Chocolate Muffins with Molten Center

Well, this was not suppose to be a day for making but I accidentally dropped the egg carton after grocery shopping so had to do something with the broken eggs, hence the production of these muffins! But it turned out not too bad actually, although I think I would have like it if I added a little more chocolate in the center for the molten finish.

Ingredients
1/2 cup self-rising flour (sifted)
4 tablespoons of softened margarine
1/2 cup fine white sugar
1 egg, 1 egg yolk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 tablespoon unsweetend cocoa powder
1/2 a bar of milk chocolate, broken into 8 pieces
1 tablespoon of hazelnut liquour (optional)
Icing Sugar

Method
1. Preheat oven to 180 degree celcius.
2. Cream the margarine and sugar until they are well blended.
3. Add in the eggs, flour, cocoa powder, vanilla extract and liquour and beat together until mixture is smooth.
4. Spoon half of the batter into your muffin holders.
5. Make a small indentation in the middle of the batter and place the piece of chocolate in the middle.
6. Spoon the remaining batter into the holders, making sure you cover the chocolate pieces.
7. Bake the muffins in the preheated oven for 15 mins or until it has risen.
8. Leave the muffins out to cool for 3-5 minutes before dusting on the icing sugar on top.

This is best served warm and one recipe makes about 8 medium size muffins! Enjoy! :)

Orange Rind Cupcakes

It has been a long time since the last post, busy with the new baby plus the other 2 boys, driving me up the wall! Anyway, just wanted to whip up something simple for tea so here's a receipe for a small batch of 6 medium cupcakes!

Ingredients
5/8 cup self-rising flour (sifted)
6 tablespoons of softened butter
3/8 cup fine white sugar
1 egg, 1 egg yolk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 grated rind and juice of medium size orange

Method (cupcake)
1. Preheat oven to 180 degree celcius.
2. Cream butter and sugar together using the low speed. When butter is creamy and a shade lighter, it is done.
3. Slowly beat in the eggs, vanilla essence and sifted flour. Cream the mixture well after each addition. (this is so that it will not curdle)
4. Add in 1/2 of the orange juice and grated rind and beat well.
5. Fill cupcake cups (you should be able to fill around 6-8) with the batter until they are about 3/4 full.
6. Bake in the oven for approximately 20 mins or when soft and fluffy.
7. Take it out and spoon on the warm syrup topping before serving.

Ingredients (Topping)
1/2 grated rind and juice of medium size orange
1/4 cup fine white sugar

Method (topping)
1. Put the remaining rind, juice and sugar in a pan and heat gently, stirring until the sugar is dissolved.
2. Let it simmer for 5 minutes or when the syrup is slightly brown. 

Red Velvet Cupcake with Cream Cheese

Had a craving this week so thought I will try my hand at this...taste was not too bad but I felt it could be more chocolatey (I love chocolate!)

Ingredients
2 cups all purpose flour and 2 tablespoons corn flour (sifted) OR 2 1/2 cups cake flour (sifted)
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons cocoa powder
4 tablespoons red food colouring
1/2 cup unsalted butter
1 1/2 cups sugar (white)
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup buttermilk
1 teaspoon white vinegar / white wine vinegar
1 teaspoon baking soda

Method (cupcake)
1. Preheat oven to 180 degree celcius.
2. Cream butter and sugar together using the low speed. When butter is creamy and a shade lighter, it is done.
3. In a seperate bowl, mix food colouring and cocoa powder to form a thin paste.
4. Slowly add beaten eggs, vanilla essence and cocoa mix a bit at a time. Cream the mixture well after each addition. (this is so that it will not curdle)
5. Sift together the cake flour, baking powder and salt. Add one third of the flour into the butter mixture and beat well.
6. Add in half of the buttermilk and beat well. Beat in another third of the flour mixture, then the remaining half of the buttermilkd. Finish off the last third of flour mixture and mix well.
7.In a seperate bowl, mix vinegar and baking soda. Add the vinegar mixture into the cake batter and stir well to combine.
8. Fill cupcake cups (you should be able to fill around 20) with the batter until they are about 3/4 full.
9. Bake in the oven for approximately 20 mins.
10. Take it out and set it aside to cool before piping on cream cheese.

Frosting
1 cup Philadelphia cream cheese
1/2 cup unsalted butter
2 cups icing sugar (sifted)
1 teaspoon vanilla essence

Method
1. Cream together butter and cheese until fluffy. Add in sugar and vanilla essence and cream it until well blended.
2. When done, pipe cream cheese onto cooled cupcake.