Peanut Butter Cup's Cakes

I Really wish I could say I invented these, I would probably be a millionaire by now. But sadly I did not.

I did however come up with this recipe on my own (I didn't not follow a book, I simply just guessed). And to my surprise these turned out quite nice.

Ingredients:

100g caster sugar

100g soft butter

100g self raising flour 

2 eggs

2 tbs Smooth Peanut Butter

Topping:

100g soft butter

about 400g icing sugar

A few drops of vanilla essence

Mini Reeces Peanut Butter Cups

Small bowl of melted chocolate  

Method:

1. Pre-heat oven to 160 fan/ gas mark 4. Prepare paper cases in a bun tray.
2. Put the butter, peanut butter and sugar in a mixing bowl and cream it together. sift in the flour.
3. Add the eggs to the bowl and mix it all together.
4. Divide the mixture between the bun cases. Top with a peanut butter cup. Put the tray in the oven and leave for around 20 minutes or until golden.
5. Let the cakes cool on a cooling rack.
6. Add the butter to a bowl and beat it a little to make it softer, gradually sift the the icing sugar mixing it as you go along, 400g is a estimate as I tend not to measure it. Stir in the vanilla essence.
7. If you want to mix things up a bit you could add half the icing to a separate bowl and add a couple of spoons of peanut butter to the icing.
8. Pipe the butter icing on top of the cupcakes, add a peanut butter cup on top and drizzle with melted chocolate.

Clare
xx

Long over due..

It's been far too long since I have last posted anything. Mainly due to my lack of baking. Since finishing university and moving back home it has been rather hectic. Trying to juggle a full time job, long distance relationship and a plan to get healthy does not exactly leave much spare time.

 Never mind my bloody mother! Apparently I make too much mess when I bake.. I don't know where she got this from..

 so now I have to tactically bake when she is going to be out for a few hours. 

I'm not a huge fan of New Years Resolutions and this is in no way a one but I do pledge to bake more and blog more this year. And I believe this will be a great year to start for a number of reasons: 

1. 14 is my lucky number. It's never proven to be lucky but it is my favourite.

2. I am moving out in a few months with my boyfriend. So I will be free from the shackles of my mothers kitchen rules.

3. Anil (my boyfriend) apparently loves my baking therefore will encourage me to bake more. I will however limit the number of cupcakes he devours. I know he looks after his body and he should be very proud of it, but he can never resist my cakes and they are in no way kind to the hips. I do not want to become a feeder. 

4. I have a number of plans involving 'Molly's Matters' which I will hopefully make happen this year and will document on here too. 

5. I got some ridiculously cute baking sets for Christmas which I am still yet to use. 

Peanut Butter Cups Cakes will be following very shortly to start this non New Years resolution/ pledge off and hopefully a lot more to follow. 

Clare x

Lemon Drizzle & Blueberry Cupcakes

My boyfriend is quite a big health freak, he loves his blueberry's! Although cupcakes aren't at all healthy I thought I would make him some blueberry and lemon cupcakes for when I go and visit him. I miss him quite a bit, and he defiantly misses my cupcakes. He ate the entire box within 2 days.

Ingredients:

100g caster sugar

100g soft butter

100g self raising flour 

2 eggs

zest of one lemon 

Lemon drizzle:

Juice from one lemon

4 tbs of caster sugar 

Blueberry topping:

Small carton of blueberry's

100g soft butter

about 400g icing sugar

Method:

1. Pre-heat oven to 160 fan/ gas mark 4. Prepare paper cases in a bun tray.
2. Put the butter and sugar in a mixing bowl and cream it together. sift in the flour and add the lemon zest.
3. Add the eggs to the bowl and mix it all together.
4. Divide the mixture between the bun cases. Put the tray in the oven and leave for around 20 minutes or until golden.
5. Let the cakes cool on a cooling rack. Whilst cooling prick the tops of the cupcakes with a tooth pick then drizzle the lemon drizzle over the top of each cupcake.
6. Add the butter to a bowl and beat it a little to make it softer, gradually sift the the icing sugar mixing it as you go along, 400g is a estimate as I tend not to measure it. Add a hand full of blueberrys and beat them into the icing butter. You may find that it can make the icing go a little softer, so you make need to add more icing sugar.
7. Pipe the icing butter on to the cupcakes, and add a few blueberry's to the top.

Clare
xx

21st Cupcakes

My Very best friend Kelly Foster just turned the grand old age of 21. I actually cant believe how fast we are all growing up.

 But Its a perfect excuse to bake her some cupcakes topped with her favourite sweet. I don't need much of an excuse to bake but since I moved back home my mam dislikes me baking; apparently I don't clean up after my self. which is a lie obviously.

Anyway she had a great Birthday Night out, a crazy very drunk one at that, she said she loved the cupcakes which is also a bonus, although they defiantly didn't look like this by the time I got them to her.

Note to self: Try and find better packaging next time.

When the cats away the mice will play

My boyfriend has went home for the weekend, and as he doesn't eat beef I very rarely buy it, but seen as he isn't here I thought I would treat my self to a steak.

I made my self a peppered steak, with a beetroot and feta salad. It was great. I've missed beef. I feel liked I've cheated on him. Oh well. What he doesn't know won't hurt him. But I have got two more steaks in the freezer just in case I need a good dose of beef anytime soon.

Clare
     xx

I've never made bread before..

And for my first attempt I am quite proud. Although I have to confess that it came from a packet (James Martin Garlic & Rosemary Focaccia Bread Mix 98p ASDA) which I admit is slightly cheating, but for 98p i could not resist. All you need to add is water and olive oil, I used garlic infused olive oil. It's really easy to make even for a complete bread novice like me. Mine came out a bit oddly shaped but nevertheless it tasted great. I had a slice for my tea tonight with some tomato and basil soup, I would defiantly recommend it.

Clare

   xx

Banoffee Cupcakes

Ingredients:

100g self raising flour

100g softened butter 

100g caster sugar

2 eggs

1 finely chopped/ diced banana 

4 tbs carnation caramel 

Topping:

Carnation caramel

1 or 2 sliced bananas 

butter icing

grated milk or dark chocolate

Makes 12.

Method:

1. Pre-heat oven to 160 fan/ gas mark 4. Prepare paper cases in a bun tray.

2. Put the butter and sugar in a mixing bowl and cream it together. sift in the flour.
3. Add the eggs to the bowl and mix it all together. Mix in the finely chopped bananas, then stir in the carnation caramel to give the mix a marble looking effect.
5. Divide the mixture between the bun cases. Put the tray in the oven and leave for around 20 minutes or until golden.
6. Let the cakes cool on a cooling rack. Spoon a tea spoon of caramel on top of a cake and spread it around , add a layer of sliced banana, top with piped butter icing and sprinkle with grated chocolate.

Variance's:

- why not add a handful of small chucks of fudge to the cake mix. 

- use whipped cream to top instead of butter icing and drizzle with toffee sauce. 

Clare  xx