Cupcake Christmas Wreath

In celebration of Cupcake Day and that of Christmas, I have utilized a stack of left over cupcakes to create an edible wreath. What a great activity to do with the kids in the lead up to Christmas! If you're looking for things to do with kids in the Christmas holidays, here's a memorable and yummy activity that is bound to keep them busy and get them excited.
All you need is a number is small cupcakes-enough to make a circle, and perhaps an inner circle to make the wreath thicker. Then you will need enough green coloured icing mixture to cover the cupcakes, as well as a large "grass" nozzle. A grass nozzle has several holes in the end to create a grass effect, or in this case, a rough pine needle look. You can most likely pick one of these nozzles up from your local cake decorating store. To the finished wreath, I also added a large gold bow, and some artificial red berries to make it look more festive. The kids went wild for it!

CUPCAKE CHRISTMAS WREATH

Basic butter cake recipe for cupcakes (makes 12 or 24 mini cupcakes. I used mini ones for the wreath):

125g butter
2/3 cup sugar
1 tsp vanilla
1 egg
1 cup SR flour
1/2 cup corn flour
2/3 cup milk
2 egg whites

Preheat the oven to 180C.
Line a 12 hole cupcake tin with 12 cupcake cases. Beat the butter and the sugar until pale and fluffy. Add the vanilla and egg and beat until combined.
Sift the self raising flour and the corn flour and fold into the butter mixture along with the milk. Beat the eggwhites in a clean bowl until soft peaks form. Fold into the milk mixture (don't worry if the mixture looks a little curdled.)
Divide the mixture between the 12 cupcake cases. Bake for 20-25 minutes or until golden and just firm to touch. Leave for 5 minutes before transferring to a cooling rack. 

Basic Butter cream icing:

250g butter
2 1/2 cups icing sugar
2-3 tbsp milk
1 tsp vanilla essence
green food colouring

Beat the butter until creamy. Sift the icing sugar into the butter mixture and whisk, along with enough milk to get a nice thick texture. Add the vanilla and the food colouring, and thoroughly combine. You may want to add a little more icing sugar if your icing does not hold shape.

Assembly:
Take all the wrappers off the completely cooled cupcakes. Arrange one circle of cupcakes, then use the remainder to add another inner circle Fill a ziplock bag fitted with a grass nozzle with the butter cream icing. Pipe onto the cupcake wreathe using until the tops are well covered. Decorate as desired with ribbons and holly to complete.

Check out other bloggers involved in cupcake day!

• Hot Cocoa Cupcakes by The Redhead Baker
• Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Cupcakes by The Cooking Actress
• Vanilla Candy Cane Cupcakes by Noshing With The Nolands
• Gingerbread Cupcakes with Cinnamon Cream Cheese Frosting by A Day in the Life on the Farm
• Nerds Cupcakes by Amy's Confectionery Adventures
• Vegan Midori Melon Cupcakes by NinjaBaker
• Chocolate Bourbon Cupcakes with Candied Butter Pecan Frosting by From Gate to Plate
• Dark Chocolate Rum Cupcakes with Salted Caramel Buttercream by Lemony Thyme
• Gingerbread cupcakes with cinnamon cream cheese frosting by Eva Bakes
• Cranberry Apple Cupcakes by The Pajama Chef
• Almond Joy Cupcakes by Our Eating Habits
• Buttered Rum Cupcakes by Adventures in All Things Food
• Maple Cupcakes with Maple Cream Cheese Frosting by Karen's Kitchen Stories
• Cone Head Cupcakes with Ice Cream Frosting by The Spiffy Cookie
• Candied Buddha's Hand-Eggnog Cupcakes by Culinary Adventures with Camilla
• Almond Joy Cupcakes by Food Lust People Love
• Sweet Potato Cupcakes with Marshmallow Frosting by Sew You Think You Can Cook
• Chocolate Cupcakes with Nutella Frosting for 2 by Kate's Recipe Box
• Cranberry Cupcakes with White Chocolate Buttercream by Cheese Curd In Paradise
• Peppermint Patty Cupcakes by Comfortably Domestic
• Pumpkin Spice Cupcakes with Biscoff Marshmallow Buttercream by Making Miracles
• Chocolate Cupcakes with Red Velvet Frosting by {i love} my disorganized life
• Lemon Cupcakes by Miss Information
• Peppermint Hot Chocolate Cupcakes by Kosher Kitchen
• Peppermint Cream Cookie Cupcakes by Take a Bite out of Boca
• Cupcake Christmas Wreath by Lick the Spoon

Shabby Chic Bridal Shower Hightea

It's been quiet around the blog since my camera gave up the ghost, despite the fact I have been quite busy in the kitchen. Christmas Holidays meant taking time off to be with the family, but I had a few parties in the mix too. One of which was a gorgeous shabby chic style high tea held in honor of a friend who was to be married. It was for her bridal shower and screamed all things feminine and girlie. I themed the menu so that everything was decadent and pink, featuring roses and sugared rose petals, pearls and floral fondant toppers. Teapots sporting beautiful roses, delicate ferns, and lisianthus decked a table strewn with cake stands and champagne glasses, tiered high tea trays and pretty china saucers. Our poison was sweet moscato, with the addition of old fashioned pink lemonade for the non drinkers, and we also had some Rose on the side.
The trays were piled with ornately decorated cupcakes, mini banoffee tarts, mini lemon meringue tarts, pink lamingtons, cake pop skewers, pastel meringues, coconut ice domes topped with edible roses, jelly cheesecake shots, dark chocolate cointreau truffles, white chocolate Tia Maria truffles, dark chocolate royals, and a strawberry topiary.
And, as you can see, one of my Christmas presents was a nice camera, which I was able to take these photos with. I am still working out all the settings and getting used to it, so please bare with me for a while while the photos are not at their best. I will eventually get there! (If you wish for any of the recipes for the above menu, click on the word above--it will take you to the recipe link. Any that are not linked up, these recipes are yet to come! Keep checking back!)

Shabby Chic Bridal Shower Hightea

Banana Muffins with Cinnamon Walnuts and Brown Butter Icing

It's a banana muffin. But it's sporting a gorgeous and scrumptious topping of sticky cinnamon-brown sugar walnuts, browned butter icing and a swirl of caramel sauce. When you sink your teeth into this delectable muffin you can feel the smoothness of the icing, the stickiness of the caramel, the firm yet soft crunch of the walnut and the moistness of the banana cake. It's a perfect combo of flavour and textures with just the right amount of sweetness.
For those who are counting calories or are fussy, feel free to leave off the caramel or the icing, or both. You will definitely want to keep the walnuts, and they're good for you, as is the cinnamon the are coated in. They also make a delicious snack on their own. But I warn you, they are highly addictive!
In the recipe I followed for the walnuts, they are not supposed to stay sticky (I must have made an error with the temperatures--my candy thermometer is out perhaps?) They are supposed to dry out and are like candied walnuts. Either way they will be delicious atop this lovely banana muffin!I think the walnuts on their own would make a very pretty Christmas gift, tied up in a clear cellophane bag with some red ribbon. That is, if they don't stay as sticky as mine turned out! Keep and eye on your candy thermometer and you'll be fine.

BANANA MUFFINS WITH STICKY CINNAMON WALNUTS & BROWN BUTTER ICING  
(A Lick the Spoon Original with walnuts adapted from Eat Good 4 Life)

Muffins:

1 1/4 cup Self Raising flour
1/4 level tsp. bicarbonated soda
1/2 level tsp salt
85g butter
1 cup sugar
2 eggs, beaten
4 bananas, mashed

Walnuts:
1/2 cup brown sugar, packed
1/2 cup milk
1 tsp cinnamon
pinch salt
1/2 tsp vanilla
150g walnuts

Icing:
1/4 cup butter
2 cups icing sugar
1 tsp vanilla
1/4 cup thickened cream

To make the muffins, sift flour, bicarb soda and salt together in a bowl. Cream the butter and sugar until fluffy and pale. Add the beaten egg a little at a time, beating after a each addition until well combined. Add the mashed banana and beat again.  Add the flour mixture and stir until just combined. pour mixture into muffin trays or paper liners. Bake at 180C for about 1 hour or until firm on the surface and golden brown.

Meanwhile, to make the sticky cinnamon walnuts, place brown sugar, milk, cinnamon and salt in a small saucepan. Place on medium heat and whisk until the mixture comes to the boil.
Boil the mixture on a lower heat until it reaches 115C on the candy thermometer. Remove from heat and stir through the vanilla, then the walnuts.
Spoon onto baking paper and separate any clumps. Let to cool.

To make the icing, place the butter in a saucepan over medium heat. When melted, reduce the heat and swirl the butter in small circular motions. The melted butter should foam and begin to turn amber. Remove from heat and set aside to cool. In a medium bowl, place the other ingredients. When the butter has cooled, add to the icing mixture and beat into a thick icing.

To assemble, remove the cooled muffins from the pan and add a dollop of icing to each. Top with sticky walnuts and serve with caramel topping or sauce, if desired.

NOTES:

How To Make A Cupcake Bouquet

When Valentine's Day came around this year, I decided to do something my husband wouldn't expect. I wanted to do something romantic and surprising, so I had a look around at florists for one that could deliver a chocolate bouquet to his work.
I found a fabulous one--40 gold Ferrero Rocher's on stems in a fancy box, and they looked like beautiful blooms! So I ordered them, and felt excited the whole of Valentine's day thinking of an embarrassing delivery being made to Luke's office.
My husband emailed me throughout the day and there was no word of anything arriving, and I didn't want to ask for fear of ruining the surprise.
He came home about an hour earlier than usual, and I greeted him at the door as always. "So, did anything interesting happen at work today?" I asked.
The answer was "No, nothing much!"
"No Valentine's day drama?"
"No" he smiled. "Why do you ask?" he then added suspiciously. "did you have something delivered?!"
"No, no what a silly idea" I laughed.
My heart sank to my feet. My attempt to be wonderfully romantic had again failed. *sigh*
"You did order something didn't you!" he asked, colour coming into his cheeks.
I guess my laugh gave it all away and I disappeared out the door with a basket of washing before he could ask me again, and before I told him.
The next day the secretary at my husband's work met him in the elevator. She apologetically told him that a bouquet had arrived for him about half an hour after he left work, and she felt terrible. Ah well...all's well that ends well. At least he got it in the end.
But it got me thinking. How easy would it be to make something like a chocolate bouquet yourself? (for about quarter of the price)
Then when I became a very proud aunty again (for the 9th time) I decided not to take a bunch of flowers...but a bunch of cupcakes. It was surprisingly easy, unique and beautiful. And a little more enjoyable than real blooms--for the stomach anyway!

HOW TO MAKE A CUPCAKE BOUQUET

What you will need to get amazing:

Cardboard
Scizzors
a stapler
large rubber band
coloured tissue paper
craft glue
a gift box
ribbon
7 disposable plastic cups
cupcake liners that fit in the top of the cups

1. Take seven disposable plastic cups and arrange as follows: one in the middle and six surrounding the sentre cup. It looks a little like a flower. Staple the cups together so they hold in this position. Some tearing of the plastic may occur, but that's okay as long as they're all holding together.

2. Measure the circumference of the cup collection. Cut out a circle in the cardboard of that size so that the cups sit neatly in the middle without too much of a rim around them.

3. Using craft glue, adhere the cups to the cardboard. Leave to dry.

4. Take the coloured tissue paper and cut as desired. Secrure it around the base of the cups with a rubber band.

5. Push the cup collection into the gift box (the gift box is optional, you could just tie some ribbon around the outside of the tissue paper if desired)

6. Add another layer of wrapping paper over the gift box for added dimension and colour and tie with a bow.

7. Now you are ready to fill your bouquet case! Make your favourite cupcakes and swirl them with soft butter cream icing in the design of a rose. For an example recipe, see below under "NOTES".

NOTES: The cupcake recipe I used was for these delicious Mini Chocolate Fudge Cupcakes in a more regular size. The icing was vanilla buttercream with a touch of pink food colouring.
Be sure to choose cupcake liners that will fit into the cups properly. I used a size of cup slightly smaller than your standard disposable cup, and the liner that fitted it was slightly smaller than the standard also. You can find all different sizes in your local super marker or at a party supplier.

Rolo Brownie Bites with Caramel Cream Cheese Icing

I didn't think there would be any recipes on this blog surpassing that wicked richness of the Tim Tam Brownie or the Sticky Date puddings. But I hit the jackpot here...in every way possible this recipe surpasses their evil decadence. Rolo Brownie Bites with Caramel Cream Cheese Icing. Sounds delicious?
You bet.
These will be the soul reason for my adult teeth to rot out of my head. They are so good, and so addictive!
As you know, I'm a big brownie fan, and this base recipe has come out many, many times in this blog (don't you just love the versatility of some recipes!) It's never failed me. Every time its super rich and delicious, on its own or combined with chocolate, caramel and cream cheese like in this recipe below. You'll want to make these fellas in a mini cupcake tray, as a little goes a long way. They're sublime, divine, and they were a real hit! Definitely one to go in the "will make again" cookbook.

ROLO BROWNIE BITES WITH CARAMEL CREAM CHEESE ICING (adapted from Cook Lisa Cook)

1/2 cup butter
1/2 cup cocoa powder
1 cup brown sugar, firmly packed
2 eggs
1/2 tsp. vanilla
1/2 cup plain flour
1/4 tsp salt
24 Rolo chocolates

cocoa powder to dust (optional)

Icing:
4 tbsp butter, room temperature
4oz cream cheese, room temperature
about 2 tbsp. caramel topping (like that used on icecream)
1 cup icing sugar

Preheat your oven to 190C.
Melt butter and remove from heat. Stir through the cocoa and brown sugar until combined.
Beat in the eggs and vanilla. Next, blend in the flour and salt. Spoon the mixture evenly into a mini muffin tray (we used a silicone one, otherwise grease tray first). The batter should come up about 3/4 of the way in each mini muffin hole. Bake for 15 minutes. While cooking, refrigerate the rolo chocolates. As soon as the tray is removed from the oven, push one chocolate, top down, into the centre of each cake, so that the top of the cake and the bottom of the Rolo are level. Allow to cool in tray before removing.
To make icing, combine butter and cream cheese together with the electric mixer. Add the icing sugar, and lastly the caramel, until a desired thickness is achieved. Pipe onto each cooled cake, then sprinkle with a little cocoa powder. Refrigerate for a little while to stabilize the icing before serving.

MAKES 24

NOTES: I used Nestle Role chocolate block instead of the individual rolls you can buy. There are about 20 rolos in each block, and ends up being a bit more budget friendly.

Easy Strawberry Cream Sponge Cakes

 I was so impressed with the simplicity of the sponge cakes I made the other day, I just had to make them again. Who doesn't love quick, easy, versatile recipes? Mind you, there a few things I steer well away from in the kitchen for fear of failure, and one of them WAS sponge. I suppose its one of those cakes you hold your breath to throughout the whole cooking process for fear it won't have risen to its soft, airy self.
But have no fear with this recipe, I'm beginning to feel its a foolproof sponge.
There are so many great things about this cake besides the taste.
And I turned these cakes from an afternoon tea delight into a dessert, with just a change of topping! they looked delightful and were so quick to put together.

EASY STRAWBERRY CREAM SPONGE CAKES (adapted from Better Homes and Gardens, April 2010)


1 cup self raising flour
1 tsp cornflour
1 cup caster sugar
3 tbsp milk
2 tbsp melted butter
3x 60g eggs
finely grated zest of 1/2 lemon
1 tsp. baking powder
12 strawberries, to garnish
1/2 cup whipped cream, to garnish

Preheat the oven to 190C.
Grease and line a 12 hole cupcake pan with butter and paper cases or baking paper. Sift the flour and cornflour into a large bowl, then add sugar, milk, butter, eggs and zest and beat with the electric mixer on high. Beat until light and fluffy, approximately 3 minutes. Fold the baking powder into this mixture.
Spoon the mixture into the prepared muffin tin amongst the 12 holes. Bake for 18-20 minutes until golden in colour and cooked through when tested with a skewer.
Leave to cool in pan for 5 minutes before removing to complete the cooling process on a wire rack.
Whip cream and pipe onto the top of each sponge cake. Decorate with a single strawberry in the centre, serve.

Makes 12

NOTES: These cakes are best eaten on the day they are made, for maximum softness.
To make a whole sponge instead of 12 mini sponges, divide the batter between two greased and lined 20cm round tins. Bake at 190C for 18-20 minutes until golden and cooked when tested with a skewer. Cool on wire racks 5 minutes after removal from the oven, and wedge together with jam and whipped cream. To decorate the top, sprinkle a little icing sugar over the surface, add some berries to the centre if desired and serve.

Easy Sponge Cakes with Fondant Roses

Since the birth of my little daughter, it has become increasingly difficult to find the time to get creative in the kitchen. I thought it was difficult before, with a toddler helping me out (hanging off my skirt and licking the spoon mainly), but it is almost impossible with a newborn wearing the apron as well!
So I have been on the hunt for quick recipes, simple elegance without the fuss and time consuming detail. I love detail, I love having the time to add all the extras and get inventive, but being a mum of two babies makes that near impossible. So any mums in my boat, here's a winner.
These little rose sponge cupcakes are just gorgeous, drizzled in a little pink icing, topped with a pre-made fondant rose. If you want to know how to make your own fondant roses, they're quite simple, but you may want to make them when you have some time on your hands, when babies are solidly asleep and no one is around to need you, but the sugar in front of you. The good news is, if you don't have the time to model fondant flowers, you can readily purchase them at your local supermarket in the cooking section.
They make an elegant afternoon tea cake, these little sponges, but if you don't have any time at all, you can make it into a single cake (see notes below). Wedged with jam and cream in the middle and a little icing sugar sprinkled over the top, you have a sponge cake whipped up in under and hour (and 80% of that is cooking time!) Honestly, this only takes 5 minutes to prepare, then into the oven, cooling time and 5 minutes to whip up some cream for the centre. Easy peasy! and did I mention super soft and delicious?

EASY SPONGE CAKES WITH ROLLED FONDANT ROSES (adapted from Better Homes and Gardens, April 2010)

 1 cup self raising flour
1 tsp cornflour
1 cup caster sugar
3 tbsp milk
2 tbsp melted butter
3x 60g eggs
finely grated zest of 1/2 lemon
1 tsp. baking powder
1 cup icing sugar
drop of red food colouring

Preheat the oven to 190C.
Grease and line a 12 hole cupcake pan with butter and paper cases or baking paper. Combine the flour and cornflour in a large bowl, then add sugar, milk, butter, eggs and zest and beat with teh electric mixer on high. Beat until light and fluffy, approximately 3 minutes. Fold the baking powder into this mixture.
Spoon the mixture into the prepared muffin tin amongst the 12 holes. Bake for 18-20 minutes until golden in colour and cooked through when tested with a skewer.
Leave to cool in pan for 5 minutes before removing to complete the cooling process on a wire rack.
To make a thin icing, place the icing in a medium sized bowl. Add water until you achieve a desired consistency, then add the food colouring. Combine well until the colour is incorporated. Drizzle over cooled cupcakes and decorate with a rolled fondant rose.
Learn how to make Rolled Fondant Roses HERE.

Makes 12

NOTES: these cakes are best eaten on the day they are made, for maximum softness.
To make a whole sponge instead of 12 mini sponges, divide the batter between two greased and lined 20cm round tins. Bake at 190C for 18-20 minutes until golden and cooked when tested with a skewer. Cool on wire racks 5 minutes after removal from the oven, and wedge together with jam and whipped cream. To decorate the top, sprinkle a little icing sugar over the surface, add some berries to the centre if desired and serve.

Strawberries and Cream Jelly Cupcakes

Happy Australia Day one and all! Now you might predict I'd be making a typically Australian dessert or sweet on this day, but I've decided to go with a take on a take of the Australian Lamington. If you aren't familiar with the lamington, you're seriously missing out.
It's a rectangle finger of sponge cake enveloped in chocolate and sprinkled with coconut. Sometimes they're even filled with creamy goodness, and on occasion, jam. Recently I saw a spin on lamingtons in the form of jelly cakes. Jelly cakes are fantastic. They're a staple at every kid's party and a bit like a lamington, except without the chocolate. The cake is dipped in liquid jelly mix and immediately rolled in coconut.
So here's a spin on that, perfect food for a little girls (or big girl's) party. They look so quaint and pretty in all their pink glory, made deliciously moist with the addition of the jelly, and topped with a dollop of butter cream icing and a giant strawberry. They couldn't get much cuter!

STRAWBERRIES AND CREAM SWIRL JELLYCAKES

1 buttercake mix
red or pink food colouring
1 packet strawberry jelly crystals
1 cup dessicated coconut
As many strawberries as cupcakes
1 cup of cream, whipped

Make the buttercake batter as directed on the box, and divide the mixture in half. In one half add a capfull of red or pink food colouring and mix well until incorporated.
Alternately spoon the two colours of batter into cupcake tray holes, layering the two colours to achieve a two tone cupcake. Use all the mixture in this manner and bake as directed on the box.
When the cupcakes are cooked and cooled, cut out the centre of each to form a well. Do not cut to the bottom of the cupcakes. Aim for a 20c piece size as a top view, big enough to sit the bottom of a strawberry in.
Discard the cake removed. 
Make the jelly as directed on the box. While still warm, dip the top of each cupcake briefly in the unset jelly mixture and then in coconut.
Fill the wells with a dollop of  whipped cream. Cut the leaves off the strawberries. Position one strawberry ontop of each dollop. Serve.

Banana Blueberry Muffins

While waiting for my new darling to arrive, I've been trying to get a few good freezables stocked up for my darling husband and those who might come over for a peek of our little bundle. No, not just lasagnes (although they do freeze particularly well), but some sweets too. Cake never goes astray! (not in this household anyway) And it usually stores quite well.
So here's a batch of banana blueberry muffins to tide everyone over the waiting period. No one can be living in such impatience as I! I wonder if they'll last? I may just have to make another batch. Somehow these muffins feel healthier than my usual posts.
Bring on the low carbs and antioxidants! (these may be neutralized by the icing....I wouldn't know! Feel free to indulge in them without the white drizzling...they're just as tasty.)

MINI BANANA BLUEBERRY MUFFINS
6 oz sugar
3 oz butter
2 eggs
2 ripe or over-ripe bananas, mashed
1/2 cup blueberries, frozen or fresh
7 oz Self Raising flour
1/4 level tsp. bicarb soda
1/2 level tsp. salt
extra blueberries for decorating
1 cup icing sugar
1-2 tbsp water

Beat the sugar and butter together until creamy. Add the eggs one by one, beating well between each addition.
Beat through the blueberries and bananas.
Place flour, soda and salt on top of this mixture and stir through until well combined.
Scoop batter into 35 greased mini muffin tray holes/patty pans. Bake at 180C for approximately 15-20  minutes until golden and firm. Remove and cool.
Combine icing sugar and a little water to make a thin icing paste. Drizzle over the muffins and serve with extra blueberries if desired.

NOTES: Makes approximately 35 mini muffins or 15 regular sized muffins. Instead of using icing to drizzle over the tops, you could substitute for a sprinkle of icing sugar or a swirl of melted white chocolate.

Moscato, Strawberry and Cream Dessert Cakes

Somehow I feel that if I use alcohol in cooking, it doesn’t count as drinking. Not that I’m opposed to alcoholic beverages…oh no, not me! I love my glass of vino with my meal and a few more to celebrate when the occasion calls. But being pregnant, one hears a lot of conflicting stories about what one should and shouldn’t steer away from. I don’t believe a drink here and there is harmful during pregnancy…I have even heard of an obstetrician telling a pregnant woman to go home and have a whiskey.

My midwife would keel over right now  and the pregnant women at my class would probably go into labour on the spot out of anxiety if I were to mention this at the group sessions I attend. Can you believe the last discussion we had (THEY had) at the group was about avoiding any baked goods containing vanilla essence? Apparently some of the more authentic versions have the tiniest smidgen of alcohol in it, or used to. These women (and the midwives for that matter) were talking about not partaking in any goods containing the little vanilla essence that we find in most delicious foods.

I have never seen any recipe containing more than a teaspoon or two of this stuff…and the variety bought at the local stores is completely artificial anyhow (no alcoholic content in sight). Seems ridiculous to me. I have been enjoying a small white wine every so often since my first trimester left me. Truth be told I don’t really feel the desire for that sip anymore. But when I do, let me have my few mouthfuls.

What to steer away from while pregnant: over the top paranoid dietitians and those who follow them.

What not to steer away from: these delicious Napoleon-inspired dessert cakes made with sweet Moscato wine, filled with delicious vanilla custard and topped with lashings of whipped cream, crispy pastry and divine cuts of strawberry. Go on, you deserve it! You know you do!

MOSCATO, STRAWBERRY AND CREAM DESSERT CAKES

(Adapted from The Silver Palate and inspired by Sonja's Cupcakes)

1 cup sugar

2 eggs

½ cup light olive oil

½ cup Moscato or other sweet white wine

1 cup Self Raising flour

¼ cup plain flour

Pinch of salt

1 tsp. vanilla essence

½ sheet puff pastry, thawed

100g fresh strawberries

150g cream, whipped

Vanilla bean dusting sugar (or powdered icing sugar)

CUSTARD FILLING:

2 cups milk

4 large egg yolks

6 tbsp sugar

3 tbsp corn flour

40g butter

1 tsp vanilla essence

Set the oven at 175C. Beat the sugar and the eggs until well combined. Add the oil, wine, flours, salt and essence, and beat on high for one minute.

Divide the mixture into 8 large muffin/patty cake pans. Bake for 20 minutes or until lightly golden.

Remove from oven and cool.

Meanwhile, cut the puff pastry into several strips and place on a lined baking tray. Bake for 20-30 minutes until puffy, crisp and golden. Cool.

To make the custard, bring milk to the boil. At the same time, in a separate saucepan, combine yolks, corn flour and sugar together and whisk over a low heat until the milk boils. Add a splash of boiled milk to the yolk mixture and begin to whisk vigorously. Gradually add the rest of the milk, continuing to whisk constantly, until thick and smooth. Remove from heat and immediately scrape the custard into a bowl and place in a basin containing a few inches of cold water. Add the butter in 3-4 installments. Add vanilla essence to flavour. Cool.

Remove the centres of each cooled cupcake with a knife. Fill the holes with custard to the brim of each cake. Top with layers of whipped cream, slices of strawberry, broken pastry and lastly, a good sprinkling of vanilla bean dusting sugar.