Bake up a storm for Cupcake Day 2018

Eton mess cupcakes Picture: Charlotte Smith-Jarvis (Image: Archant)

This Thursday, June 14, is Cupcake Day. Yes we know, we know – there are loads of naff food days to celebrate throughout the year (we secretly love them) but this one's for a good cause.

Because Alzheimer's Society is hoping all you good folk will get in the kitchen, rustle up dozens of sweet buns, and sell them off in the office, at school, your local club – anywhere – to raise money that will fund research into treating and curing the disease.

Why not try making one of our delicious suggestions?

We prefer daintier cakes, with simple decorations rather than tiny sponges smothered in piles of sickly buttercream and these two recipes fit the bill.

Both make a batch of 12 cupcakes.

Gluten-free carrot cupcakes with orange frosting and maple drizzle

Earthy and wholesome tasting, carrot cake is one of the nation's favourites. These are topped with a juicy orange icing, a drizzle of maple and a crunchy addition of honey-coated seeds. If you can't find these locally swap them for crushed roasted almonds, walnuts or pistachio nuts.

Ingredients

100g caster sugar

75g dark brown sugar, softened

100g gluten-free self-raising flour

1tsp gluten-free bicarbonate of soda

1/2tsp ground ginger

1/2tsp ground cinnamon

Pinch ground cloves

Large pinch ground nutmeg

Zest 1 orange

150ml sunflower or rapeseed oil

200g carrots, peeled and grated weight

Handful sultanas soaked in tea for 30 minutes and drained

Frosting:

200g icing sugar sifted twice

Zest 1 orange (reserve juice)

100g unsalted butter, room temperature

Dark maple syrup

Honey Seeds by Munchy Seeds

Method

Pre-heat the oven to 190C and line a cupcake or muffin tray with cases. Mix together all the cake batter ingredients apart from the sultanas until smooth. Once you have a smooth batter add the sultanas and spoon evenly into your cases. Bake for 12-15 minutes until risen and springy.

Remove to a rack to cool. For the frosting cream together the icing sugar, butter and orange zest, adding enough fresh orange juice from the fruit to create a creamy, spreadable consistency. Smooth over the cooled cakes. Make a dip in the centre of the icing and spoon in half a teaspoon of maple syrup. Top with a pinch of honey seeds.

Eton mess cupcakes

Just perfect for this time of year. Make the cakes the night before and fill on the day, or you'll lose the crunch of the meringue. Ensure you have a fridge to store them in before the cake sale begins if it's a hot day so the cream doesn't go off or melt.

Ingredients

220g sunflower spread

220g caster sugar

220g self-raising flour

4 large eggs, beaten

1tsp vanilla extract

Strawberry jam

Frosting: 150ml double cream, 100g meringues crushed roughly, handful strawberries hulled and roughly chopped

Small fresh strawberries to decorate

Method

Pre-heat the oven to 190C and line a cupcake or muffin tin with cases. Cream together the spread and sugar until smooth. Alternately beat in the flour and egg, a little of each at a time, combining thoroughly. Add the vanilla extract and stir in thoroughly.

Cover the bottom of each cake case with a thin layer of mixture and place half a teaspoon of jam in the centre of each. Now evenly fill the cases with the remainder of the mix. Bake for 20 to 22 minutes until golden and spongy to the touch. Remove to a rack to cool.

While the cakes cool make the topping. Whip the cream and stir in the strawberries and meringues. Cut out the top/middle of each cake to make an indent of about 1.5cms. Fill with Eton Mess topping and finish with a strawberry to serve.