cupcake, anyone?

Just a quick post today. I made a cupcake of the knitted variety for my friend's birthday last week (because who wouldn't want a big, knitted cupcake?!) and couldn't resist taking a couple of cute photographs before packing it up to post. I love how disproportionately massive it looks next to the crockery. It makes me giggle.

I'm so pleased that I've finally found a use for the tiny beads which have been lurking in my craft stash for many years. No cupcake is complete without hundreds and thousands sprinkles.

Somewhat annoyingly the white yarn kept going slack between my double pointed needles, no matter how tight I pulled the stitches, so the tension looks a bit weird in the "icing" section. I think the yarn was perhaps a bit too thin for the job. Thankfully the stuffing is also white so it doesn't spoil the overall effect.

I also had problems getting started with this pattern as my brain struggles to understand how to begin working in the round on double pointed needles. I always end up going backwards or somehow working inside out(?!) In the end I had to get my Mum to start then I took over after a couple of rows. Once it's established I'm fine. I'd better improve though as I'd like to knit mitts or socks next.

Edit: If you also want to knit a cute cupcake the pattern can be downloaded for free (yay!) on Ravelry. It's "Yummy Scrummy Cupcakes" by Sandra Paul.

strawberry and cream cake

After the success of last year's Wimbledon final cake I decided to make another this year. I didn't write out a recipe last time so I thought the cake was worth documenting again.

This is such a pretty, summery cake. I love the simplicity of a dusting of icing sugar and the freshness of strawberries and cream.

I also love when a filling squidges when you cut into the cake. There's strawberry jam and whipped cream sandwiched between the sponges here which makes for a satisfying squidge.

A couple of folk last time asked whether the strawberries made the sponges soggy and I think the trick to avoiding that is to keep the strawberry chunks fairly small and not to add too many. I also gave them a light coating of flour before incorporating them into the cake batter.

I don't think I have anything else new to say about the cake. The combination of vanilla flecked sponge with strawberries, cream and jam is a winner. The only bummer is that the cake needs to be kept in the fridge due to the cream filling, but then again, you may find this cake won't last longer than one sitting. It's pretty good.

Strawberry and cream cake

sponges:

200g margarine/ softened butter

200g golden caster sugar

3 large eggs

1 tsp vanilla bean paste

200g self raising flour

100g strawberries, chopped into relatively small chunks - lightly coated in flour

filling:

300ml pot of double cream - lightly whipped

generous spoonfuls of strawberry jam 

icing sugar for dusting

extra strawberries for decoration

Preheat the oven to 180C/160C Fan/Gas 4. Grease two 18cm/7 inch round cake tins and line the bases with baking parchment. In a large bowl beat together the margarine and sugar for about 5 minutes until light and fluffy. Add the eggs to the mixture one at a time, beating well after each addition. Add a tablespoon of the flour with the last egg to prevent the mixture from splitting. Add the vanilla bean paste and flour and mix everything together until fully combined. Stir in the strawberry chunks until evenly distributed.

Divide the mixture between the cake tins and bake on the middle shelf of the oven for approx. 30 minutes until well risen, light golden and spring back when touched. Leave to cool in the tins for a few minutes before turning out onto a wire rack to finish cooling.

Once cool, sandwich the cakes together with whipped cream and strawberry jam. Decorate the top of the cake with a dusting of icing sugar and halves of strawberries. 

This is best eaten on the day of serving although it will keep for a couple of days if covered and kept in the fridge.