It’s hard not to like cupcakes, especially when they are light, fluffy and melt-in-your-mouth good just like how a dessert should be! Sulochana Suresh, a baking enthusiast, shares three easy recipes to add to your menu.
Banana Oatmeal Muffins
Ingredients
3 1/4 cups rolled oats
1/2 cup honey or maple syrup or date syrup
2 tsp baking powder
2 eggs
1 cup mashed bananas (about 3 large bananas)
1 cup milk
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 tsp salt
Dark chocolate chips for topping (optional)
Method
Preheat the oven to 360F (180C). In a large bowl, mash bananas, add eggs, milk, honey and vanilla extract to the mixture and whisk all together. In a separate bowl, mix rolled oats, baking powder and salt.
Combine the wet and dry ingredients together. Next, put paper muffin cups into muffin tin and spray it with cooking oil. Divide the batter evenly between the muffin cups and top it up with chocolate chips. Bake for about 25-30 minutes until golden brown. Once done, place the muffins on a cooling rack for 15 minutes to cool down. Voila! Muffins are ready to be devoured.
Salted Caramel Cupcakes
Ingredients
3/4 cup plain flour
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 cup unsalted butter
1/2 cup caster sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 tsp coffee extract
1/2 cup milk
1 tsp sea salt flakes
Method
Preheat the oven to 180C. Line a 12-cup bun tin with paper cases.
Sift together the flour, baking powder and salt in a bowl. Put the butter, caster sugar and brown sugar in a separate bowl and beat until light and fluffy. Later, add the vanilla extract and coffee extract, then, add the eggs one at a time, beating after each addition. Furthermore, add half of the flour mixture and milk, beat until incorporated. Add the remaining flour mixture and fold in gently.
Spoon the mixture evenly into the paper cases. Bake in the preheated oven for 20 minutes, or until well risen. Transfer the cupcakes to a wire rack and leave to cool.
For the frosting, prepare a caramel sauce by melting the butter in a small saucepan over medium heat. Add the brown sugar, cream and salt while stirring constantly until the sugar is dissolved. Set aside to cool.
Add the icing sugar to the caramel sauce and beat until the sugar is fluffy. Spoon into a piping bag fitted with the star-shaped tip and pipe onto the cupcakes. Later, sprinkle the cupcakes evenly with sea salt flakes before serving.
Vegan Mango and Coconut Muffins
Ingredients
1 cup plain flour
1 tbsp baking powder
1 tbsp flaxseed meal
4 tbsp desiccated coconut, plus 2 tbsp for topping
1/2 cup caster sugar
3/4 cup soya milk
5 tbsp vegetable oil
9 cardamom pods
250 g fresh ripe mango, chopped
Method
Preheat the oven to 190C. Grease a 10-cup muffin tray/mould. Sift together the flour and baking powder into a large bowl and mix in the flaxseed meal, coconut and sugar.
Remove the seeds from the cardamom pods. Crush the seeds finely with a rolling pin and stir into the mixture.
Whisk together the soya milk and oil in a small bowl and stir together while adding the mango at the same time. Mix until just combined; do not over-mix.
Divide the mixture evenly between the holes in the prepared muffin tin. Sprinkle the top of each muffin with a little of the extra coconut.
Bake in the preheated oven for 25-30 min, or until well risen, golden and firm to the touch. Transfer to a wire rack and leave to cool.