Lemon-Scented Blueberry Cupcakes

Ingredients


Cupcakes:
1 1/2 cups (about 6 3/4 ounces) plus 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour, divided
10 tablespoons granulated sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 cup butter, melted
1 large egg
1/2 cup low-fat buttermilk
1/2 cup 2% reduced-fat milk
1 teaspoon grated lemon rind
3/4 cup fresh or frozen blueberries, thawed
Frosting:
1/4 cup (2 ounces) 1/3-less-fat cream cheese, softened
2 tablespoons butter, softened
1 teaspoon grated lemon rind
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/8 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 cups powdered sugar, sifted
2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
Fresh blueberries (optional)
Preparation

Preheat oven to 350°.

Place 12 decorative paper muffin cup liners into muffin cups.

To prepare cupcakes, lightly spoon 1 1/2 cups flour into dry measuring cups; level with a knife. Measure 1 tablespoon flour; level with a knife. Sift together 1 1/2 cups flour plus 1 tablespoon flour, granulated sugar, baking powder, 1/4 teaspoon salt, and baking soda in a large bowl. Combine melted butter and egg in another large bowl; stir with a whisk. Add buttermilk, milk, and 1 teaspoon rind to butter mixture; stir with a whisk. Add buttermilk mixture to flour mixture, stirring just until moist. Toss blueberries with remaining 1 tablespoon flour. Fold blueberries into batter. Spoon batter into prepared muffin cups. Bake at 350° for 25 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool in pan 5 minutes on a wire rack; remove from pan. Cool completely on wire rack.

To prepare frosting, place cream cheese, 2 tablespoons butter, 1 teaspoon rind, vanilla, and 1/8 teaspoon salt in a bowl; beat with a mixer at medium speed just until blended. Gradually add powdered sugar (do not overbeat). Stir in juice. Spread frosting evenly over cupcakes; garnish with blueberries, if desired. Store, covered, in refrigerator.

Chocolate-Mint Bars

Ingredients


Bottom layer:
4 1/2 ounces all-purpose flour (about 1 cup)
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup egg substitute
1/4 cup butter, melted
2 tablespoons water
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 large eggs, beaten
1 (16-ounce) can chocolate syrup
Cooking spray
Mint layer:
2 cups powdered sugar
1/4 cup butter, melted
2 tablespoons fat-free milk
1/2 teaspoon peppermint extract
2 drops green food coloring
Glaze:
3/4 cup semisweet chocolate chips
3 tablespoons butter
Preparation

1. Preheat oven to 350°.

2. To prepare bottom layer, weigh or lightly spoon flour into a measuring cup; level with a knife. Combine flour and salt; stir with a whisk. Combine granulated sugar, egg substitute, ¼ cup melted butter, 2 tablespoons water, vanilla, eggs, and chocolate syrup in a medium bowl; stir until smooth. Add flour mixture to chocolate mixture, stirring until blended. Pour batter into a 13 x 9 inch metal baking pan coated with cooking spray. Bake at 350° for 23 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out almost clean. Cool completely in pan on a wire rack.

3. To prepare mint layer, combine powdered sugar, ¼ cup melted butter, and next 3 ingredients (through food coloring) in a medium bowl; beat with a mixer until smooth. Spread mint mixture over cooled cake.

4. To prepare glaze, combine chocolate chips and 3 tablespoons butter in a medium microwave-safe bowl. Microwave at HIGH 1 minute or until melted, stirring after 30 seconds. Let stand 2 minutes. Spread chocolate mixture evenly over top. Cover and refrigerate until ready to serve. Cut into 20 pieces.

Little raspberry muffins

INGREDIENTS

    125g plain flour
    1½ tsp baking powder
    ½ tsp bicarbonate of soda
    1 tsp ground cinnamon
    150g low-fat natural yogurt
    100g light muscovado sugar
    1 large egg
    2 tbsp sunflower oil
    1 tsp vanilla extract
    125g fresh or frozen (and thawed) raspberries
    1 tbsp raw or demerara sugar

METHOD

    01.Preheat the oven to 180C/ fan160C/gas 4. Line a 12-hole bun tray with 12 paper fairy cake cases.
    02.Sieve the flour, baking powder, bicarbonate of soda and cinnamon into a bowl, then make a well in the centre. Put the yogurt, sugar, egg, sunflower oil and vanilla extract into a jug and whisk with a fork, then pour into the well in the flour. Add the raspberries and briefly fold in – don’t overmix!
    03.Spoon a generous tablespoonful of the muffin mixture into each paper case. Sprinkle each muffin with the raw or demerara sugar. Bake in the oven for 15 minutes, or until risen and springy. Kids ask an adult to take them out of the oven. To check if they’re cooked, push a cocktail stick into the centre of a muffin – they’re ready if the cocktail stick comes out clean. If they’re not ready, ask an adult to put them back in the oven for a little longer. Cool in the tin on a wire rack.

Boozy rhubarb and custard tart

INGREDIENTS

For the pastry

    3 large free-range egg yolks and 1 egg white for brushing
    85g unsalted butter, cut into chunks
    85g caster sugar
    Grated zest of 1 lemon
    170g plain flour, plus extra for dusting

For the filling

    9 large free-range egg yolks (see tip)
    1 tsp vanilla extract
    60g caster sugar
    500ml whipping cream

For the jelly

    3 gelatine leaves (see Know-how)
    300ml rhubarb liqueur (we used Chase, from online retailers)
    A few drops of pink food colouring
    Handful of rhubarb and custard sweets to decorate

METHOD

    01.To make the pastry, whizz the 3 egg yolks and butter in a food processor until light and fluffy. Gradually pulse in the 85g sugar, then the lemon zest, and finally the flour with a pinch of salt, pulsing just until the pastry comes together. Turn out onto a lightly floured surface and bring the dough together gently and quickly with your hands (it will be soft). Press into a flattish disc, wrap in cling film and chill in the fridge for 1 hour.
    02.Once chilled, roll the pastry out to the thickness of a £1 coin and use to line a 23cm fluted loose-bottomed tart tin, pressing the pastry into the corners so they’re sharp. Roll the rolling pin over the top of the case to trim the excess, then go around the tart case pressing the pastry into the top of each flute so it’s secure. Chill again for 30 minutes in the fridge, or in the freezer for 15 minutes.
    03.Preheat the oven to 190°C/fan170°C/gas 5. When the pastry case is firm, line with foil or baking paper, fill to the brim with baking beans or rice and blind bake for 20 minutes, then remove the beans/rice and foil/paper. Turn down the oven to 170°C/fan150°C/gas 3½ and cook for another 5-10 minutes until the pastry is golden, dry and crisp.
    04.Brush the egg white all over the inside of the pastry, filling in any cracks, then return to the oven for 5 minutes to firm up and seal the case. Leave to cool completely. Turn the oven down to 130°C/fan110°C/gas ¾.
    05.To make the filling, stir the 9 egg yolks with the vanilla extract and 60g caster sugar until well combined, then pour over the whipping cream. Stir to combine, then strain into a pan and heat very gently until the mixture is at blood temperature. Pour into the tart case, burst as many bubbles as you can on the surface, then put the tart on a baking sheet. Transfer to the middle shelf of the oven and bake for 30-40 minutes until set but still with a gentle wobble when you move it. Remove from the oven and allow to cool completely.
    06.To make the jelly, soak the gelatine leaves in cold water until soft, then squeeze the water out and put in a pan with 100ml of the rhubarb liqueur. Heat very gently, stirring just to melt the gelatine, then strain into a bowl containing the remaining liqueur mixed with a little food colouring. Stir, then let the tart and the jelly mix cool completely (the jelly will be liquid at room temperature). Pour the jelly over the tart and leave to set overnight in the fridge.
    07.An hour before serving, remove the tart from the fridge and put it somewhere cool to allow it to reach room temperature. Just before serving, put the rhubarb and custard sweets in a plastic freezer bag and bash with a rolling pin until they shatter into small shards. Scatter them over the top of the tart, then slice and serve.

Classic scones

INGREDIENTS

    225g self-raising flour, plus extra for dusting
    50g unsalted butter, chilled and diced
    150ml whole milk

METHOD

    01.Preheat the oven to 220°C/fan200°C/gas 7. Sift the flour and a pinch of salt into a large bowl. Using your fingertips, rub in the butter until it forms fine crumbs.
    02.Make a well in the centre of the crumbs and pour in the milk. Using a palette or table knife, quickly bring the mixture together into a soft dough. Knead briefly on a lightly floured surface until smooth, then pat out to a thickness of 2cm.
    03.Dust a 5cm plain metal cutter with flour and use to stamp out rounds. Push the cutter down firmly but take care not to twist it, or the scones may rise unevenly.
    04.Transfer the scones to a non-stick baking sheet, dust lightly with flour and bake for 15 minutes until well risen and golden. Transfer to a wire rack and leave to cool.

Chocolate & peanut butter whoopies

    Ingredients

    125g butter, at room temperature
    160g (1 cup, lightly packed) brown sugar
    1 teaspoon vanilla extract
    1 egg
    50g (1/2 cup) cocoa powder, sifted
    1 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda
    300g (2 cups) plain flour
    330ml (1 1/3 cups) buttermilk

Peanut butter frosting

    125g cream cheese, at room temperature
    70g (1/4 cup) smooth peanut butter
    230g (1 1/2 cups) icing sugar mixture
    1/2 teaspoon milk




    Method

    Step 1

    Preheat oven to 190°C. Line 2 baking trays with non-stick baking paper. Use an electric beater to beat the butter, sugar and vanilla in a bowl until pale and creamy. Beat in the egg.
    Step 2

    Stir in the cocoa and bicarbonate of soda to combine. Use a metal spoon to fold in flour and buttermilk, in alternating batches, until just smooth. The mixture should be a little stiff.
    Step 3

    Use a 3cm-diameter ice-cream scoop to place rounds of the mixture onto prepared trays, leaving 5cm for spreading. Use your finger to smooth mixture around the edges.
    Step 4

    Bake, swapping the trays halfway through cooking, for 10 minutes or until firm. Cool slightly. Place on a wire rack to cool completely. Repeat, in 2 more batches, with remaining mixture.
    Step 5

    To make the filling: Use an electric beater to beat the cream cheese and peanut butter in a bowl until well combined. Add the icing sugar and beat until well combined. Add the milk and beat until mixture is pale and creamy.
    Step 6

    Spoon the filling into a piping bag fitted with a 5mm fluted nozzle. Pipe stars onto a whoopie base. Pipe half the whoopies with the peanut butter frosting.
    Step 7

    Top with remaining whoopies and press lightly to sandwich together. Drizzle melted dark chocolate over the tops.

Texas Sheet Cake

  


Ingredients

Cooking spray
2 teaspoons all-purpose flour
2 cups all-purpose flour (about 9 ounces)
2 cups granulated sugar
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup water
1/2 cup butter
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa, divided
1/2 cup low-fat buttermilk
1 tablespoon vanilla extract, divided
2 large eggs
6 tablespoons butter
1/3 cup fat-free milk
3 cups powdered sugar
1/4 cup chopped pecans, toasted
Preparation

Preheat oven to 375°.

Coat a 13 x 9-inch pan with cooking spray, and dust with 2 teaspoons flour. Set aside.

Lightly spoon 2 cups flour into dry measuring cups; level with a knife. Combine 2 cups flour and next 4 ingredients (through salt) in a large bowl, stirring well with a whisk. Combine 3/4 cup water, 1/2 cup butter, and 1/4 cup cocoa in a small saucepan; bring to a boil, stirring frequently. Add to flour mixture. Beat at medium speed with an electric mixer until well blended. Add buttermilk, 1 teaspoon vanilla, and eggs; beat well. Pour batter into the prepared pan. Bake at 375° for 22 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Place on a wire rack.

Combine 6 tablespoons butter, fat-free milk, and remaining 1/4 cup cocoa in a saucepan; bring to a boil, stirring constantly. Remove from heat. Gradually stir in powdered sugar and remaining 2 teaspoons vanilla. Spread over hot cake. Sprinkle cake with pecans. Cool completely on wire rack.