My Autumn/Winter sewing plans are coming along nicely…. Twinkle nearly done and other bits and pieces cut, traced etc.
But I decided I needed a different creative outlet this weekend.
BAKING!
I love baking because I get to work out my stress and then I get a sweet reward at the end.
I wanted to make red velvet cupcakes for several reasons. Here are just three:
1. I’ve been pinning and reading about lots of buns/cupcakes/muffins lately. Guaranteed to make me feel jealous and want to pick up my whisk.
2. I was telling my mum off for not updating her website with more of her creations and got inspired/hungry. I mean hello?! The “Jimi Chew” Grand Marnier chocolate cupcake, with choc cream cheese frosting and chocolate straw heel that she made as a joke for her W.I. friends!
3. Because there’s nothing nicer than when you’re saving money (so can’t buy loads of foodie treats or go out to nice restuarants or for yummy cocktails) to make something using everything in your cupboards and end up with a delicious treat. No buying necessary.
So I got out my trusty fairy cake recipe. It’s on the side of the Tate and Lyle Caster Sugar packet and is the most straightforward and simple recipe I’ve ever tried for buns. Better than a lot I’ve tried from cookbooks.
They never go wrong and you can adapt as you need! I added one tablespoon of cocoa powder and a LOT of red food colouring. You don’t need to add a lot of chocolate as you just need a hint of the flavour and best not to interfere with the colour coming through.
When the buns were done I added cream cheese frosting which you make by adding icing sugar to cream cheese and whipping it lightly to sweeten it. Throw some sugar sprinkles on top and you get yummy cupcakes!
Perfect to enjoy as dessert after a nice dinner or with an afternoon cup of tea.
I wouldn’t recommend after 9pm though, in case like me you are very susceptible to e-numbers! All that red food colouring had me awake twitching all night.
And I’ll be enjoying the last one (I altered my recipe to only make 6) tomorrow night while I watch Sunday’s Downton Abbey.
Mmmmmm can’t wait…
*For those of you who aren’t familiar with the film “Red Velvet”, it stars Henry Thomas and it is about a man and woman who have a chance encounter at a laundromat type place which then leads onto him telling her a story about a birthday party where everyone has been killed by a madman in a white jumpsuit…
So good family fun basically. NOT
It definitely shouldn’t be confused with Henry Thomas’ actual family friendly film, E.T. (He was Elliot!)
And here ends Almond Rock’s review of films NOT to watch!
So lets just eat cupcakes and skip the Henry Thomas film fest! Which would be a very short evening, me thinks!
I think it’d be an all night party with the e numbers surging through us!
Those look soooo yummy! Thanks for including me in your post! 🙂
You’re welcome! Gotta spread the word about good baking going on in the blogosphere! 🙂
Team Cupcake all the way! They look super delish and I could totes do with one now *snaffle* 😀
HI,
Thanks for your lovely comment on my blog! I am a very rubbish blogger and an even more rubbish sewer of late. I recently moved to sheffield as I have started a masters and I do not think I realised just how much work a masters is – and I am only half way through my second week! So my sewing things are all still packed away and I am not going to be able to unpack them until this time next year I think! 🙁 booooooooo! trying not to think about it as I will get upset! unless I could substitute sleeping for sewing….
I am getting my fix through blogs only so keep me the posts coming and I can look on green with envy!
p.s. the cakes look yum!