The Best Vanilla Bean Cupcakes Ever

In the words of Mr Christian Grey, "There is nothing wrong with a bit of plain old vanilla", or something like that. Well, this is no plain old vanilla cupcake. These are super tasty, super easy vanilla bean cupcakes. As you can see in the picture, I have decorated these with mini bars of dark chocolate (made using the chocolate mould in my shop, http://www.theshirebakery.com)The cases are also coming soon to the website. 

Ingredients

Cupcakes

120g unsalted butter

120g caster sugar

120g self raising flour

2 large eggs

2 tsp vanilla bean paste

1tsp baking powder

2tbsp full fat milk

Buttercream Frosting

175g unsalted butter, room temperature and very soft

350g icing sugar

1tsp vanilla bean paste

2-3 tbsp full fat milk

Okay, so first thing is first. I use vanilla bean paste with this. You can substitute this for vanilla extract, definately not vanilla essence. You want to use something derived from vanilla, and not something that simply tastes like vanilla. I don't think it even tastes like vanilla, and you certainly will not get the flavour in your cakes. For the best results, use vanilla bean paste, or extract. I use Neilsen Massey, which you can get from most supermarkets, and it lasts for ages, so well worth the price. 

Start by filling a muffin tin with 12 liners, and preheat your oven to 180 degrees, 160 degrees fan or Gas Mark 4. 

Put your butter and sugar in a bowl and add your vanilla bean paste. 

The vanilla bean paste is thick, sticky and sweet, perfect!

Cream these together until very light and fluffy, this takes a few minutes. Then add both eggs and whisk. It will look a little curdled and not right, which is what it should look like. 

Mix the flour in and whisk until just combined, and then add your milk and mix. 

Here is the mix, if you look very carefully you can see the flecks of vanilla in the mix...try to not stick your finger in!

Now fill your cases up until two thirds full and bake in the oven for18-20 minutes, and allow to cool on a wire rack. 

While the cakes are cooling you can prepare your buttercream frosting. If you have an electric whisk then great, but I made this batch by hand to show you it can be done with a strong wrist and a whisk. 

Put the butter and vanilla in a bowl and whisk, and gradually add the icing sugar, and when it gets too thick, add the milk, spoonful at a time until you get the right consistency.  If you wish you may colour your icing now, and then simply pipe and decorate, and serve!

Lovely vanilla bean buttercream frosting, you can see the vanilla in this also. 

I used Green & Blacks 70% dark chocolate to make the mini chocolate bars, the bitterness of the chocolate tastes sooooo good against the sweetness of the cupcake...even if you are not the biggest dark chocolate fan. 

Peanut Butter Brownies

Now, before I begin, please be warned...these brownies are seriously addictive. They are a perfect balance between nutty and sweet and chocolatey, and are super easy to make. Before you start, you will need a 20cm square tin...or thereabouts. Prepare to make some amazing brownies...

Ingredients

30g unsalted butter

225g crunchy peanut butter

200g dark chocolate, minimum 70% cocoa solids, broken into pieces

280g soft light brown sugar

3 medium eggs

100g self raising flour

First thing to do is set 50g of peanut butter and about 40g of chocolate aside, you will need these later.  Heat your oven to 180 degrees, 160 degrees fan or Gas Mark 4,and line your baking try with baking paper. 

Put the peanut butter and chocolate that was remaining in a pan with your butter and sugar, and gently melt, stirring occasionally until the sugar has just about melted. 

It does look slightly odd in the pan!

Now transfer it to a mixing bowl, this will cool it slightly. Using a wooden spoon, beat your eggs in, and once combined, add the flour and mix well. 

Now pour the mixture into your tin.

With the 50g of left over peanut butter, pop it in the microwave for 45 seconds, or until it is runny, and then drizzle over the brownie mix, using a cocktail stick to make swirls.

Looks amazing, well done...keep going, nearly there!!

Now pop the brownie in the oven for 20-25 minutes until it has a crust around the edge but looks slightly undercooked in the middle.

Leave to cool slightly in the tin. When the brownie has cooled slightly, melt the remainder of the chocolate and drizzle over the top of the brownie.

Leave in the tin to cool completely before cutting and serving.

Enjoy!

Oreo Cupcakes (Makes 10)

These cupcakes are so popular, and the ones that people always ask me to bake for them. So when it came to my first recipe for the blog, it really was a no brainer. They are so easy to make, and even easier to eat! This recipe uses one full pack of oreo's. Enjoy!

Ingredients
For the cake:
100g plain flour
20g cocoa powder
120g caster sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
40g unsalted butter
1 egg
100ml milk
1 tsp vanilla extract
10 whole oreos

For the Frosting:
125g unsalted butter
250g icing sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 tbsps milk
4 crushed oreos.

Method

Preheat your oven to 180 degrees, 160 degrees or Gas Mark 4.  Line a tray with cases and place an oreo in the bottom of each case. As you can see here, I am using baking cups, which you can buy on my website www.theshirebakery.com but ordinary cupcake cases will work fine also.

Sift your flour, cocoa powder, baking powder together and place to one side. In a separate bowl mix the sugar and butter together until they are combined and then add your vanilla extract and eggs. 

Alternatively add your milk and flour mixture until all mixed in and looking delicious, and spoon it into your cake cases, until two thirds full. 

 
The mixture should look like this...scrummy!

Now pop in the oven and bake for 18-20 minutes. 

When they are cooked, leave them to cool. They will smell unreal, but you can't eat them yet!! While they are cooling, time to make the buttercream frosting. 

First, to crush the oreos. I do tend to crush mine in the food processor, to get a uniformed crumb, making it easier to pipe with, however you can pop them in a bag and bash them with a rolling pin...whichever works best for you. 

To make the  buttercream, beat the butter (room temperature; or blast in the microwave until nice and soft), icing sugar and vanilla until it goes very smooth and fluffy, and add the milk bit by bit. 

Now add the crushed oreos, a spoonful at a time and mix until you get a speckly look. I use between half and 3/4 of the crushed oreos. 

It should now look like this. 

Pipe your swirls (I used an open star nozzle) onto your cupcakes, and decorate, if you wish with the remainder of your crushed oreos. 

You may have noticed I have not put any oreo crumbs on top of mine, this is because I like to keep them and sprinkle them on some vanilla ice cream!

Now to eat and enjoy! x