(July The 4th) Lemon Cupcakes

If you're a Brit or American you'll have noticed there's a lot of red, white & blue around. So I thought these cupcakes were appropriate: 

Wimbledon excitement is building as we enter the second week - what an extraordinary first week for tennis fans!  
And across the pond July the 4th is just around the corner. C is half American so I half heartily said these were to celebrate his heritage. Of course, for me, it was just an excuse to bake & eat cupcakes!  

You'll need: 
250g butter
250g caster sugar
3 eggs, beaten
250g self-raising flour
Zest & juice of 2 lemons    

And for the buttercream:
140g butter
280g icing sugar   

Heat the oven to 160°C/140°C fan & line a muffin tin with 12 cases. 
Put the butter, sugar, eggs, flour, zest of 2 lemons and juice from 1 lemon into a bowl and whisk with an electric whisk. 

Whisk until your cake mixture is just combined - don't over whisk. Divide between the muffin cases then bake for 30 minutes, until a skewer poked in comes out clean.

Transfer to a cooling rack. See? Easaay! 

Cream the butter & icing sugar together, add about a tablespoon of lemon juice to loosen it & add flavour. Leave the cupcakes to cool completely and pipe the buttercream on. 

Sprinkle red, white & blue things on top!

Eat them watching Wimbledon, with a Pimm's in hand, punnet of strawberries to your side. 

American friends: eat them watching fireworks, after a BBQ worthy of your British friends envy, with a Pabst in hand. 

Carrot Cupcakes

This is an easy peasy cupcake recipe that I use over and over again and always get great results with. It should make about 12 cupcakes. 

I promise you they'll turn out beautifully moist and they'll never be dry (hence no need for icing). Ideal for mid-afternoon munchies washed down with a giant pot of tea. Or grab one for a mornin' gorge (obviously with all that veggie/fruit influence it means they're practically good for you...maybe!? Okay... you got me, maybe not...they're a lot yummier than granola though!) 

You'll need: 

• 150g carrots, peeled
• 70g rasins
• 175g self-rasing flour, sifted
• 150g light muscovado sugar
• 3 medium eggs
• 100ml sunflower oil
• grated zest of 1 orange
• 1/2 tsp bicarbonate soda
• 1 tsp ground mixed spice
• 75ml buttermilk 

1. Heat the oven to 170°C and line your muffin tin with cases. Coarsely grate the carrots into a large bowl. 

2. Then add to the bowl the raisins, flour, bicarbonate of soda, light muscovado sugar, orange zest and mixed spice.

3. Put the eggs, oil and buttermilk into a jug and lightly whisk. If you can't find buttermilk in the shop use this link and make a substitute (easy I promise)! 

4. Pour the egg mixture into the flour bowl and stir until combined. Divide the mixture into the paper cases. 

5. Bake for 20 mins or until a skewer comes out clean. Cool in the tin for 5 mins then leave to cool. Maybe eat the ugly one...just to make sure they're not poisonous or anything...