I want to be Donna Hay when I grow up. I love her recipes, her style, her gorgeous boutique in Sydney – everything. If the woman made Donna Hay label toilet paper I would buy it. Her ‘Modern Classics Book 2’ is on high rotation in my kitchen and like all of her recipes they never let you down.
I decided to make her maple syrup cakes [p 62, if you’re playing along at home] for a beachside BBQ breakfast we are going to in the morning. I made them miniature and for a bit of interest added blueberries to some of them. I know not everyone loves blueberries, which is why I left some naked. I made them mini so everyone could have twice as many – I’m thoughtful like that.
GATHER:
90g softened,
diced butter
2/3 cup brown sugar
2 tablespoons caster sugar
2 eggs
2 tablespoons milk
1 2/3 plain flour sifted with…
1 ¾ teaspoons baking powder
½ cup maple syrup [I added just over ¼ cup as I thought it would be too sweet]
LET’S GET TO IT: Preheat oven to 170C and line 2 trays of mini muffin with wrappers.
In bowl of electric mixer beat both sugars with butter until pale and combined.
Add eggs, one at a time, then milk, syrup and flour [sifted with the baking powder] and beat until just smooth. If using blueberries, fill case until half full then pop in a couple of berries, then cover with more batter. Or you can just add one berry on top.
Bake 12-ish minutes/until cooked.
the hungry mum 
Delicious!!! And I can say that subjectively, having been the recipient of a bundle of these mini marvels. A great recipe executed perfectly, of course. Donna Hay would be proud Belle! One day, sometime in the probable far off future, I may just try baking them myself. For now, I’m happy to sample yours. Thanks Belle!
*Blushes* Thanks Sarah! Hope they were sweet enough – as I’m not much of a sweet tooth myself I find most recipes too sugary an nearly always reduce the sugar. They are very easy – give them a try!
Defo sweet enough. I tend to tame down the sugar too.
Ooo, Donna Hay! I’m just pressed that do msny of her baked goods are making their way onto the aisle at Coles now too. My mum follows her mag’s almost religiously!
It must be something about all that yummy food which keeps us all coming back for more! I’ll bet there’s always a sweet treat to be found in your home too 🙂
Almost religiously?! I am a devoted Donna fan and nothing but absolute slavish devotion will do! As I type I have a Donna Hay lemon & coconut cake baking – smells pretty good 🙂
Sounds perfect! She definitely does us Aussies proud! 🙂
So cute and mini so I can eat more than one right? My boys would love this for their school snacks.
I reckon you could eat, ooh 4 of these! They are teeny tiny!
I was this close to making maple syrup cupcakes yesterday but I just couldn’t settle on a recipe. Something always felt missing. I guess the key ingredient was blueberries! This will have to be the maple recipe I try. Was it sweet enough with just a 1/4 cup maple syrup?
Howdy! Maybe add a touch more maple syrup – they just verged on sweet enough but I don’t have a very sweet tooth. Let me know if you make them!
Here in Vermont, every recipe has maple syrup included! Thanks for sharing yours!
Vermontans? Vermontians? People in Vermont are LEGENDS if they add maple syrup to everything 🙂
Wow! This is so delicious! I cannot wait to try you recipe. Thanks for sharing this.
*Blushes* Thanks!
I love Donna Hay’s simple and always delicious recipes! Must try this one!
I’ve never been let down by Donna – she’s just so fab!
Oh I hear you 🙂