Cuppycakes

One of my cousins from my dad's line of family is getting hitched end of this week. He tied the knot in Canada few months before, but the whole Chinese wedding and wedding party are scheduled to be done this week.

Our family aren't able to attend his wedding cos we're jetting off to visit my brother in the Kangaroo-land down under tomorrow, so when we visited them two days ago, I baked cupcakes for them.

Baked a batch of vanilla cupcakes with chocolate buttercream and sprinkles.
I think cupcakes are the best homemade gift one can make.

It's petite, cute, and pretty at the same time.
I really want to join a cake decorating class so I can start playing with marzipan or fondant.

This is actually my second attempt of making cupcakes (after the marble cupcakes few days ago -- after a day my mum said that the marble cupcakes tasted like muffins), and the first attempt on cupcakes decorating.

Vanilla Cupcakes
from Joanna Farrow's Cupcakes book by Bounty Books
makes 12

Ingredients:
150 g unsalted butter or margarine, softened
150 g caster sugar (I used 100 g granulated sugar)
175 g self-raising flour (I used cake flour)
3 eggs
1 tsp vanilla extract

1. Line a 12 section bun tray with paper cake cases. Put all the cake ingredients in a mixing bowl and beat with hand-held electronic whisk for 1-2 minutes until light and creamy. Divide the mixture evenly among cake cases.

2. Bake in a preheated oven 180º C (350º F) or gas mark 4 for 18-20 minutes until risen and just firm to touch. Cool on a wire rack.


Chocolate Buttercream

Ingredients:
150 g unsalted butter, softened
250 g icing sugar
Mixture of 2 tbsp cocoa powder and 2 tbsp boiling water

Beat butter and icing sugar well until smooth and creamy. Add the chocolate paste mixture and beat again until smooth.