Cupcakes

In a lot of cases with gluten free it is just about switching over to a good gluten free flour, sometimes you have to play around with the recipe but with cupcakes you can definitely just switch in a gluten free self raising flour. This is the recipe I use. I favour using Bertolli olive oil spread over butter, I prefer the texture and flavour of the finished cakes.  It should make about 12 cupcakes. See below for variations-

Ingredients

150g butter, softened

150g self raising flour, sieved

150g caster sugar

3 medium eggs, beaten

1/2 tsp vanilla essence

Method

1. Preheat your oven to 170c/gas mark 3

2. Line the cupcake tin with cupcake cases.

3. I use a mixer with a paddle blade for this stage but you can obviously do it by hand with a wooden spoon or use a hand electric mixer.

4. If using a soft margarine then you can actually just use the all in one method where you literally just blend and beat all the ingredients together until well mixed, light and fluffy. 

5. If using butter, Beat the butter and sugar first until light and fluffy, then add the eggs gradually beating well after each addition. I alternate with a spoonful of flour whilst adding the eggs to avoid curdling. Once the egg is all added then mix in the rest of the flour and vanilla essence.

6. Beat well and then spoon into the cake cases.

7. Bake for about 20 minutes. Check if cooked by inserting a sharp knife or skewer into the centre of a cupcake, if it comes out clean then they are cooked.

8. Transfer to a wire rack and allow to cool before icing.

Variations

Chocolate -Replace 25g flour with 25g cocoa powder

Lemon- Add in finely grated zest of 2 lemons or as with my lemon curd meringue cupcakes, fill each cupcake case and place a tsp full of lemon curd in the middle before topping them with more cake mix.

Bakewell- Add in 1/2 tsp almond essence to the mix, fill each cupcake case then add in a tsp full of raspberry jam in the middle before topping with more mix.

Fruit- Add in a handful of sultanas or raisins

Chocolate chip- Add in a handful of chocolate chips or chopped chocolate into the mix


Rhubarb and custard

Rhubarb and custard- Replace 25g self raising flour with 25g custard powder so it will be 125g self tasing flour and 25g custard powder and also add in 1 tsp vanilla essence. Then when you have spooned the mix into the cases top each cupcake with a spoonful of stewed or baked rhubarb, (see notes below for how to cook the rhubarb) Top with the custard buttercream.

Notes on rhubarb- Take 500g rhubarb, wash and place in an ovenproof dish/tray lined with baking parchment, take 50g sugar and sprinkle all over the top of the sugar, Cover with foil and bake at 200c for about 20 minutes, the give it a shake and continue to bake until tender keeping an eye on to so it every now and then, occasionally spoon any juices over any dry areas. This can take about 30-40  mins. Then you can chop up smaller while still keeping its shape for whatever you wish to use it for.
Rose rhubarb- For a delicious twist, add a few drops of rose essence into the rhubarb juice afterwards and lightly stir through.

Toppings

Buttercream

150g butter, softened

300g icing sugar

1 1/2 tbsp water

1 tsp vanilla extract or see below for alternative flavourings

Few drops of food colouring if desired

Variations

Coffee-  add 1 tbsp coffee granules mixed with 1 1/2 tbsp boiling water instead of the 1 1/2 tbsp water in buttercream recipe, allow to cool before adding to butter and icing sugar, OR 1 1/2 tbsp espresso coffee instead of 1 1/2 tbsp water in buttercream recipe.

Lemon-  Finely grated rind of a lemon and 1 1/2 tbsp lemon juice instead of the water in the buttercream recipe or add good dollop of lemon curd instead of water in buttercream.

Chocolate- 3 tbsp cocoa powder mixed in with the icing sugar, melt 80g dark chocolate, allow to cool and stir into the buttercream once the butter, cocoa and icing sugar is beaten. If too stiff slowly add up to 1 1/2  tbsp milk, you want the buttercream to be thick so you may not need all of it.

Custard- Add 2 tblsp of ready mixed custard into the buttercream plus a good grind of vanilla beans if you have a vanilla bean grinder or 1 tsp vanilla essence (You can use a scraping of seeds if preferred)

Method

1. Put the butter and icing sugar in a bowl and beat by hand, with an electric mixer or beat in a freestanding mixer. It is essential for the butter to be softened. If using a free standing mixer, I drape a tea towel over the top to stop the icing sugar dust flying everywhere. Add in the water and flavouring as you mix.

2.  Keep beating until really soft and then either spread or pipe onto cakes. 

Cream cheese topping

120g cream cheese

60 g softened butter

flavouring if desired 

480g icing sugar

Flavourings

Lemon- add grated rind of lemon, add a good dollop too of lemon curd

Coffee- 2 tsp coffee granules dissolved in 1 tbsp water 

Vanilla 1 tsp vanilla essence

Method

1. Beat the butter and cream cheese together until blended
2.Add the icing sugar gradually beating well after each addition.

3. Add flavouring, beat well.