Holiday Cupcakes

Its school holidays now, just want to bake something with my girl. Yeah, she enjoyed baking with me everytime..:) Well, although she's only 5, but she lent a great help. She used to decorate all the cupcakes here with those sugar flowers and chocolate chips. Fun yea....haha! And she also took 2 straight up after decorated.....hmmmm.
Okay, since its holiday now, so i have more time to bake, so end up made 2 types of cupcakes. This is from one of my favourite book, and i did alittle changes for the liqueur here....



All the darlings here are ready to dress up.....heehee!

Stuffing the strawberries in a cake.....surprise!!!

All nicely done!...Yummy...:P

INGREDIENTS (Black Forest Cupcakes):

3 Eggs

1 cup Butter, softened

1 cup Caster Sugar

1/2 cup Milk

1,1/2 cups Self-raising flour, sifted

1 tbsp Kirsch liqueur (I used brandy + alittle sugar water)

1/4 cup Cocoa Powder

Topping:

100g Fresh Cream (Whipped)

1 tbsp Cocoa powder

Some chocolate chips

METHOD:

~ Preheat oven to 180'C. Line a 12 cupcake pan with cupcake papers.

~ Lightly beat the eggs, add in butter and sugar, then mix until light and fluffy

~ Add milk, flour and cocoa powder, and stir to combine. Beat with and electric mixer for 2 minutes, until light and creamy, then fold through kirsch liqueur or brandy

~ Spoon into capcakes paper and bake for 18-20 minutes until firm to touch ( I used a piping bad with a star-shaped nozzle)

~ Allow to cool completely before icing

Method for topping:

~ Whip cream until stiff peaks form, then add cocoa powder and mix well.

~ Top each cake with a dallop of cream and sprinkle some chocolate chips.

INGREDIENTS (Strawberry Surprise Cupcakes)

3 Eggs

1 cup Butter, softened

1 cup Caster Sugar

1/2 cup Milk

1,1/2 cups Self-raising flour. sifted

2 tbsps Strawberry liqueur (I used 1 strawberry (finely chopped) + 2 tbsps brandy-soaked for at least 1 hr)

Topping:

1 cup Icing sugar

1 cup Butter

3 Strawberries, quartered

Sugar flowers for deco

METHOD:

~ Preheat oven to 180'C

~ Lightly beat the eggs, then add in butter and sugar, mix until light and fluffy

~ Add milk, flour and liqueur or strawberry brandy and stir to combine.

~ Beat for another 2 minutes until light and creamy

~ Spoon into cupcakes paper and bake for 18-20 minutes

~ Allow to cool completely before icing

Method for topping:

~ Combine icing sugar and butter with a wooden spoon until well combined

~ Then beat with a whisk until light and fluffy

~ With a sharp knife, slash the top of each cupcake and push a piece of cut strawberry into the centre

~ Used a piping bag with a medium-sized star-shaped nozzle and pipe the icing on the cake

~ Decorate with the sugar flowers

Looks nice hah! It also taste very yummy when chilled.

HAPPY HOLIDAY!!