Sprinkles .... balls ..... Sprinkles ..... Balls

A nightmare happened in the Morton household this afternoon.

We were invited to a friend’s house after the school run and my husband pipes up that they’re expecting cakes! After rushing around and making sure I had ingredients, I look up to see him grinning.

It was all a ruse and I’d been well and truly ‘done over’! Anyway, they were half-made by this point and I was quite excited about the prospect of a new post to populate my latest obsession – this blog!

These cakes are easy-to-make and tasted yummy. They went down a treat with the adults and kids alike – check out the picture of one of them being devoured below!

These delicious cakes are from a recipe inside The Hummingbird Bakery Cookbook . This is the first offering from the London-based company. Their American cupcakes have gone down a storm in the UK and they have three shops in the capital. Check out their website: http://hummingbirdbakery.com/

This was my first-ever cupcake book and I have read and reread it, splattered it with buttercream from my over-zealous beating and even licked it when I’ve dropped some of my cake mix on the directions!

Even better news is that there’s a second book coming out in March. I’ve pre-ordered mine from Amazon. The Hummingbird Bakery Cake Days: recipes to make every day special is currently a bargain on there £10, instead of the usual £20. Get over there now!

 

Banana and chocolate cupcakes

Makes 12

Ingredients
120g plain flour
140g caster sugar
1 tablespoon baking powder
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground ginger
A pinch of salt
80g unsalted butter, at room temperature
120ml whole milk
2 eggs (medium)
120g peeled banana, mashed 

Chocolate Frosting
300g icing sugar, sifted
100g unsalted butter, at room temperature
40g cocoa powder, sifted
40ml whole milk
40g dark chocolate, grated with a cheese grater into shavings or sprinkles of choice

A 12-hole cupcake tray, lined with paper cases

 
Preheat the oven to 170oC/325oF/Gas 3.

Put the flour, sugar, baking powder, cinnamon, ginger, salt and butter in a freestanding electric mixer with a paddle attachment and beat on slow speed until you get a sandy consistency and everything is combined.

Slowly pour the milk into the flour mixture, beating well until all the ingredients are well mixed. Add the eggs and beat well (scrape any unmixed ingredients from the side of the bowl with a rubber spatula).

Stir in the mashed bananas by hand until evenly dispersed.

Spoon the mixture into the paper cases until two-thirds full and bake in the preheated oven for about 20 minutes, or until light golden and the sponge bounces back when touched. Leave the cupcakes to cool slightly in the tray before turning out onto a wire cooling rack to cool completely.

When the cupcakes are cold, spoon the Chocolate Frosting on top and finish with chocolate shavings or sprinkles.

Frosting instructions
Beat the icing sugar, butter and cocoa powder together in a freestanding electric mixer with a paddle attachment on medium-slow speed until the mixture comes together and is well mixed.
Turn the mixer down to slow speed.
Add the milk to the butter mixture a couple of tablespoons at a time.
Once all the milk has been incorporated, turn the mixer up to high speed. Continue beating until the frosting is light and fluffy, about 5 minutes. The longer the frosting is beaten, the fluffier and lighter it becomes.
Decorate with sprinkles – the gaudier the better!

Toby eating chocolate and banana muffins