The CupCake Experiment PART 2
Since I still hadn't mastered the plain cupcakes after last week first baking efforts (Part 1 & Part 1B) I decided to not make things too complicated. I picked a recipe that was pretty close to the plain ones; lemon cupcakes with frosting.
The frosting-recipe asked for lemonpeel, but I didn't want to buy a whole lemon for six cupcakes. In stead I added lemon essence to the batter as well. (Look at me, already experimenting;).

BATTER

This time I first mixed the batter with a fork but then gave it an extra whisk with my hand mixer to get it smoother and fluffier.


To avoid spilling I put yet again less batter than previously. After advice from several friends I turned up the heat even more (175C according to recipe, my oven 225C now)

FROSTING

While the cupcakes were in the oven, I tried to make frosting. The recipe said powdered sugar and butter, but no matter how hard I mixed, it stayed flaky. A quick google search inspired me to add some water...


... and voila! Spreadable frosting:)


Aaargh: it's dripping again! And the papercups are not as solid as the plastic ones I used last time. I carefully removed the spilled batter and turned the cup.


Despite the odd shapes the cakes do look better baked though...


I must admit I didn't really like the look of the frosting, but then I remembered Silvia's Cupcakes and knew what was missing...


So I went through my collection of bread toppings* and decorated the cupcakes with coloured sprinkles!
*(Yes we use them on bread, like jam or cheese it's a common topping:)

Lessons learned:

whisk-whisk-whisk;

even less batter per cup next time;

temperature up high;

use the plastic cups again to keep batter in shape.

Tosti's / Croques Mssrs!
After my first try I have had to surgically clean the toaster because the cheese had melted in between the wiring. I managed to put the machine back together again and I learned to cut the crusts off the bread and not let the cheese stick out. Not only did it taste much better, the toaster was much easier to clean afterwards;)






Tadaah!