
I can’t believe I haven’t blogged this recipe yet! I have made this shortbread for every Christmas for years and years and have always had perfect results. Continue reading

This is the story of a cake that almost wasn’t eaten. I made this simple chocolate peppermint cake from scratch to take to my friends at the newspaper where I work as a journalist. Then, the next morning, the usual pandemonium to get out the front door ensued and cake got left behind. Poor cake. Continue reading
Look at the pretty blueberries in these cupcakes. They really are nature’s work of art. I have found a frozen brand of Australian-grown blueberries that I am happy with and always ensure I have a bag in the freezer. I bake with them, the Hungry Dad makes Bircher muesli with them, Miss-now-8 adds them to Greek yogurt and Miss9 is happy to eat a bowl of them for a snack #winning
At the moment in Sydney fresh blueberries are plentiful so you can take your pick when making them delectable blueberry cupcakes with blueberry cream cheese frosting (or cream cheese icing, for my fellow Aussies).
Fresh or frozen works fine and if you opt for frozen there is no need to defrost first.
These blueberry cupcakes are really moist and the Greek yoghurt adds a lovely tang. Try not to eat all the frosting / icing before you ice the cakes – a real danger #OrIsThatJustMe
GATHER:
120g unsalted butter, softened
½ cup caster sugar
1 2/3 cups self-raising flour
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
3/4 cup Greek yogurt cream
1 cup blueberries (frozen is fine)
Icing:
180g unsalted butter, softened
250g cream cheese, softened
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 cups pure icing sugar, sifted
¼ cup blueberries, extra
LET’S GET TO IT:
Preheat oven to 190°C and line a cupcake pan with wrappers.
In bowl of electric mixer beat butter, sugar and vanilla on medium speed until fluffy and pale – about three minutes.
Scrape down bowl with a spatula then add eggs, one at a time, beating until combined.
Beat in half the flour, then half the yogurt, then rest of flour then rest of yogurt. Using a silver spoon gently stir in the blueberries.
Fill the wrappers two-thirds full and bake for 15-ish minutes or until a skewer inserted into a cake has only a few crumbs clinging to it.
Remove to wire rack too cool completely.
Meanwhile, make icing: In bowl of electric mixer beat cream cheese, vanilla and butter together until pale and creamy – about two minutes. With beater on low beat in icing sugar then increase speed to medium and beat until thoroughly combined. Use a silver spoon to stir through and break up most of the berries, leaving enough for decoration. Scrape icing into ziplock bag, snip off the corner and pipe icing onto cake, then top each one with a single blueberry.
Until you have tried burnt butter, either as a sweet or savoury dish, you cannot imagine how wonderful it tastes.
Simple kitchen alchemy transforms it into a creation heavenly enough to eat with a spoon – although don’t tell your cardiologist I said that.
Burning your butter is an easy peasy way to elevate baked goods into rich, decadent treats. These burnt butter brown sugar cupcakes are sophisticated enough to serve at an adult party – no sprinkles or food colouring here. Miss9 highly rated them, saying they were light and fluffy and less sweet than my usual vanilla cupcake recipe.
Serve these cupcakes au naturel, with a dusting of icing sugar, or a smothering of my all-purpose chocolate ganache – see below. This recipe was adapted from Nigella Lawson’s iconic ‘How To Be A Domestic Goddess.’
GATHER:
150 grams unsalted butter, diced
1 cup self-raising flour
just over ¼ cup brown sugar
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 tablespoons of milk
LET’S GET TO IT:
Preheat oven to 180C and line a 12-hole cupcake pan with wrappers (my batch only made 11).
In a small pan over low heat stir the butter frequently until it turns dark golden – this will take some time but don’t walk away or you will end up with a ruined pan and butter that will end u p in the bin. When it starts foaming like crazy is when you when to remove it from the heat.
Place all ingredients into a food processor and whiz until combined – it is quite a thick batter.
Spoon into the pans and bake for 16 minutes / until a skewer inserted comes out clean.
CHOCOLATE GANACHE:
In a small saucepan over low heat melt 125g dark chocolate [broken into chunks] with 1/2 cup pouring cream. Stir until melted, thick and glossy. Allow to stand 15 minutes until thick. Use knife to spread over cakes.
This is a what I like to think of as a nana cake. I say this without malice, as I am a nana before my time. To wit: I love shopping baskets on wheels, cardigans, baking, and nana naps (not all at the same time). Continue reading
My mum can grow lavender like nobody else can. While I buy and plant pot after pot that slowly withers and dies hers flourishes through little more than neglect and the occasional picking of a few stems.
I adore lavender, not lest because it is so bee-friendly. And as we (should) all know by now, no bees = no me.
It is also wonderful to cook with. I have posted recipes previously for lavender and honey cupcakes https://thehungrymum.com/2015/05/26/lavender-and-honey-cupcakes/
and lavender and lemon cake https://thehungrymum.com/2014/07/18/how-to-make-lavender-and-lemon-cake/
I wondered how it would pair with chocolate – the answer, in case you’re curious, is very well indeed. I am somewhat of a novice fudge-maker but I was very happy with these results.
I think a batch of chocolate lavender fudge in a tin would make a lovely ‘thinking of you’ or ‘welcome to the neighbourhood’ gift. At Christmas it would also make a pretty addition to the dessert table.
I tweaked a recipe from Boulder Locavore, here’s the original: http://boulderlocavore.com/chocolate-lavender-fudge-with-salted-caramel-top/
If you need to buy lavender for this recipe ensure it is food-grade. You may have to seek it out at specialist food shops – don’t grab a bunch from your florist or garden centre as it is important to only use blooms that haven’t been sprayed with any chemicals.
GATHER:
2 ½ cups dark chocolate, chopped
1 can sweetened condensed milk
3 tablespoons butter
1 tablespoon lavender, finely snipped with scissors
sprinkle best quality salt – I used vanilla salt
LET’S GET TO IT:
Spray a 20cm x 20cm slice pan with non-stick spray then line with non-stick baking paper, allowing overhang.
In a medium glass or ceramic bowl place the chocolate, sweetened condensed milk and butter. Chose a pan on which the bowl will snugly fit, then fill the pan about a third of the ay with water. Place bowl on top, heat to a simmer, then stir the mix until melted and smooth.
Remove from heat then scrape into pan. Carefully tap on bench a few times to remove air bubbles, then sprinkle over the lavender and salt.
Cool in the fridge overnight, then slice into small squares to serve.
I am the whitest girl you will ever meet but I feel that the addition of the brackets to this blog post sound like something Snoop Dog would rap. Or not – see previous comments RE white girl.
The reason I added these key words is when I’m on a mission to find a new baking recipe I am often hobbled by the little words that are usually hidden two-thirds of the way through the recipe ‘allow dough to chill in fridge for 2 hours.’ Ain’t no-one got time for that when school pick-up is looming. Continue reading
Been on a baking frenzy and have a few leftover egg whites? This is the recipe for you! This is also a lovely do-ahead recipe for a party or cake stall as it is quick and easy and uses pantry staples. Continue reading