Читать книгу The Hummingbird Bakery Cake Days: Recipes to make every day special - Tarek Malouf, Tarek Malouf - Страница 34

ESPRESSO CUPCAKES

A cupcake version of a perfect caffeine shot! We’ve decorated the cakes with chocolate coffee beans, which can be bought online or from most chocolate shops.

Makes 12–16 cupcakes

FOR THE SPONGE

240ml (8½fl oz) milk

20g (¾oz) instant espresso powder

80g (3oz) unsalted butter, softened

280g (10oz) caster sugar

240g (8½oz) plain flour

1 tbsp baking powder

¼ tsp salt

2 large eggs

FOR THE FROSTING

50ml (1¾fl oz) whole milk

16g (½oz) instant espresso powder

500g (1lb 2oz) icing sugar

160g (5½oz) unsalted butter, softened

36–48 chocolate-coated coffee beans, to decorate

One or two 12-hole

deep muffin tins

1. Preheat the oven to 190°C (375°F), Gas mark 5, and fill a muffin tin with muffin cases.

2. Lightly warm the milk, without boiling it, and dissolve the espresso powder in it. Using a hand-held electric whisk or a freestanding electric mixer with the paddle attachment, beat together the butter, sugar, flour, baking powder and salt on a low speed until they are like fine breadcrumbs in consistency.

3. Pour the coffee-flavoured milk into a jug, add the eggs and whisk by hand until combined. Pour three-quarters of this milk mixture into the dry ingredients and mix together on a low speed, then increase the speed to medium and keep beating until smooth and thick. Scrape down the sides of the bowl, then pour in the rest of the milk mixture and continue to beat on a medium speed until everything is mixed together and you have a smooth batter.

4. Divide this between the muffin cases, filling each case by two-thirds. If any batter remains, use this to fill up to four more cases in a separate tin. Bake in the oven for 18–20 minutes or until risen and springy to the touch. Leave in the tin for a few minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely before adding the frosting.

5. As before, slightly warm the milk and dissolve the espresso powder in it. Set aside to cool completely before using.

6. Using the electric whisk or freestanding mixer with the paddle attachment, set on a low speed, whisk the icing sugar with the butter until they are fully combined and the mixture is sandy in consistency. Slowly start to add the coffee-flavoured milk, then, once mixed in, increase the speed to high and whisk until light and fluffy.

7. Place spoonfuls of frosting on to the cold cupcakes, smoothing the tops with a palette knife and swirling to finish. Decorate each cake with three chocolate-coated coffee beans.