Easter Cupcakes

These cupcakes for Easter use a lot of products that I have bought from my local supermarket. There are lots of ways of decorating cupcakes for Easter and I think these could be popular if not a bit over the top with chocolate but it is good to have treats at this time of the year.

This is a chocolate chicken on a stick that I bought . I had to cut the stick down in size so it would go in the cupcake. I used a chocolate cupcake recipe for the sponge and topped it off with some Lemon Frosting which I spread onto the cupcake and then I dipped the cupcake into a saucer of a broken chocolate flake. I then put in the chocolate chicken into the cake.

Lemon Frosting I took equal quantities of butter and icing sugar and creamed them together by hand or with a mixer. I added the grated rind of a lemon and 1 tablespoon of lemon juice. The amount you make depends on how many cupcakes you are going to decorate. I then spread this frosting on the top with a knife for a flat look or a fork for a textured look.

This is the chocolate cupcake topped off with lemon frosting and a jelly egg that I bought from the supermarket. It came in a box of 12 so I could decorate a lot of cupcakes on this theme. I think to decorate with spring flowers adds to the freshness of the cupcakes for Easter.

This cupcake for Easter uses a chocolate bunny on a stick placed inside a cupcake like the chicken one above. I think that presentation is so important with cupcakes recipes . For Easter I use flowers and the fresh greenery from my garden or from the countryside but the supermarkets have some great pot plants that could set the scene for Easter and be a focal point for your cupcakes for Easter.

I hope you enjoy these ideas for Easter. Tomorrow I am going to put on here the Traditional Easter Simnel Cupcakes that I have made for Easter using traditional English recipes for this time of year. It has taken a bit of research to get the right recipe for the Simnel cupcakes but for those of you like my husband who prefer fruit to frosting these are superb.

Check out the labels, cupcake store and archives for lots more ideas. Thanks for reading. Enjoy

Easter Egg Nest with Gold Eggs

This is a chocolate base of cupcake topped with tangy lemon frosting and served with mini chocolate eggs. I really like those chocolate eggs. They are Green and Blacks Organic that we get in the UK. I have started to buy lots of Fair Trade Products. My local charity shop, Oxfam is not only a great place to get vintage recipe books but it is a superb source of these fair trade products. They have a great collection of chocolate products ideal for using in cupcakes recipes and a good way to support others fairly in developing countries.
Ingredients
4 oz--110 gm--1/2 cup castor sugar
4 oz--110 gm--1/2 cup butter or margarine
4 oz--110 gm--1 cup self-raising flour
1 tsp of baking powder
2 tablespoons of organic cocoa powder like Green and Blacks or Fair Trade
2 eggs
1 tsp of vanilla essence or 1 pod
1 tablespoon of milk
Method
Cream the butter and sugar
Add the eggs one at a time and beat well
Add the flavourings
Sieve in the flour, cocoa powder and baking powder. Mix
Add milk
Place into cupcake cases. this makes 9 muffin size cupcakes or 14 to 16 small cupcakes.
Cook at gas 5, 375F, 190C, small cupcakes for 10 to 12 minutes, large cupcakes for 20 minutes. Double up quantities for more delicious cupcakes.
Lemon Icing --Frosting
1/2 cup icing sugar mixed with 1/4 cup of butter, when smooth add 1 teaspoon of fresh lemon juice. You can also add the grated rind of the lemon. Mix well till creamy and spread on top of the cupcakes. Top off with crushed flake chocolate and mini chocolate eggs of your choice.
Variations
1. Add Tia Maria instead of vanilla essence for a coffee liqueur cupcake recipe.
2. Add 1 good teaspoon of instant fair trade coffee diluted in 1 tablespoon of water to the mixture instead of the milk for a Coffee cupcake recipe
3 Top off with Chocolate Frosting.
Put 100gm--3 1/2 oz plain dark fair trade chocolate, 2 tablespoons of cream, and 50 gm--2 oz--1/4 cup of butter unsalted and heat gently in a pan until they are melted and then add 100 gm--3 1/2 oz icing sugar and mix well. Spread onto the cupcakes and top off with a coloured chocolate egg.
I hope you enjoy these Easter recipes.

To get your cupcakes and recipes featured on here, please email the photos and recipes to crazycupcakes at gmail dot com and thanks for reading. Enjoy.

Check out the LABELS list on the RIGHT for more cupcakes recipes and easy ideas to decorate cupcakes for all celebrations and occasions.

Easter Chicken Cupcake with Eggs

Well I found this great cute chicken just the thing to decorate a cupcake for Easter. I used the chocolate cupcake recipe and topped it off with chocolate frosting; 2oz--1/2 cup icing sugar, 1oz--1/4 cup of cocoa and 1 oz--1/4 cup of butter. I creamed it all together. Add extra butter if you like it really rich. I topped off with chocolate eggs and the cute chicken.

Easter Egg Cupcake Nest

I decided to work out some more adult Easter recipes,try out some of these:
Basic Ingredients
4 oz--110 gm--1 cup self-raising flour
4 oz--110gm--1/2 cup butter unsalted or salted or margarine
4 oz--110 gm--1/2 cup caster sugar(fine sugar) 1 teaspoon of baking powder 2eggs
1 tablespoon of milk
Method
Mix together the butter and sugar
Add the eggs one at a time and beat well
Add the flavouring, milk and extras at this point, mix in
Add the flour and gently mix
Put into cupcake cases
This will make about 14 small cupcakes or about 9 large cupcakes.
Put the mixture into the cases in a baking tray. Small cakes for 10 to 12 minutes, large muffin size for 20 minutes at gas 5, 190C, 375F Remove from the oven and cool
Variations
1. Add 1 tablespoon of Kirsch Cherry Liqueur and 2 oz--1/2 cup of chopped cherries. Put maraschino cherries on the top to decorate with icing or a frosting. For cherry frosting I would mix 3oz--3/4 cup icing sugar with the same quantity of butter. Cream well together and add a teaspoon of kirsch and a small drop of red food colouring to make it pink. Spread onto cool cupcakes and top off with cherry.
2. Follow as above but use Cointreau and the grated rind of one large orange. Make a frosting but add orange juice. Top off with fresh orange and a sprig of mint.
3. Follow as above but use Whisky or Glayva a whiskey liqueur and add 2oz--1/2 cup of raisins. It is good if the raisins can be soaked in the same whisky or Glayva overnight. Make a frosting and add a dash of whisky, top off with raisins and a dark chocolate mini egg.
4. Follow as above but use Rum. I prefer dark rum and again soak the raisins overnight . Top off with frosting with rum and some dark chocolate eggs.
5. I topped off the cupcake in the photograph with frosting and I then dipped the cupcake upside down into a crumbled chocolate milk flake( this was on a plate ) to create an interesting nest like texture.

To get your cupcakes and recipes featured on here, please email the photos and recipes to crazycupcakes at gmail dot com and thanks for reading. It would be so good to feature lots of cupcake ideas to share. Enjoy.

Check out the Archives and cupcake store for more ideas

Easter Cupcakes withChocolate

Easter is coming up soon so I decided to get going with some cupcakes recipes and decorating ideas for Easter celebrations so we can make cupcakes galore for our family and kids. In fact I think that Easter cupcakes are the ones that children will love to make and decorate in the Easter holidays which are coming up soon.
I have been looking at all the Easter products in the shops and making a collection of produts which i can use to decorate cupcakes for Easter. The chocolate eggs on the cupcake have a pretty surface texture and the ones wrapped in gold are the 70% cocoa type with delicious dark chocolate for adults, they even say in the UK that some of this dark chocolate every day is good for you. I'm all for that! I added a few Spring flowers to add to the presentation and get into the feeling of Spring.
If you would like to have your favourite cupcake recipe featured on this site please email the photos and recipe to crazycupcakes at gmail dot com. I would love to feature your ideas for Easter. Thanks for reading. Enjoy. Crazycupcakes

Do not forget the ARCHIVES, there are at least 60 more ideas and recipes for cupcakes of all types.

Rhubarb and Gingerbread Cupcakes

The GINGERBREAD CUPCAKES RECIPE is used in this recipe for homemade cupcakes. If you click on the LABEL you can find the recipe. The rhubarb was prepared as in the Rhubarb and Ginger cupcakes recipe. This is a superb combination of flavours and the gingerbread recipe is soft, moist and full of flavour. I have topped off the cupcakes with slices of stem ginger. It is also a good idea to drizzle some of the stem ginger syrup onto the cupcakes. You could serve this cupcake on a plate as a desert with cream or ice cream. I feel hungry typing this!

If you would like to have your favourite cupcake recipe featured on this site please email the photos and recipe to crazycupcakes at gmail dot com. I would love to feature your ideas for Easter. Thanks for reading. Crazycupcakes

Rhubarb and Ginger Cupcakes

You can make cupcake recipes galore at this time that use rhubarb. It is just coming into season in the UK so I have been waiting to try out some recipes.
Ingredients
4 oz--110 gm--1 cup self-raising flour
4 oz--110gm--1/2 cup butter unsalted or salted or margarine
4 oz--110 gm--1/2 cup caster sugar(fine sugar)
1 teaspoon of baking powder
2eggs
1 tablespoon of milk
1 teaspoon of vanilla essence or one pod
1 teaspoon of powdered ginger
4 sticks of rhubarb and sugar to taste
1" of fresh ginger root or 1 teaspoon of ginger powder
stem ginger
Method
Mix together the butter and sugar
Add the eggs one at a time and beat well
Add the ginger powder and vanilla essence
Add the flour and gently mix
This will make about 14 small cupcakes or about 9 large cupcakes.
Put the mixture into the cases in a baking tray. Small cakes for 10 to 12 minutes, large muffin size for 20 minutes at gas 5, 190C, 375F
Remove from the oven and cool
Rhubarb
Chop into 1" or 3 cm chunks. Wash well. Put in a pan with sugar and finely chopped ginger root or powder. Put lid on the pan and heat gently. I find that rhubarb does not need water adding and I let it sweat with the lid on until it is cooked. Add more sugar to taste. Let it cool.
Cut out a cone in each cupcake. Put a large spoonful of rhubarb. replace the cone.I like to top off with a slice of stem ginger.
I have served as a desert with more rhubarb, rhubarb yogurt, creme fraiche and stem ginger. Some fresh mint would be good as a garnish.


Remember to check out the ARCHIVES for 60 or more cupcakes recipes from chocolate to sultana and sherry
Enjoy

Mango Cupcakes with a Diabetic Cupcakes recipe

These cupcakes are full of fruit and contain no sugar so they are a cupcake recipe for diabetics. I chose to try fresh mango as there are plenty in the shops at the moment. I made these for my mum as it is Mother's Day in the UK today and she is diabetic. I hope to try out lots more recipes for diabetic cupcakes in the future. I found that these were a different texture to the usual cupcakes recipe but they had a nice texture and flavour. I topped some off with raspberries.

Ingredients
Recipe 1.
5 oz self raising flour
4 oz butter
12 tablespoons of Splenda
2 medium eggs
2 tablespoons milk
1/2 mango diced very small
1 teaspoon of baking powder
Recipe 2.
175 gm self raising flour
110 gm butter
12 tablespoons of Splenda
2 medium eggs
2 tablespoons of milk
1/2 mango diced very small
1 teaspoon of baking powder
Recipe 3.
1 1/4 cups self raising flour
1/2 cup butter or margarine
12 tablespoons of Splenda
2 large eggs
2 tablespoons of milk
1/2 mango diced very small
1 teaspoon of baking powder
Method
Mix together the butter or margarine with the eggs, adding the eggs one at a time. Add the flour and baking powder and mix gently. Add the milk and chopped mango. Add a small amount of extra milk if the mixture is very dry. Place into 15 to 18 small cupcake cases and cook for 12 minutes at gas 5, 375F or 190C. Large cupcake cases will be same temperature for 15 to 20 minutes and will make about 10 to 12. It depends on the amout of chopped mango.
Cool the cupcakes, top with cream cheese and slices of mango, sprinkle with coconut. Enjoy
Remember to look at the ARCHIVES for 50 or more cupcake recipes and ideas.
LABELS at the end of each post help as well

Red Nose Day Cupcakes

I spotted these cupcakes in a local cafe when we were out walking yesterday. These are well wrapped but the red icing and mark is the symbol of the Red Nose Day Charity day in the UK today. It is on the Tv all night today and the charity raises millions of £s for children worldwide.

The cupcake recipe you want is not on this page?

GO TO THE ARCHIVES THERE ARE 50 OR MORE IDEAS AND RECIPES

St Patricks Day Cupcakes, Leprecaun and pot of Gold

These cupcakes are my attempt at a leprecaun with a pot of gold for St Patrick's Day. I found the leprecaun very difficult with the ready made icing. I used bought chocolate coins for the pot of gold. I do not feel they are my best but I had a go and learnt a lot along the way

St Patricks Day Cupcakes, Coriander and Basil with the soda bread recipe

Coriander cupcakes using the soda bread recipes for the cupcakes.A good recipe for diabetic cupcakes and anyone wanting a low fat cupcake.

Basil Cupcake with cream cheese topping and tomato, great for every one who likes savoury flavours.great for a diabetic cupcake recipe. You could also cut the cupcake into slices and add more cream cheese.

Basil cupcakes using the soda bread cupcake recipe with butter and honey. A great combination of sweet and aromatic, the basil and the honey.

Remember to check out the ARCHIVES for 60 more cupcakes recipes and ideas

To get your cupcakes and recipes featured on here, please email the photos and recipes to crazycupcakes at gmail dot com and thanks for reading. Enjoy.

St Patrick's Day Soda Cupcakes

When I have been to Southern Ireland one of the best things is the Irish Soda Bread for breakfast with preserves or with savoury meals. I decided to have a go at making a cupcake for these different meals. Also my Mum who is 80 has just been diagnosed as diabetic so I am now trying to develop ideas for Diabetic Cupcakes Recipes.
I decided to collect recipes for Soda bread and then try one out cooking it in cupcake cases instead of a round loaf. These are the recipes:
Recipe 1 Soured Cream Soda Bread Cupcakes
Ingredients
4 cups--1 ib--450 gm wholewheat flour
2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda
1/4 pint--150 ml soured cream
1/4 pint--150 ml water plus 2-5 extra tablespoons
Method
Pre-heat the oven to gas7, 425F, 220C
Put about 12 large cupcake case in a baking tray
Mix the flour, salt and bicarbonate of soda in a bowl
Whisk the soured cream and water in a jug or bowl
Add the liquid to the flour. I found that the type of wholewheat flour that I had really soaked up the water so I had to add extra.
Mix it all together and knead lightly on a floured surface
Divide the mixture into 12 sections
Shape into cupcake rounds and put into the cupcases.
Bake for about 14 minutes.
Cover with foil for the last 5 minutes to keep the tops soft
Put on a tray to cool and cover with a cloth to keep them moist and soft
Recipe 2 Irish Brown Soda bread Cupcakes
Ingredients

4 cups--1 lb--500 gms wholewheat flour
1/2 cup--5 oz--150 gms strong white flour
1/2 cup--2 oz--50 gm oatmeal
1 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda
1 teaspoon of salt
16 t0 24 fl oz--475 to 725 ml of sour milk or milk with the juice of 1/2 lemon
Method
Mix all the dry ingredients well
Add the sour milk
Knead lightly
Form into cupcake sizes and place into cupcake cases
Cook at gas 7, 425F, 220C for cupcakes it should be 14 to 20 minutes.
Recipe 3
Ingredients
4 cups--1 lb flour
4 level teaspoons of baking powder
1 teasppon of salt
30 gm--1 oz margarine
2 teaspoons caster--powdered sugar
1 cup--8 fl ozs buttermilk
1/2 cup--2 fl oz milk
Method
Sift flour, baking powder, salt into a bowl and rub in the margarine unti it is like bread crumbs
Add sugar,mix and make a hole in the centre.
Add the buttermilk and milk.
Mix and turn out and knead lightly on a floured top.
Divide into cupcake sizes and knead and shape each one.
Place into cupcake cases.
Cook at gas 6, 400F, 200C for 14 to 20 minutes.
This shows recipe one

Variations on the Irish Soda Bread Cupcake theme.I prepared herbs, basil, rosemary, coriander, tarragon, spring onions, cheese and garlic. After I had divided the dough into individuals I kneaded into each one type of herb,see photo below. I then served these with an Irish Hot Pot with butter or benecol and more fresh herbs. They are delicious straight from the oven and eaten on the same day to be at their best.Excellent for St Patricks Day and a savoury cupcake recipe for those who do not have a sweet tooth or are diabetic.

Orange and Lemon Cupcakes

An easy recipe for cupcakes with lots of refreshing flavours. I have eaten so many delicious oranges in Egypt I wanted a recipe that uses lots to get that tangy refreshing flavour. I also got some good salads from the Egyptian fishing trip chef. There are ideas on the salad site link
Ingredients
1/2 cup--4 oz--125gm butter or margarine
2/3 cup--5 oz--150 gm caster-powdered sugar
1 orange with the rind finely grated off and the juice kept
1 lemon with the rind finely grated off and the juice kept
1 1/2 cups--6 oz--180 gm self raising flour
2 eggs beaten
3 tablespoons of the fruit juice
Method
Arrange your cupcake cases in the baking tray, this will make about 20 to 24 in small cases or 12 to 15 in larger cupcake cases.
Put the oven to 190C,375F,gas 5
Beat butter with the sugar by hand or with a mixer.
Add the rind of the oranges and lemon mix in well.
Add one third of the flour, eggs and juice, mix.
Add the next third, mix.
Add the final third and mix.
Put into the cupcake cases about 2/3 full of mixture.
Cook for 12 to 15 minutes for small cupcakes or 20 minutes for larger cupcakes.
Do not open the oven for the first 10 minutes for small or the first 15 minutes for the larger as the cakes will sink.
Decorations and fillings
1. Syrup, mix 1/2 cup--4 oz--125 gm of castor or powdered sugar with 4 tablespoons of the lemon and orange juice mixture in a pan and heat slowly until the sugar has dissolved and then boil for 5 minutes. Slowly spoon this syrup over the cupcakes whilst the cupcakes are still hot .
2.Fill with orange or lemon curd. See lemon label for the recipe or lime curd on the chutney site.
3.Make a butter frosting. Cream together 2 tablespoons of butter with 1 cup--5 oz--150 gm of confectioners or icing sugar. Add 1 tablespoon of the fruit juice and either 1 tablespoon of milk or water. Mix well. Spread onto the cupcakes.
4. Top off the cakes with fresh fruit or serve on a plate with fresh fruit at the side or fruit kebabs.

Check out the ARCHIVES for all I have done since November
Enjoy

St Patricks Day Cupcakes

These cupcakes are for St Patrick's Day. I suggest that you use a basic cupcake recipe with these variations:
1. Add grated lime and lime juice to the recipe instead of milk
2. Add green colouring to the mixture
3. Add green cherries to the mixture
4. Add angelica to the top decoration
5. Use green, white or orange cupcake cases
6. Use green sprinkles specially made for the day
I just decorated these with white icing. I made some shamrocks by using a small heart shaped cutter. I rolled out some green icing from a block of ready made icing and cut out the hearts. I arranged them to make the shamrock and cut a small bit for the stalk. I just added a few sparkle
To get lots more ideas check out
ARCHIVES
LABELS
CUPCAKE STORE

St Patrick's Day is the feast day which annually celebrates Saint Patrick (386-493), the patron saint of Ireland, on March 17. I have been to both the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland. They are both beautiful places, full of friendly people, fantastic scenery and superb food.

Egyptian Cupcakes

Well it is back to the cupcakes. We have been on holiday for two weeks in Egypt fishing on Lake Nasser and cruising between Luxor and Aswan with lots of opportunities to see all the ancient temples and tombs. Some amazing sites of the first civilisation.
These are some Egyptian cakes on the menu. I hope to try out some cupcake ideas based on these really soon.

These use filo pastry,sugar syrup and coconut . I am sure I can invent some good cupcakes with those types of ingredeients.
These look like a swiss roll filled with chocolate and sliced into cupcake sizes. I think these could be made healthly with a fatless sponge and served in cupcake cases. I will try out in the future and publish.