Ken Wood's day out

Well I have finally done it, my new Kenwood mixer has had its first run out of its box (well it was hardly going to work in the box was it!). It has been sitting beckoning to me for the last 7 weeks since I got it, I just haven't gotten around to test driving it! Today however was the day as it was my daughter's daycare Christmas party and I had to take a plate of food along. The perfect excuse I decided to make a plate of butterfly cakes, something I haven't made for ages. I used Nigellas cupcake recipe from Nigella Bites: From Family Meals to Elegant Dinners, Easy, Delectable Recipes for Any Occasion which I will include at the end of this post. The mixer worked brilliantly, it was such a huge luxury to be hands free watching that butter and sugar get whipped white and then adding the eggs in for it to become lovely and fluffy, with none of the usual standing around holding my electric beater. Freedom! I think this might entice me to bake more as these were so fabulously easy to make and turned out just gorgeous!

I have never been much of a baker, I far prefer 'cooking' as it there is nowhere near the need for preciseness as there is in baking. There is definitely an element of chemistry to baking, in that things need to be done in a certain order with accurate measurements. Given that my philosophy is usually chuck in a bit of this, then chuck in a bit of that, that doesn't always translate well to successful baking!

I sense the tide maybe turning however, I have finally invested in some electronic scales which also make life remarkably simple and the combination of that and the mixer may just have paved the way to more baking episodes!

Having said that, I just remembered that the reason I don't bake is because I end up eating it all!!!!!! I am such a greedy guts when it comes to biscuits and cakes, can't resist them! So it is exciting at this time of year making goodies up to give as presents, as I get the joy of making it without it all ending up on my hips!

Anyway my kitchen looks like a tornado hit it so I had better go and tidy it up!

Nigellas cupcakes

Ingredients:

125g unsalted butter

softened125g caster sugar

2 large eggs

125g self-raising flour

1/2 tsp vanilla extract

2-3 tbsp milk

- Preheat oven to 200 degrees.-

Beat butter with sugar until creamy

Add the eggs one at time.

Add milk a tablespoon at a time and in between add a bit of flour

When you've put all the flour in, add the vanilla extract.

Pop into cupcake cases, I put mine in petit four cases and in mini muffin tins. I doubled the recipe and it made 40.

Bake for 15-20 mins until cooked and golden on top

Once cooled cut tops off cupcakes and cut tops in half to form 'wings'. Put a dollop of cream on the bottom part, press in the wings dust with icing sugar and then put some jelly or jam or strawberry in the middle for decoration. For these ones I used fruit jubes cut up.