Mini Cupcake Treats

Today I looked outside and noticed the rain was pouring down. So I looked in my kitchen at what I could do and decided I would try Mini cupcakes. I have never made mini cakes before but I won a baking tray in a Neff competition last month so thought it was about time I used it.

Here is the view from my kitchen and my little car as well :P so knowing that I was inside in the warm made we want to bake even more.

1. First of all I gathered all my ingredients and measured them all out.

To make 24 mini cupcakes I measured:

4 oz Self Raising Flour

4 oz Caster Sugar

4 oz Unsalted butter

2 eggs

2. I then lined my baking tray

3. In a mixing bowl I beat the butter and sugar together until fluffy and soft. I then slowly added the eggs and beat it to a smooth mixture.

4. Once smooth sift the flour and fold into the mixture using a metal spoon.

5. This part of the recipe is optional  I divided the mixture into three bowls, in two of the bowls I added some food colouring. I choose pink and green but I did not add enough as you will see in the next couple pictures the colour did not show that clear once cooked, but was noticeable when close up.

6. I spooned the mixture into the cases, I used about a teaspoon in each case.

I placed in the oven for 10 minutes and tested they were cooked with a stewer.

7. Once cooled I cut the top of the cakes and made a small hollow inside. In each different coloured cake I spooned in roughly 1/2 - 1 teaspoon of jam and placed the top of the cake back on.

Raspberry Jam    

Apricot Conserve

Blackcurrent Jam 

8. I prepared the icing. I used 10 oz of icing sugar, 6 oz of unsalted butter and 1 tsp of vanilla extract.

Mix with a electric mixer the butter and vanilla extract together into a fluffy mixture and slowly add the icing sugar (beware it makes a mess, I tend to add a little bit at a time because if to much is added it will just consume in the air and cover you and your surface. I learnt from experience). Once smooth and slightly stiff spoon into a piping bag and pipe onto your cakes. I have done just plain icing as I find it stays more consistent. Add some balls and sprinkles if you want to and voila they are complete

Here is the finished result and my human guinea pig Lewis said they were delicious with big thumbs up (he even tried to give me two big toes up as well)