Sunday 18 September 2011

Guest Post: Cappuccino Cupcakes with Whipped Cream Frosting



After finding my new flat and going on a little French holiday, I'm now packing my house up in Oxford. My second guest poster, the gorgeous Sukaina of Sips and Spoonfuls, is now taking over from Steph for the last guest post...

What did you want to be when you grew up? Me..... well, that depended on what age you asked me. When I was around six or eight, my most favorite thing to do was gather all my play china, build a tent out of bed sheets and play families with my neighbor. Funnily enough, I always wanted to be the Mummy who would cook and bake and make exotic things in the play kitchen.



All that changed when I was twelve or thirteen. Summers were spent in London with my grandparents and besides strawberries, trips to Alton Towers and Trafalgar Square, there was also the lure of Wimbledon tennis. I got my first crush........on a tennis player!


I became obsessed with tennis. I bought my first racket, my first white skirt and wanted to be a tennis player. Even a ball girl would have been ok. I spent hours in front of the television and begged and pestered my grandparents to take me to watch a game live.


Then came the modeling years. I was always tall for my age and towered over the rest of my peers at school . My family would tease me that I should become a model and the idea stuck in my head. I spent hours locked in the bathroom trying on my mum's make up and pinning my hair in different styles. I even cut my own fringe and threw the hair out of the window. That phase ended when I forgot to lock the bathroom door and my mum caught me looking like a drag queen.

Finally came the time to choose my 'real' career. I excelled at English Literature at school and loved looking for hidden meanings and messages behind words. However, my parents weren't too keen on me studying Literature at university so I finally settled on Optometry.


And so I have had many such phases in life where I've constantly felt like reinventing myself, learning new skills, craving new aspirations, discovering new talents and.......just enjoying life. I wrote all this because even though I have never met Emma in real life, I am so proud that she is following her dreams and aspirations- to become a pastry chef.

Emma, I wish you all the best. You have achieved so much in a short space and I can see many wonderful things in your future. I hope you enjoy these coffee cupcakes with a light whipped cream frosting. Airy and spongy.......with just the right amount of kick.

Cappuccino Cupcakes With Whipped Cream Frosting
Ingredients:
125 gms butter, room temperature
125 gms sugar
2 eggs
80 ml yoghurt
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
150 gms all purpose flour
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1 tbs cocoa
50 ml strong coffee
400ml whipping cream
cocoa powder for dusting

Directions:
Heat the oven to 180 degrees Centigrade and line a muffin tray with cupcake liners.
To make the cupcakes, beat the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add the eggs, yoghurt and vanilla essence. Add the flour, baking powder, salt, and cocoa. Add 25 ml of the coffee and mix until just incorporated. Fill liners with the batter until 2/3 full and bake for 18 to 20 minutes or until a skewer comes out clean. Drizzle with the remaining coffee as soon as the cupcakes come out of the oven. Frost when completely cool. Sprinkle with cocoa powder
To make the frosting, whip the cream on high speed until stiff peaks form. You can add icing sugar (about 4-5 tbs depending on how sweet you want the frosting) whilst whipping the cream but I left mine as is.  

Recipe adapted from BBC GoodFood Middle East Magazine February 2011. Makes 16 cupcakes depending on size.

10 comments:

  1. These look lovely - little cappuccini in cupcake form! I love the whipped cream topping and chocolate sprinkles for authenticity :-) Gorgeous guest post and sentiments too...I hope training to be a pastry chef will be as wonderful as it sounds.

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  2. stunning photos and a lovely recipe- just right for breakfast or high tea.
    I loved the way Sukaina wrote the post. Beautiful and thoughtful.
    All the very best, Emma

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  3. A beautiful guest post! I love Sukaina's blog and wonderful pictures.

    cheers,

    Rosa

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  4. I love the pictures! So airy and light. Looks like the no calorie cupcakes!
    Beautiful guest post.

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  5. Those cupcakes must be so delicious!They are beautiful

    congratulations

    cheers from Spain!

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  6. Two favourite and talented bloggers on one page. So sad you haven't met yet - I just know you'd get on.

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  7. Emma, great guest blog and great recipe! I've only started following your blog and have to say it's the best, I love the pictures you take and the whole blog in general it shows that you are really passionate about this. Keep up the good work. I bake in my spare time and bring cakes in the office every now and again, reading your blog has made me inspired to step up my game and introduce exciting flavours and cute decorations. Absolutely love it. Looking forward to the next post already :)

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  8. I hope you submitted those photos to Tastespotting or Foodgawker, because they are incredible!

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  9. Emma, Such a fun guest post. Great pix too!
    How can we not love anything that has cappuccino and whipped cream? I'm sold:)
    -Erin

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