Share & Share Alike

I've had a great response to the q's I posted earlier. Of course you can share your recipes Fairy Betty, the more the merrier.
As for your q, I think it could be the oven, but more often than not it's probably human error - just make sure you beat the mix till your arms hurt, then fold the flour in using a "figure of 8" motion (this also adds air to the batter). Give it a try. Let me know how they rise.

PS Tinkersam does not know Lulu (apparently).

Cake Fairy xx

Vanilla or carrot? To rise or not to rise?

Two very interseting q's floated my way today, from Tinkersam (who I know VERY well, Lulu) and Victoria Sponge.

Carrot for a cupcake? yes of course. I love carrot cake, but I enjoy it more as a big slab with cream cheese frosting. With pecans. If I make cupcakes, I always eat at least 3, so why not make a BIG cake and have bigger pieces? Good either way, better as a whole cake.

The rising issue has always been a bakers' problem. I measure a tsp of baking powder, and throw a pinch in for "good luck." I fill the cases/liners about 2/3rds of the way up, this way they should rise above the tops and be quite even. Always bake your cakes for at least 20 mins BEFORE opening the oven door, and make sure your cakes are baked in the middle of the oven, not the top or near the bottom. You can also try giving your butter & sugar an extra mixing, until the batter is really pale in color and forms peaks. Doing this makes the mix extra light which will help with the rising. If you are still having probs Victoria Sponge, let me know and we'll try something else...don't know what though....!!!

Send your questions & queries to me, Doctor Cake Fairy....

Chat soon

Cake Fairy xx

Ultimate British Cupcake

My good friend Fairy Betty has asked me what I would consider the "Ultimate" British Cupcake. I would have to say that it is probably just a vanilla cake with royal icing, basically the recipe I have posted for you all. This is the cupcake I have always made & loved, my girls love them, it reminds me of England and makes me feel good when I bake them. I think everyone has their own version of the cupcake they know & love, we Brits tend to stick to vanilla, and not be very experimental. I have defiantely enjoyed experimenting with different concoctions but I have to say I do love a lemon cupcake too....If we're talking cakes though, I would say without a shadow of a doubt that a Victoria Sponge is the Ultimate Brit Cake....hmm, jam & butter icing...say no more....

Origin of Fairy Cake Cafe

Dearest cupcake lovers

I was thinking yesterday that some of you are probably wondering why "fairy cake" instead of "cupcake." I am English born and raised and now dwell in Pennsylvania, (where I have discovered many many wonderful new baking recipes that I had never heard of eg bearclaws/monkey bread/etc) and for as long as I can remember, Mommies, Grandmommies, Aunts in the UK introduce their kids to baking by making fairy cakes with them. A fairy cake is just a classic vanilla cupcake but with royal icing, not cream cheese or butter cream icing. I used to make them with my Nan & Mom, and now I make them with my girls who love to lick the icing off the spoons afterwards! Fairy cakes are a staple at birthday parties, coffee mornings, get-togethers and now of course brides all over are reminiscing back to childhood by having fairy cakes in layers at their weddings! So when I was thinking of a name for the cafe, I had to bring a little bit of my British childhood to my little space in America, so "The Fairy Cake Cafe" was born.

Here is the recipe for English Fairy Cakes ( the measurements are in ounces, so sorry to everyone for having to convert to cups!)

Chat soon

Cake Fairy xx


Fairy Cakes
Makes 20-24

Preheat oven 350 degrees
Line cupcake pans with liners

8oz Self rising flour
8oz fine granulated sugar
8oz butter (at room temp)
4 eggs
2 tbsp milk
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
1 tsp vanilla extract
(food coloring optional)

Royal icing:
Confectioners sugar
warm water
a few drops of food coloring

I have always made these by hand, but you can use an electric mixer if you wish.
Cream together the butter & sugar until light in color and fluffy. Add the eggs & vanilla, and beat to mix. Add flour & salt & powder and mix using a figure of 8 stroke. Add food coloring if you want. Fill liners 2/3rds full, and bake for 20/22 mins until light golden brown. Let cool completely before icing.

To make the icing, put about 2 cups of confectioners sugar in a bowl, and add warm water a teaspoon at a time to make a thick-ish paste. If it's too runny it will not sit on the cake. Add food coloring and decorate to your hearts content! Add sprinkles/jemmies etc. Enjoy!

Cupcake books a plenty!

Dearest cupcake lovers

Have just returned from another trip to B&N...last week I was able to get the 2 Magnolia books, and I have just purchased Hey There Cupcake for inspiration. I seem to be buying all the cupcake books available ( I like the pictures) and not spending enough time in the kitchen actually creating! I must remedy this....But I do love to sit down with a cup of coffee and a cake and peruse the pages. I find that I have sparks of imagination for names, flavors, decorations when I read... Anyway, am planning on a peanut butter cake soon, well it's actually a choc cake with pb cream cheese icing...mmmm...yumm.......so I will let you know how they turn out. I've bought some lovely mixing bowls, pink, lemon & blue...they will look nice on a shelf in the cafe.

Anyhoo

Chat soon

Cake Fairy xx

THE FAIRY CAKE CAFE

Dear Cupcake lovers everywhere!

Welcome to my blog about me & my search for the perfect cupcake on the way to opening my cafe "The Fairy Cake Cafe!"

I aim to tell you all about the cakes I am trying out- made a killer batch of lemon bonbon cupcakes last week, (didn' last long.....) & please feel free to comment on recipes/pics/ideas etc.

I am in awe of bakers everywhere and hope to follow in their footsteps with all the wonderful things they create.

Hope you enjoy my blog!

Chat soon

Cake Fairy xxx