LIME CURD AND GINGER CUPCAKES

These cupcakes have their centre taken out and filled with lime curd(see chutney link for the recipe). I use a sharp knife, insert it on the side and cut around in a circle pointing the blade at an angle to the centre so that I remove a cone of sponge. I then fill the centre with lime curd or you could add cream cheese such as marscapone which you have creamed and added lime juice and grated lime rind to make a tangy filling for the cupcakes. Replace the cone onto the cupcakes.

These cupcakes have then been topped off with lime curd, marscapone cream cheese and fine slices of fresh lime.
Chilli, Lime and Ginger cupcakes an adult cupcake cocktail to enjoy with a long fresh fruit drink .
This cupcake has been garnished with slices of fresh sweet peppers and slices of fresh chillis to make a sophisticated adult cupcake.

Remember to check out the Archives and cupcake store for lots more ideas. Enjoy

LIME, PINEAPPLE, GINGER CUPCAKES

These cupcakes use the Gingerbread Cupcakes Recipe. This is then combined with the exotic flavours of lime curd, pineapple and coconut. The fruit flavours work really well with the ginger. The moist, light sponge of the ginger combines with the creamy texture of the lime curd and I have made butter cream or butter frosting with the added flavour of fresh chopped root ginger.

The recipe for Lime Curd is on the link to the Chutney site. This recipe also works for Lemon and Orange Curd. This recipe is in the archive for October 2006.

This shows how to easily cover cupcakes with coconut. Empty some coconut onto a plate. Spread lime curd over the top of the cupcakes and then turn upside down and gently dip into the coconut. Turn the right way up and the cupcake has been covered.



This Ginger Cupcake has been covered with lime curd and then topped off with fresh pineapple, a slice of fresh lime and a glace cherry.

This cupcake has had a cone removed from the centre, filled with lime curd and the cone replaced. I then made some Ginger Butter Icing using, Ingredients:1/4 cup--2oz--50gm butter or margarine, 1/2 cup--4 oz--125gm icing sugar, 1/2 teaspoon of milk of extracted juice. Method: Get the butter to room temperature and cream in a bowl. Add the icing sugar, use a sieve to remove any lumps and then cream with a wooden spoon or with a mixer. Add the milk or juice. Add extra if it is still to dry. It is now ready to use. To make it more tangy add 1 teaspoon of fresh ginger chopped as fine as you can. I put the Ginger Butter Icing on the top of the cupcakes and then dipped it into coconut. I topped it off with fresh pineapple and a fancy cocktail decoration. This butter cream would also be good with a 1/2 teaspoon of a liquor such as Cointreau, Cherry brandy, Brandy or Benedictine to give a real exotic flavour and create Liquor Butter icing. If you put in too much liquid add some extra icing sugar and mix in
Cocktail Cupcakes with exotic liquors and parasol decorations

Coconut and Pineapple Cupcakes with Lime and Ginger Cupcake recipe base.

GINGERBREAD CUPCAKES RECIPE

Gingerbread Cupcakes Recipe
This recipe makes soft, moist and tasty cupcakes that can then be filled with different types of filling such as lime, lemon, orange and pineapple. They can also have icings and frostings with flavours and different textures such as coconut, yoghurt and cream cheese.
Ingredients
This makes 32 small cupcakes, half the ingredients for 16 large cupcakes.
4 oz or 4 tablespoons of black treacle
4 oz or 4 tablespoons of golden syrup
1 cup--8 oz--225gm butter or margarine
1 cup--8 oz--225gm brown sugar
3 cups--12oz--340gm plain flour (I used white but wholemeal may be good as well)
2 desertspoons of ground ginger
2 teaspoons of cinnamon
2 eggs (I always buy free range from the supermarket)
1/2 pint--1/4 litre of milk
2 teaspoons of bicarbonate of soda
Method
Put out 2 trays and fill with 32 large cupcake cases.
Put the flour, ginger and cinnamon into a large bowl, set aside.
Weigh the margarine/butter and the sugar, put on one side on a plate.
Take a large non-stick pan (I prefer to use a non-stick pan for this) place it onto your scales and weigh it. Make a note of this weight, leave the pan on the scales so you can check the weight.
Take a tablespoon and dip it into boiling water, use this spoon to weigh out the black treacle and syrup into the non- stick pan.
Put the pan on the stove with the syrup and black treacle, heat gently.
Add the sugar and butter/margarine to the syrup/treacle, melt together until the sugar has dissolved stir with a wooden spoon.
Add the melted ingredients to the flour and spices in the large bowl, mix together by hand with the wooden spoon.
Add the 2 eggs to this and beat well in with the wooden spoon.
Put the bicarbonate of soda into a bowl.
In another pan heat the milk until it is warm to touch, add the milk to the bicarbonate of soda in the bowl, mix and then add this to the gingerbread mixture in the large bowl, mix it all well together.
Divide the mixture out into the 32 cupcake cases, they should be half full. Use a hot spoon to make it easier.
Cook in the centre of the oven for 20 minutes, put the 2 trays in together leaving room for cupcakes to expand.
Test by sticking a wooden cocktail stick into a cupcake. If the stick comes out clean they are ready.
Cool on a wire tray.

This shows Gingerbread Cupcakes baked in two different sizes of cup cases. The larger needs to be cooked for 20 minutes the smaller for 12 minutes. The size you choose depends on how you want to decorate the cupcakes.

This shows the gingerbread cupcakes in the oven. The cupcases are only half filled as the mixture does rise quite a lot and the end result was cupcakes that are level with the top of the cupcase. This was perfect for the type of fillings I wanted to do. Below are the cupcakes cooling on the rack. They are really delicious just warm like this with a blob of butter on them or you can let them cool and try different fillings for them.

Remember to look at the Archives and store for lots more ideas and cupcakes recipes.

Enjoy and please let me know how you get on with any of my cupcake ideas.

CHOCOLATE GINGER CUPCAKE

CHOCOLATE GINGER CUPCAKE
The chocolate ginger cupcake is the one at the front. It has crystalised ginger chopped into the basic chocolate cupcake recipe and then the chocolate icing on the top and to finish off more chopped pieces of crystalsed ginger. These are so delicious. The combination of organic chocolate and ginger is superb.
INGREDIENTS
3/4 cup--6oz--175gm butter or margarine
3/4 cup--6oz--175gm castor sugar
1 cup--4oz--115gm self-raising flour
1/2 cup--2oz--60gm cocoa
1/2 cup--2oz--60gm chopped crystalised ginger for the cake mixture and more ginger chopped to decorate the top of the cakes.
1/2 teaspoon of vanilla extract
3 eggs
1 tablespoon of warm water
METHOD
Cream butter or margarine with the castor sugar in a large bowl. Add the vanilla extract. Beat in the eggs one at a time. Add the chopped ginger. Sift in the flour and the cocoa. Fold in. Add the water. Place the mixture in individual cupcake cases in a baking tray. Cook at gas 5--190C--375F for 12 t0 15 minutes.

CHOCOLATE ICING
3/4 cup--4oz--110gm dark cooking chocolate, the type you like
1/2 cup--4oz--110gm butter
2 1/2 cups--10oz--290gm icing sugar
warm water or strong black coffee(choose which you like)
METHOD
Put a pan on the stove with a small amount of boiling water. Place a bowl over the top. Put the chocolate in here to melt. In another bowl cream the butter. Add the melted chocolate to the butter, mix. Gradually add the icing sugar and mix well, add the water or coffee in teaspoons to keep the mixture runny and creamy enough to use as icing. I like it quite firm. when the cupcakes have cooled ice each one. I keep a mug of hot water at the side to moisten my spreading knife.
Enjoy