Category: Cupcakes

These zingy cupcakes are really quick and easy to make. The lime cakes use an all in one method and take just minutes to mix together. The passion fruit buttercream is simply made using a delicious passion fruit curd, butter, icing sugar and a splash of milk. The zesty sponge and the sweet buttercream combine to give you a super summery taste, which is much needed when it won’t stop raining outside…

For the lime cupcakes (makes 15)

• 150g caster sugar
• 150g margarine
• 175g self raising flour
• 3 eggs
• zest of 3 limes
• juice of 1 lime
• 1 tsp baking powder

Preheat the oven to 160°C. Line a muffin tin with 15 paper cases. This is an all in one recipe, so place all the ingredients into a bowl and mix together until smooth. Scoop the batter into the paper cases to just over half way. 

Bake in the oven for 15-18 minutes until they are risen and firm to the touch. Leave to cool on a wire rack.

• 150g unsalted butter (at room temperature)
• 300g icing sugar
• 4 tbsp passion fruit curd
• 3 tbsp milk

Beat the butter until it’s soft and creamy (for about 5 minutes). Add the milk and about half the icing sugar. Once the sugar is incorporated, add the remaining sugar and beat together slowly. Once mixed together, add the passion fruit curd and beat the mixture together for a few minutes until light and fluffy.

Transfer into a piping bag and pipe over each cupcake. For an extra lime taste, sprinkle  some lime zest over the top. Then eat and enjoy!

Without a doubt, these are my most requested cakes. A light banana sponge, topped with a cream cheese icing. They are also a fantastic way to use up bananas which have gone a bit past their best. The older they are, the easier they are to mash up.

Banana Cupcakes

• 150g margarine
• 150g golden caster sugar
• 175g self raising flour
• 3 eggs
• 1.5 tsp baking powder
• 2 medium sized ripe bananas

First of all, line a muffin tray with paper cases. This recipe generally makes between 14 and 16 cupcakes (depending on how big your cases are and how much batter you eat). Preheat the oven to 160°C.

Mash up the bananas using a fork or a potato masher and set to one side.

In a separate bowl, mix together the margarine, sugar, flour, eggs and baking powder. When the batter is light and fluffy, mix in the bananas.

Divide the mixture evenly into the cases (fill to about 2/3 full) and bake in the oven until risen and golden, usually between 15 and 20 mins.

Cool on a wire rack and make the cream cheese icing.

For the cream cheese icing

• 225g cream cheese
• 60g unsalted butter (at room temperature)
• 275g to 350g icing sugar (sifted)
• 1 tsp vanilla extract

Beat the butter until smooth. add half the cream cheese and beat together until combined. Add the vanilla extract, followed by icing sugar, a bit at a time, until it reaches the desired consistency. Carefully mix in the remaining cream cheese. This is already a soft icing, if you beat all the cream cheese in at the beginning, it becomes too gooey to go on the cupcakes but still tastes delicious!

Spoon the icing on to the top of the cupcakes and smooth over with a small palette knife.

You can leave them like that or add a bit of decoration. I tend to top with caramelised dried banana chips.