Blueberry No Sugar Cupcakes

These cupcakes use the Splenda cupcake recipe so they are sugar free and suitable for diabetics and those who are on a diet and still want to enjoy cupcakes but without harming their diet.
They are topped off with natural organic yogurt and a fresh blueberry. The cupcake recipe uses fresh blueberries in the mixture when baking. They could also be topped with low fat cream cheese but I prefer the tangy flavour of natural yogurt.
I added the extra interesting flavour of marjoram fresh herbs which look pretty and add aroma.

I like the cupcakes on the plain lilac coloured plate which tones well with the blueberries.

Check out the labels for more ideas and cupcakes recipes.

French Market Cakes

This French market was held in our local town. I thought that these give some good ideas fro cupcakes. I like the cream with fresh strawberries above. The cakes with orange, almonds and custard would be an interesting cake to design. The eclairs with choux pastry are a good type of cake to design a cupcake on. I love sweet and savoury choux pastry.

These coconut macaroons would be good on top of a cupcake sponge base with pineapples , rum and caramel. The baklava cakes start me off thinking about cupcakes with filo pastry, pistachios,almonds, sugar syrup and Greek food.

These are pastry with hazelnut filling. Could a cupcake be invented that rolls up and has these flavours?

Enjoy. Thanks for reading.

Pumpkin Soda , Walnut and Date Soda, Raisin and Currant Soda Cupcakes

This recipe is for an Irish Soda Bread which I make into cupcakes. I like to serve these with my soup recipes and salads. See the links to these recipes for soup and salads in the top left corner. They are good cold or warmed , sliced and served with butter. They can be garnished with salad, fresh herbs or decorated as you would a cupcake with cream cheese but top off with a salad vegetable such as a cherry tomato, cucumber or a piece of asparagus.

Recipe
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
1 cup--4 ozs dates chopped. I like the dates with the stones removed.
1 cup--4 ozs chopped walnuts
Method
Mix all the dry ingredients well in a bowl
Add the sour milk, sometimes the dough needs extra milk, it should be firm and easy to knead and shape but not sticky to touch. See the photos.
Add the dates and walnuts
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.

This shows the cupcakes sliced. The second cupcake has Pumpkin seeds added to it instead of the dates and walnuts. I would add 1 cup--4 ozs of pumpkin seeds to create these Irish soda bread pumpkin cupcakes. A second variation is adding 1 cup--4 ozs raisins and 1 cup--4 ozs currants to the mixture to make Raisin and Currant Irish Soda Cupcakes recipe

The mixture with all the ingredients put together. It is now ready for kneading and shaping into cupcake sizes.

I cut the dough into sizes to fit into my cup cases. I then assemble the cupcakes into a baking tray as below and cook.

This shows the completed Irish Soda Date and Walnut and Pumpkin Seed Cupcakes

For more ideas check out the labels on the left, the links and cupcake store.

Father's Day Golf Cupcakes

I decorated these cupcakes to look like golf greens. I used green icing as the base. I made yellow sand looking bunkers from ready made yellow sugar paste and just shaped it into bunker shapes. I made some pin flags from wooden cocktail sticks and added some paper with hole numbers. On one cupcake I just put in a clean T-peg and put a new Titleist golf ball on it. I expect many fathers would find this a fun way of getting a present. Hope it gives you some ideas for this Day. In the UK I think it is on the 17 th June. So it is not long off.These ideas could also be adapted for anyone who is keen on golf, me included. It is one of those games that really gets hold of you, a real on going physical and mental challenge.

Thanks for reading.

Mango Chutney Cupcake

I love mango chutney. We have lots of Asian restaurants in our area. The best are on Oxford road in Manchester in the area near Manchester University and called the Curry Mile. This is a brilliant area of the city with masses of places to eat at a price to suit everyone. There are Asian gold shops with lots of jewelry and Asian cake shops. Next time I go I will get some photos of the sweets and cakes and see if I can get some ideas for cupcakes.
I like to keep homemade mango chutney around to serve with cheese and Indian style food but I thought I would try the chutney inside a pineapple cupcake. The verdict was different but a good combination. My recipe for the Mango Chutney is on the link in the top left to my Chutney recipes. A pineapple cupcake was the recipe used. I took a cone of sponge out. Put in some mango chutney. Replaced the top and added a yellow cherry. It would be good dusted with gold edible powder but I have yet to find a source for this. I will search it out on the Curry Mile.
Enjoy. Thanks for reading.
Check out the labels for lots more ideas.




Check out the list on the left side for lots more cupcake recipes and decorating ideas.

Low Sugar Cupcakes

I decorated these cupcakes for my mum who is confirmed diabetic. They are to have on Memorial Day. I used cream cheese with a dash of orange juice and topped off with fresh strawberries and blueberries. I tried to use the colours of the flag to represent the stars and stripes. Have a good break and our thoughts are with all families in the U.S.A. I realise these have natural sugars but not the refined type.

Remember to check out the labels for recipes and decorating cake ideas.

Thanks for reading

Memorial Day Cupcakes

These cupcakes are for Memorial Day . I have just taken some basic vanilla cupcakes and decorated them with blue icing on the base. I then made stars using ready to roll icing and a star cutter. I used the same ready rolled icing for the stripes in white and I used piping icing for the red stripes. I hope everyone in the U.S.A. has a good Memorial Day and our thoughts in the UK are with you .

The labels on the left have lots more recipes and decorating ideas I have tried out. Thanks for reading. Crazycupcakes

Peanut Cupcakes

One of my favourite pastimes is attracting wildlife into the garden to watch. Two squirrels have recently become regulars. I decided to make Peanut Cupcakes to attract them to the garden and get some close up shots.

Ingredients

peanuts

lard or other hard fat

cupcake case

baking tray

Method

Put the cupcake case in the baking tray

Add the peanuts

Melt the lard in a pan on a gentle heat

Pour the melted lard over the peanuts

Put it in the fridge to go hard

Remove the paper case

Put in the garden for the wildlife to enjoy

Peanuts in the cupcake case

The type of lard I used

Peanuts in hot fat

The finished cupcake

One of the squirrels enjoying the recipe!!

Thanks for reading

Enjoy the live peanut cupcake action with the squirrel

Lots more recipes for cupcakes in labels on the left.

Red Wine Glazed Cupcakes

These are the ingredients to make the red wine glazes for the cupcakes. I use red wine, fresh lime juice and ground arrowroot.

I followed the proportions on the arrowroot for the powder.On my packet it was 1 1/2 teaspoons of arrowroot for every 150ml--1/4 pint of liquid

I placed red wine in the pan and added about 2 teaspoons of sugar . I added the arrowroot which I had mixed with cold wine first and then stirred together and boiled until it went thick and clear.

Arrowroot thickens sauces but creates a clear glaze but it does not have the solid effect of the red jelly packets. It remains sort of moist but creates a shiny tasty surface. I find that some of the glaze also sinks into the cupcakes and makes them very moist and good.

This is the bubbling arrowroot with red wine. I let it cool before I put on the cakes. Spoon the glaze on carefully and then let the cupcakes cool or put them in the fridge to help them set.

These are 4 cupcakes. Two have been made in petite fours or sweet cases so they are mini cupcakes. I topped these with fresh fruit, grapes and kiwi slices.

These are the cupcakes with the red wine arrowroot glaze. They remind me of the fruit glazed flans you find in French patisseries. They could have any choice of fresh fruit. The glaze could also be made from fruit juice or white wine combined with the arrowroot.

Red wine recipe for cupcakes.

Checkout the list on the left for all types of ideas for cupcakes.
Thanks for reading

Crazycupcakes

Red Jelly, Lime and Grape Cupcake

This cupcake has red jelly over fresh strawberries on a pineapple cupcake. I topped it off with fresh grapes and some slices of fresh lime to add to a sweet and sour combination of flavours.
I also like the gold cup cases which add a smart touch to the cupcake.
It is worth getting lots of cup cake cases with different patterns and colours to create a style for each occasion.
I am also collecting different plates old and new from supermarkets and charity second hand shops which have some great bargains. I like the idea of recycling as well.
Thanks for reading. Enjoy

Funny Face Cupcakes Mickey Mouse

I just had some fun adding sweets to my red jelly glaze cupcakes recipe. This would be great for children to enjoy. They could just use lots of their own inventive ideas.
One thing I have started to do is collect lots of types of sweets, biscuits and decoration products. The collection becomes an inspiration for cupcakes. Anther idea is to take photos of things you see and like and then see how these can help with a new cupcake decoration idea.
Thanks for reading
The labels list on the left has all my ideas and the cupcake store has a lot as well.

Strawberry Glazed Cupcakes

I decided to try out putting a glaze on cupcakes. I remember when I was at school being taught to make a fruit flan with an arrowroot glaze. I have gone out and bought 3 methods for glazing arrowroot, gelatin in sheets and powder and the ready made jelly packets. I tried out the ready made red jelly first. I think it looks ok and the texture is good but I think the flavour could be better.
I took some pineapple cupcakes. I had baked some cupcakes that were small inside a large muffin case so that there would be room to put in fresh fruit and a glaze.
I sliced some fresh strawberries and arranged these in a pattern on top of the cupcakes.
I then followed the instructions for the red jelly glaze which I got at the supermarket. I spooned it over the strawberries on the cupcake and left it to set. It looked ok so far.

The pineapple cupcakes with fresh strawberry slices.
The ready prepared red jelly powder packet.

The cupcakes with the red jelly glaze. I think they look good but can they be improved?

I decided to serve them with slices of fresh strawberry made to look like a flower with some chocolate and a flower made from fresh curly mint from the garden. I keep pots of fresh herbs. these are also easy to keep on a window sill and available in the supermarkets

I added chocolate shapes and mint to the cupcakes

I think they look good. You could add cream or ice cream as well.

Enjoy

Thanks for reading.

To get lots more ideas and cupcake recipes try out the list on the left and check out the cupcake store.

Enjoy

Any questions just ask.

Diabetic Cupcakes

I made these cupcakes for my mum who was 81. She is now diabetic so I have decided to try out ways of making tasty cupcakes recipes with low or no sugar. These could also be part of a low sugar diet for those trying to loose weight. With the fruit content they could be part of 5 portions of fruit or vegetables in a day. I have used pears, blueberries, raspberries and strawberries in these low calorie, low sugar diabetic cupcakes.
Ingredients
175 gm--1 1/2 cups--6 oz plain flour
1 1/2 teaspoons of baking powder
75 gm--3 oz--1/2 cup butter or margarine
14 tablespoons of Splenda low calorie sweetener
100 ml--5 fl ozs milk
2 tablespoons of honey
1 egg
1 teaspoon of vanilla essence or 1 pod with seeds scraped out
110 gm--4 ozs--1 cup of either blueberries, pears peeled cored and chopped fine or strawberries topped, washed and chopped fine. Choose one type of fruit.
Method
Pre-heat the oven to 210C--gas 6
Put paper cases into baking tray. This makes 9 cupcakes in muffin size paper cup cases. I do not over fill but prefer smaller cupcakes so I have room for a topping.
Sieve the flour and baking powder together and put into a separate bowl.
In another bowl beat the margarine or butter with the Splenda and honey until light and fluffy.
Add the vanilla essence and the egg and beat well.
Add half the flour mixture to the other mixture and all the milk. Stir well. Add the rest of the flour mixture.
Add the fruit of your choice and fold in gently.
Spoon the batter -mixture into the cup cases.
Put into the oven in the top half of the oven.
Cook for 15 minutes. Do not open the oven until this time or the cupcakes will collapse.
Check to see if they are done.
Stick a wood cocktail stick in if it comes out clean they are done . If you touch the surface of a cupcake and it is springy to the touch it is done. If not leave longer in the oven. Depending on the size they can take 15 to 20 minutes.
Remove. Cool on a wire tray.
I then topped with lime cream cheese and a raspberry.
Lime Cream Cheese
I took 1 dessert spoon of low fat cream cheese for each cupcake and placed it into a bowl. I added the juice of half a lime, the finely grated rind of half a lime and 2 teaspoons of Splenda. I mixed well and spread onto each cupcake and topped off with a raspberry. This was tangy and refreshing in flavour.


The completed diabetic cupcakes with the lime cream cheese topping.

Fresh fruit ingredients can be part of a diabetic diet or any one trying to eat ahealthy diet.

Mixing the flour and milk to the butter and Splenda mixture.

The 9 cupcakes go into the oven.

The cooked diabetic cupcakes recipes. I made 3 fruit types to try out the flavours, they were all good.

Bhudda Day Cupcakes

These are the cupcakes in more detail for Buddha Day. I think that they look best on that circular plate with sweet cocktails and all sorts of day glow decorations to create the mood but it is worth having a closer look to get cupcake decorating ideas that are easy to do and kids will love as well. This is a vanilla cupcake recipe topped off with lime curd, see chutney link for recipe for lime, lemon and orange curds. I then added jelly beans and shiny balls. I thought the colours go with the clashing of colours and patterns you can see in the costumes at the festivals in Bhutan.

This is a pineapple cupcake that has had a cone removed and filled with fresh pineapple sauce. I then added red, green and yellow glace cherries and topped off with a sweet and a flower decoration that I bought at the local supermarket. I thought the flower and clashing colours went with the Buddhist pictures from Bhutan. The cake also contains glace cherries and coconut so it is a textural delight to the tongue.

This cupcake is a pineapple cupcake topped with icing. The icing is the type you can buy in tubes with nozzles supplied. I chose these clashing colours as this combination is seen a lot in Buddhist Art in Bhutan.

This is a basic vanilla cupcake recipe, topped off with icing coloured bright yellow and sweets added and shiny ball decorations. I tried to use clashing colours as seen in Buddhist Art.

This is a vanilla cupcake recipe topped with yellow icing. I then made the shapes with transparent sweets and added shiny balls, following the patterns of Buddhist flower designs.
This is a pineapple based cupcake recipe. It is filled with fresh pineapple sauce and topped off with a red glace cherry and angelica cut into diamond shapes. I like the deep green colour of the angelica and also its texture when eaten.

Cupcakes for Buddha Day

I have made these cupcakes and decorated them in a style which uses ideas from the pictures of Buddhist festivals in Bhutan. I made the spiral from edible rice paper and added sweets. I love the bright clashing colours and patterns in Buddhist Art. I have tried to get the feel of this in each cupcake. I have added sweet kebabs to the plate and other sweets with bright colours. Since I was small I have always liked the little cocktail parasols. These remind me of those types of parasols that are used in Buddhist festivals so I added them to the decoration of the cupcakes. The whole idea came from the hats worn in the Bhutan Festivals in the previous post. The background shows some coloured prayer flags I brought back from Bhutan. I will go over each cupcake again in detail in the next post.
Hope these give you some visual ideas.
Thanks for reading.