the heat and stir until the sugar has dissolved then let it bubble for 3 mins. Take off the heat.

When the cupatty cakes come out of the oven and are still hot pour a tablespoon on the syrup over each of them and sprinkle with cocoa. Let them sit in the tin for about 10mins then take them out to cool on a rack.

 

Oi! Hands off! 

 

They have this deliciously smooth, creamy top on a soft, light, slightly mealy cake. And the orange and chocolate combo is always a winner.

 

Yummo.
 

 

A Look Back Into Last Week

 
Last week was a long time ago. Well, it certainly feels that way. This time last week I was baking and delivering fruit cake cup cakes to the school for the mothers day stall...

...it maybe wasn't the most effective way to use my time...

...but heaven forbid anyone think I don't contribute!

I probably could have chosen to do something a bit less time consuming... with a few less steps in the process...

I was pleased with how they came out, even though I only produced half the amount I had intended due to the fact that I RAN OUT OF TIME.

As well as doing this baking I was also preparing to hand over the organising of a stall at the school fete in 6 weeks time. How did I think I could manage this and go away for 5 weeks before the fete?

Another job on my to do list was packing our bags for the afore mentioned 5 weeks away. A HUGE job.

This was ONE of my lists that was operating during last week...

...you may notice there's one item not marked off...

Ahh, minor detail! We've hired a car, worse comes to worse we can sleep there! No problem. I think.

ALSO, Tom and I were working on a presentation board for his last show and tell session at school explaining where we are going... PERSONALLY I would have arranged the pictures differently. They aren't really in order of itinerary items and dates, really, they're not, and I was at risk of taking over in a very uncharacteristic *cough* control freakish way. I had to STEP AWAY FROM THE GLUE STICK!!!

It ended up looking great.

And that magpie? We'll be taking him with us and photographing him in front of iconic European places to email back to the class. Hopefully that will last the whole trip... it's quite a commitment.

SO we're here. I'm writing from London. The 26 HOUR plane trip was quite simply horrible even though the kids were great and amazingly well behaved. It's a long way from Australia to London. A. Long. Way. We're not looking forward to our trip back, but that's not for over a month. We here, and it's fantastic. We have wonderful hosts and we're enjoying every minute.

 
 
 

No Icing, Thanks.

I think it’s time for another recipe.

I am always on the lookout for a cake or slice that doesn’t need icing. When I’m rushed for time but have people coming over or I’m going to someone’s house I need a quick sweet something that I can do in limited, minimal steps. Mix, in the oven, out, done. Possibly a shake of icing sugar, that’s ok, I’ll allow that.

 
 

And not biscuits, too much time taken with the putting on the tray step.

Syrup cakes are BRILLIANT.... but that’s for another post.

Today I’m talking about a slice. Another for my ‘baking with breakfast cereal’ category.

CARDAMOM OAT SLICE

Preheat oven to 180 deg C.

Melt 125g butter and ¼ cup of golden syrup in a small saucepan. While this is happening...

Place all of these dry ingredients in a bowl and use your hands to make sure they are well combined.

1 cup rolled oats

1 cup plain flour

½ cup self raising flour

2/3 cup brown sugar

1 teaspoon ground cardamom

¾ cup desiccated coconut

2/3 cup sultanas

Lightly whisk one egg and add it to the dry ingredients and mix it around a bit. Then pour melted butter and syrup in and combine.

Press into a greased and lined slice tin (18cm x 28cm) and bake for 20 mins.

When it comes out and is still hot, zest some orange rind over and then sprinkle with icing sugar and leave to cool.

Done.

If you have time you can make an icing with 1 ½ cups of icing sugar, some orange juice and a bit of orange zest. But this can only be put on when the slice is cool and then the icing takes a few hours to set.

I actually didn’t have any cardamom in the cupboard today so I used mixed spice, I’ve also used cinnamon. All good, you just want a spicy, warm hit in the sweet crunch of the sultana-y and oat-y base. And don't omit the orange zest, it makes all the difference.

Banana

I will eat anything. ANYTHING. I'll at least give everything a try. The only thing I will refuse if offered is a banana or banana related product. I will even refuse to smell bananas and have often left the room when one is peeled... not a fan of the bananaroma.

Vomit.

Until recently I had the same problem with marshmallows of all kinds. For some reason I overcame it and since then have been making up for lost time, consuming way too many of those soft, sugary, squishy pillows of joy. Yes, I've completely changed my mind and reversed my opinion. Because I can.

I am able to actually handle bananas now (I mean actually touch and peel them)... even mash them (dry retching only occasionally). I still can't eat them. So when I'm on a diet I make Banana Cake. Everyone seems to like it and I'm not tempted to eat it.

This time I made a Chocolate Banana Cake simply by adding cocoa to the mix. This cake also works well with gluten free flour.

CHOCOLATE BANANA CAKE

(Recipe modified from the Women's Weekly 'Quick-mix Banana Cake' in the 'Babies & Toddlers Good Food' book)

125g butter (soft)

3/4 cup firmly packed brown sugar

2 eggs

1/3 cup sour cream (I use extra light and it works fine)

1 1/2 cups SR flour

1/2 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda

1/4 cup cocoa

1 1/4 cups mashed banana

METHOD

I used a loaf tin but wouldn't next time. A 19cm square tin is recommended, greased.

Oven on ar 180 deg C.

Beat butter and sugar until light and fluffy.

Add eggs and sour cream and combine. Add flour, soda and cocoa and mix on low speed for 1 minute. (I have my last taste of the batter at this point).

Stir in the mashed banana and tip in the prepared tin.

Bake for about 50 mins or until a skewer comes out clean.

I then iced with a quick icing sugar and water icing sprinkling the top with 100s and 1000s.

Juliet loves sour cream and eats it by the spoon full or with crackers dipped in.

Yeah, that took some strength.

Creaming the butter and sugar. Is there anything yummier? J getting close, anticipating being handed the beater to lick.

Now the banana has been added and there's no more licking of fingers for me. I'm on a diet you know.

Bit wonky. Should have used a different shaped tin. Tasted the same though, apparently.

Iced and ready to go.

They can eat the cake, I'll just have a handful of these....

 
I'm on a diet.