Easterdeliciousness

I have written before about Simnel cakes, my mother's special recipe which she loved to give to others, often in tiny cake tins. The recipe used less fat and sugar, more eggs and flour, and mixed spice - it also involved lining the tin with three layers of greaseproof paper.

Today, I made Simnel Cupcakes.  12 of them. Half 'normal', half with gluten-free flour (75g flour mixed with a scant teaspoon of baking powder)

150g each of butter, golden brown sugar (or a  mix of white and browns) and self-raising flour, creamed in the usual manner with 2 eggs and 125g of mixed dried fruit and a handful of extra candied orange and lemon peel to add flavour, with a tablespoon or so of lemon juice to loosen the mixture a little.

I piled half the mixture into muffin cases, (a teaspoon or so each case), added a circle of marzipan (pinched off a ball, flattened it in my hands before, 12 times) then piled the remainder on top acirnd baked them for 20 minutes until golden.

When cool, I removed the paper cases (they peeled off SO easily), topped them with circles of marzipan cut out with a medium cookie cutter and 'stuck' onto the cake with a smear of #supposedtobeapricotbutallIhadwasmarmelade, then a small ball in the centre made from the leftovers.

Roughed the marzipan slightly with a fork, then toasted under a hot grill for half a minute.

A bit of a faff...but worth it.

Zucchini cupcakes and caramel icing

Zucchini cupcakes... but it is the caramel icing which really intrigues me:

Ingredients

• 3 eggs
• 1-1/3 cups sugar
• 1/2 cup canola oil
• 1/2 cup orange juice
• 1 teaspoon almond extract
• 2-1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
• 1-1/2 cups shredded zucchini
• CARAMEL FROSTING:
• 1 cup packed brown sugar
• 1/2 cup butter, cubed
• 1/4 cup 2% milk
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1-1/2 to 2 cups confectioners' sugar

Directions

1. In a large bowl, beat the eggs, sugar, oil, orange juice and extract. Combine dry ingredients; gradually add to egg mixture and mix well. Stir in zucchini.
2. Fill paper-lined muffin cups two-thirds full. Bake at 350° for 20-25 minutes or until toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean. Cool for 10 minutes before removing to a wire rack.
3. For frosting, combine the brown sugar, butter and milk in a saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium heat; cook and stir for 2 minutes or until thickened. Remove from the heat; stir in vanilla. Cool to lukewarm.
4. Gradually beat in confectioners' sugar until frosting reaches spreading consistency. Frost cupcakes. Yield: 1-1/2 to 2 dozen.

Apple Muffins

Cream together 1 cup sugar and 1/2 cup margarine/butter
Beat in 2 large eggs and 1 cup flour and 1 large pinch cloves or 2 teaspoons cinnamon
Fold in 1 cup flour, 2 cups diced (small) apple, 1/2 cup milk, alternately.

Spoon into muffin cases, bake at 180 - 170 for 25 minutes.

Drizzle with 1 spoon margarine, 4 spoons or more icing sugar, a little boiling water.