Just a coffee please...

This weekend I was off to the country helping out at a party. I made six cakes - lemon drizzle , orange drizzle , chocolate and orange , chocolate, coffee and walnut, and banana choc-chip. I've posted most of these recipes before (click the links!) but here are the others:

Coffee and Walnut Cake:

• 225g butter
• 225g caster sugar
• 4 big-ish eggs
• 225g self-raising flour
• Pinch of salt
• Splash of strong coffee 
• 100g chopped up walnuts (keep them chunky)

Pre-heat oven to 180c. Mix the butter and sugar together really well then add the flour, eggs, salt and coffee and stir. Fold in the walnuts then tip the mixture into a tin (I used a loaf tin) and pop in the oven for around half an hour.

Coffee Icing:

• 125g butter (softened up a bit)
• 200g icing sugar
• Splash of strong coffee
• Pinch of salt
• Some walnuts for the top

Mix the butter, sugar and salt whilst adding the coffee in small splashes until it's nice and silky and a lovely caramel (...or coffee) colour. Spread it over your cake once it's properly cool and then sprinkle the walnuts on top, ta-da!

The banana cake I made was a little too stodgy for my liking so I won't post the recipe I used but instead lead you here . My mum sent me this link so I'm going to follow these tips next time. 

My favourite banana cake recipe is always this one as it's so moist and tasty and has a kind of carrot-cake vibe to it. Although the one I made was a little dense it still tasted pretty good, also the kids had picked most of the cream-cheese topping off it before it even reached the party and it still disappeared super quick so I'll not label it a complete failure.        

Joyeux anniversaire bébé

Unfortunately I am missing my girlie's birthday because I am now living in Paris and am no longer just a smelly bus ride away.

Happy birthday to my classy oiseau!

Luckily the cupcakes I made her were still fresh for her birthday, probably due to some sort of wonderful birthday magic (I put them in the freezer). I made three types...

Mojito Cupcakes:

• 120g self-raising flour
• 130g caster sugar
• Pinch of baking powder
• 100ml milk (best if it's whole milk)
• 1 egg, beaten 
• 40g butter 
• 1 lime (rind and juice)
• Handful of fresh mint

Pre-heat your oven to 170c. Cream the butter and sugar until light and fluffy, mix in the rest of the dry ingredients. Grate the rind of the lime into the mixture and then add the juice. Slowly add the milk and egg whilst mixing until it's all lovely and smooth. Chop up your mint into really tiny bits and mix well. Put the mixture into paper cases (makes about 12ish) and bake for around 25 minutes. 

Mojito Butter Cream:

• Handful of fresh mint
• 1 lime (ring and juice)
• 1 teaspoon of peppermint extract
• 250g icing sugar
• 80g butter
• Milk

Chop up your fresh mint into really little bits (leave some sprigs for decoration if you want) and then beat everything together until really smooth and fluffy. Use the milk in little splashes until you get a nice consistency. Pipe/spread the icing over your cupcakes and you're done!

Next were the...

Marshmallow (vanilla) Cupcakes: 

• 120g self-raising flour
• 130g caster sugar
• Pinch of baking powder
• 120ml milk (best if it's whole milk)
• 1 egg, beaten
• 40g butter
• 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract

Pre-heat oven to 170c. Cream the butter and sugar together until nice and fluffy. Add in the dry ingredients and mix. Beat together the egg, milk and vanilla and add it into the mixture splash by splash, mixing all the way. Spoon into around 12 paper cases and bake for 20 minutes or so.

Marshmallow Butter Cream:

• 170g butter
• 280g icing sugar
• 1 whole jar of marshmallow fluff (this is the sweetest icing ever)
• Teensy drop of vanilla essence 
• Glace cherries to decorate

Mix the butter and sugar together and then add the fluff and mix for agessssss until nice and smooth. Pipe onto your cupcakes and pop a cherry on top.

And finally (these were my favourite)... 

Lemon and Fresh Strawberry Cupcakes:

• 120g self-raising flour 
• 130g caster sugar
• Pinch of baking powder
• 100ml milk (best if it's whole milk)
• 1 egg, beaten
• 40g butter
• 1 lemon, rind and juice
• 2 handfuls of fresh strawberries 

Pre-heat oven to 170c. Mix butter and sugar until nice and fluffy. Chuck in dry ingredients and then add the lemon, milk and egg and mix well. Chop up your strawberries (keep them quite chunky) and gently fold into the mixture. Spoon into paper cases (about 12ish) and bake for 25 minutes.

Lemon Butter Cream:

• 250g icing sugar
• 80g butter
• 1 lemon (just the juice)
• Milk
• Something cute to decorate them with 

Mix everything together really well until light and fluffy, use the milk in little splashes to get the right consistency. Spread onto the cupcakes (once they have cooled) and decorate however you want!

Voila! Three different types of cupcakes, happy birthday Faye!