Gloverly Cupcakes

The advantage of doing a blog with somebody else is that you can remind/encourage each other to keep it up. Over the last 6 months my blogging has been very irregular (and infrequent at times) but Becky and I have said that we’re going to remind each other to write a post each week. So here’s my post for the week – look out for Becky’s later this week.

I decided to make these because I’d seen something similar on Pinterest and they looked fairly simple to make – they were.

I used some left over white sugar florist paste and rolled it out until it was very thin. I then used 4 different sized round cutters – the large flowers were made from a large and medium circle and the medium ones were made from a medium and small circle, and the small flowers were made from a small circle and a tiny circle. After cutting out the circles I placed them on a foam mat and using a large ball tool I rolled around the outside of each one. I then placed them on a mini silicon doughnut mould (you could use petal formers). Once they had hardened a bit I used some edible glue to stick the smaller circle to each one, and then I stuck 5 pearl dragees to the middle of the large ones, 3 to the medium ones and just 1 to the middle of the smallest ones. I didn’t want them to just look pretty, I also wanted them to taste good, which is why I went for Nutella cupcakes – they always go down well!

Nutella Cupcakes (adapted from The Hummingbird Bakery Cake Days)

Makes 24

240g caster sugar

200g plain flour

20g cocoa powder

100g Nutella (or chocolate hazelnut spread)

80g unsalted butter

1 tbsp baking powder

pinch of salt

240ml milk

2 eggs

Line 2 muffin trays with 24 cases. Pre-heat the oven to gas mark 5.

Mix the sugar, flour, cocoa powder, butter, baking powder, Nutella and salt together in a stand mixer (or rub in with your hands) until the mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs.

Beat the milk and eggs together in a jug and then gradually beat into the dry ingredients until smooth (ensuring that you scrape down the sides of the bowls after each addition).

Divide the mixture evenly between the 24 cases and then bake in the oven for 15-25  minutes until they are lightly browned on top and spring back when pressed (and a skewer comes out clean). I usually check them and turn them around after 15 minutes. The time taken to bake will depend massively on your oven. I think mine is cooler than it says it so mine usually take closer to 25 minutes – I know they’re done when they stop making a sound. If I take them out when they still sound like they’re cooking then I find that that there’s still too much moisture escaping from them and the cases peel away from the cakes.

Take out the tins immediately and leave to cool on a wire ready. Decorate once completely cool.

Nutella Buttercream

400g icing sugar

50g cocoa powder

100g Nutella (or chocolate hazelnut spread)

160g butter

50ml milk

Beat the icing sugar, cocoa powder and butter together on a very slow speed until the mixture resembles coarse breadcrumbs. I always put a tea towel over the top of my KitchenAid to prevent icing sugar going everywhere! Then slowly add the milk and vanilla. Once it’s all been incorporated, add the Nutella and then increase the speed and beat on high for 5 minutes until light and fluffy.