These lemon poppyseed cupcakes are time perfect tea time treat for both adults and kids.

SERVES 14  •  TOTAL TIME  45 min, plus cooling

Yoghurt ⅔ cup
Vegetable oil  ⅔ cup
Eggs 3
Zest of lemons 3 lemons
Caster sugar 300 g
Self-raising flour 300 g
Salt ½ tsp
Poppy seeds, plus extra for garnish 40 g

FOR THE LEMON BUTTER ICING
Butter, room temperature 250 g
Icing sugar, sifted 500 g
Lemon juice 3 tbsp
Zest from lemon 1 lemon

1. Preheat the oven to 180ºC and line a 12-hole muffin tin.

2. Whisk together the yoghurt, oil and eggs. In a separate bowl, rub the lemon zest into the caster sugar, then combine with the remaining ingredients. Pour in the egg mixture and mix to form a smooth batter. 

3. Fill the cupcake liners two-thirds full with batter.

4. Bake for 12–15 minutes until golden and the cake springs back when poked.

FOR THE LEMON BUTTER ICING

1. Beat the butter in a bowl until light and creamy.

2. Mix in the icing sugar in three batches, then mix for 2 more minutes until smooth and fluffy.

3. Mix in the lemon juice and zest.

TO ASSEMBLE

1. Dollop or pipe the lemon butter icing onto the cooled cupcakes. Decorate with a sprinkle of poppyseed, lemonzest and edible flower, if desired.

Recipes & styling: Sjaan van der Ploeg
Photography: callen jefferson/hmimages.co.za

Cupcakes are one of our favorite childhood treats, but instead of having regular chocolate or vanilla ones, why not have mojito cupcakes?

The post Lemon Poppyseed Cupcakes appeared first on MyKitchen.

Who doesn’t love a good cupcake? Go ahead and try these fun ideas at your next birthday bash!

Lemon poppyseed cupcakes 
SERVES 14  •  TOTAL TIME  45 min, plus cooling

Yoghurt ⅔ cup

Vegetable oil  ⅔ cup

Eggs 3

Zest of lemons 3 lemons

Caster sugar 300 g

Self-raising flour 300 g

Salt ½ tsp

Poppy seeds, plus extra for garnish 40 g

FOR THE LEMON BUTTER ICING

Butter, room temperature 250 g

Icing sugar, sifted 500 g

Lemon juice 3 tbsp

Zest from lemon 1 lemon

1. Preheat the oven to 180ºC and line a 12-hole muffin tin.

2. Whisk together the yoghurt, oil and eggs. In a separate bowl, rub the lemon zest into the caster sugar, then combine with the remaining ingredients. Pour in the egg mixture and mix to form a smooth batter. 

3. Fill the cupcake liners two-thirds full with batter.

4. Bake for 12–15 minutes until golden and the cake springs back when poked.

FOR THE LEMON BUTTER ICING

1. Beat the butter in a bowl until light and creamy.

2. Mix in the icing sugar in three batches, then mix for 2 more minutes until smooth and fluffy.

3. Mix in the lemon juice and zest.

TO ASSEMBLE

1. Dollop or pipe the lemon butter icing onto the cooled cupcakes. Decorate with a sprinkle of poppyseed, lemonzest and edible flower, if desired.

Red velvet & toasted marshmallow
SERVES 18  •  TOTAL TIME  1 hr, plus cooling

FOR THE CUPCAKES

Flour 1 ¾ cups

Cocoa 3 tbsp

Baking powder ¾ tsp

Salt ½ tsp

Sugar 1 ½ cups

Vegetable oil ¾ cup

Eggs 2

Vanilla essence 2 tsp

Red food colouring 2 tbsp

Buttermilk 1 cup

Bicarbonate of soda 1 tsp

White vinegar 1 tsp

FOR THE MARSHMALLOW TOPPING

Egg whites 3 

Cream of tartar ¼ tsp

Granulated sugar ¾ cup

Vanilla extract ¾ tsp

FOR THE CUPCAKES

1. Preheat the oven to 180ºC. Line two 12-hole muffin tins with cupcake wrappers.

2. Sift together the flour, cocoa, baking powder and salt. Set aside.

3. Add the sugar and oil to the bowl of a stand mixer and beat until the oil is incorporated. Add the eggs one at a time, beating in between
each addition. Add the vanilla and the food colouring, then beat until thoroughly combined.

4. Add the dry ingredients and the buttermilk to the sugar mixture in alternating batches, beginning and ending with the flour. Beat the batter until the flour is just incorporated.

5. Add the bicarb and vinegar to a small glass and mix to incorporate. Add this mixture to the batter and beat through for 15 seconds until well combined.

6. Spoon the batter into the muffin holes – try adding the same amountsto each hole. We spooned four tablespoons (about 60 g) of batter into each cupcake holder.

7. Bake for 20 minutes, until the cupcakes bounce back when poked. Take out of the oven and allow to cool for 5 minutes in the tray, then remove.

Recipes & styling: Sjaan van der Ploeg
Photography: callen jefferson/hmimages.co.za

Cupcakes are one of our favorite childhood treats, but instead of having regular chocolate or vanilla ones, why not have mojito cupcakes?

The post 2 Delicious And Decadent Cupcake Recipes appeared first on MyKitchen.

Cupcakes are one of our favorite childhood treats, but instead of having regular chocolate or vanilla ones, why not have mojito cupcakes?

SERVES 10  •  TOTAL TIME  55 min, plus cooling and refrigeration 

For the lime ganache 

Cream 100 g

Zest of a lime ½ lime

White chocolate, finely chopped 100 g

For the mojito cupcakes

Butter 125 g

Caster sugar 125 g

Eggs 2

Juice and zest 1 lime

Rum 2 tsp

Milk 3 tbsp

Self-raising flour 125 g

For the lime-mint sugar

Caster sugar ½ cup

Lime zest 2 tsp

Freshly chopped mint leaves 2 tsp

Fresh mint leaves, to garnish

Lime wedges, to garnish

For the lime ganache 

1. Place the cream in a microwave-safe bowl and add the zest. Heat in 15 second bursts until scalding. Infuse for 10 min.

2. Strain the cream over the chopped chocolate and microwave until it is completely melted and smooth. Store in the fridge overnight, or until chilled.

3. Pour into a large bowl and whip until it is thick and spreadable. Cover and refrigerate until ready to use.

For the mojito cupcakes

1.  Preheat the oven to 180ºC and line a 12-hole muffin tin. 

2. Beat together the butter and sugar until light. Add the eggs one at a time, beating well between each addition.

3. Add the lime juice and zest, rum and milk and beat through. Fold in the sifted flour until just combined.

4. Spoon the batter into the cupcake holders until about two-thirds full. Bake for 12–15 minutes until the cupcake springs back when touched.

For the lime-mint sugar

1. Add the sugar and lime to a bowl and rub together using your fingers to infuse. Stir through the mint leaves.

To assemble

1. Scoop dollops of the ganache onto the cupcakes and swirl with a spoon. Top with a sprinkle of lime-mint sugar, a mint leaf and lime wedge.

Recipes & styling: Sjaan van der Ploeg
Photography: Callen Jefferson/hmimages.co.za

This green tea panna cotta with black sesame praline is one boujee dessert. And believe it or not, it’s actually pretty easy to make!

The post Mojito Cupcakes appeared first on MyKitchen.

Who doesn’t love cupcakes? Go ahead and try these carrot cake ones at your next birthday bash!

SERVES 15  •  TOTAL TIME  50 min, plus cooling

For the cupcakes

Flour 150 g

Baking powder 1 tbsp

Bicarbonate of soda ¾ tsp

Mixed spice 7.5 ml

Salt ½ tsp

Sugar ¾ cup

Oil ⅔ cup

Eggs 2

Carrots, grated 1 cup 

Tin crushed pineapple, drained ½ cup

Pecan nuts, chopped   cup, plus extra to garnish 

Apricot jam, warmed 2 tbsp

For the cream cheese frosting

Butter, softened 70 g

Cream cheese 230 g

Icing sugar, sifted 2 cups

For the cupcakes

1. Preheat the oven to 180ºC and line a 12-hole muffin tin. 

2. Sift together the flour, baking powder, bicarb, mixed spice and salt. Set aside.

3. Using an electric mixer, whisk  together the sugar and oil. Add the eggs and beat until light.

4. Add the carrots, pineapple, pecan nuts and jam, then beat until combined.

5. Sift the dry ingredients over the wet mixture and beat until just combined. 

6. Fill the cupcake liners about two-thirds of the way with batter.

7.  Bake for 12–15 minutes, until the cake brings back when poked. Cool for 5 minutes in the tray, then remove the cupcakes and set on a wire rack.

For the cream cheese frosting

1. Whisk the butter until it is pale and creamy.

2. Add the cream cheese and mix until combined.

3. Add the icing sugar in three batches, scraping down the side of the bowl between additions and mixing until just combined. 

4. Spoon the icing into a piping bag fitted with a star nozzle and pipe onto each cupcake. Decorate with extra chopped pecan nuts.

Recipes & styling: Sjaan van der Ploeg
Photography: Callen Jefferson/hmimages.co.za

There is no one on earth who would turn their noses up at this chocolate Yule log, even if they aren’t a fan of chocolate!

The post Carrot Cake Cupcakes appeared first on MyKitchen.

The cutest (and tastiest) party treats are here! Get creative with the kids this summer holiday and try these cupcake cones.

MAKES 12 // COOKING TIME 2 hours

INGREDIENTS
For the vanilla cake batter
250 g unsalted butter
400 g sugar
4 large eggs
1 tsp vanilla essence
375 g cake flour
3 tsp baking powder
½ tsp salt
250 ml milk
For the buttercream icing
1 kg icing sugar
500 g unsalted butter
2 tbsp milk
For the cupcake cones
½ batch vanilla cake batter
½ batch buttercream icing
1 tsp pink food colouring
12 sugar cones
80 g milk or dark chocolate, melted, to decorate
12 maraschino cherries
Sprinkles, to decorate

METHOD
For the vanilla cake batter
1. Beat butter until creamy. Beat in sugar, 1 tbsp at a time, until fully incorporated. Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating until light and fluffy. Add vanilla essence.
2. In another bowl, sift cake flour, baking powder and salt.
3. Add the flour mixture to the butter mixture and beat until half-mixed. Add milk and beat until just incorporated.
For the buttercream icing
1. Beat together icing sugar and butter until light and fluffy.
2. Add the milk and beat for another 3 minutes, to make the icing a little more spreadable.
For the cupcake cones
1. Preheat oven to 160°C.
2. Line a muffin tray with cupcake wrappers (check that the wrappers fit into the cones).
3. Fill each wrapper ¾-way with batter. Bake for 12–15 minutes, until a skewer comes out clean.
4. Remove from the muffin tray and place on a rack to cool.
5. Mix icing and food colouring, and pour into a piping bag with a star nozzle.
6. Peel wrappers off cupcakes and place in each cone (stand upright by placing in glasses). Ice each one, piping in a swirl to look like soft-serve ice cream.
7. Drizzle with melted chocolate, and add a cherry and sprinkles.

Recipe & styling: Diane Heierli
Photography: Christoph Heierli

Obsessed with the novelty of cones? Make these pizza cones!

The post Vanilla cupcake cones with buttercream icing appeared first on MyKitchen.

Red velvet cupcakes are a dessert perfect for any occasion! But why stick to just red? You can have fun with all sort of colours in this recipe.

MAKES 12 // COOKING TIME 35 min, plus cooling time

INGREDIENTS
For the red velvet cupcakes
250 g flour
2 tbsp cocoa, sifted
2 tsp baking powder
½ tsp bicarbonate of soda
100 g unsalted butter, softened
200 g caster sugar
2 large eggs
175 ml buttermilk
2 tbsp red food colouring
2 tsp vanilla essence
1 tsp apple cider vinegar
For the cream cheese icing
250 g icing sugar
250 g cream cheese, softened
60 g unsalted butter, softened

METHOD
For the red velvet cupcakes
1. Preheat oven to 180°C. Line a muffin tray with 12 paper cases.
2. Mix the flour, cocoa, baking powder and bicarb in a bowl.
3. In another bowl, cream the butter and sugar. When you have a soft, pale mixture, beat in the eggs, one at a time.
4. Add the buttermilk, food colouring, vanilla essence and vinegar. Mix well.
5. Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients. Using an electric beater, mix on a high speed until everything is fully incorporated.
6. Divide the batter between the 12 cases.
7. Bake for 20 minutes, or until a skewer comes out clean. Leave the cupcakes on a wire rack to cool completely.
For the cream cheese icing
1. Sift the icing sugar into a mixing bowl.
2. Add the cream cheese and butter. Using an electric beater, mix until smooth.
3. Ice the cooled cupcakes.

Recipe & styling: Diane Heierli
Photography: Christoph Heierli

The post Go colour crazy with these classic red velvet cupcakes appeared first on MyKitchen.