Cupcakes for Canterbury

On Saturday 4 September there was a 7.1 magnitude earthquake in Canterbury destroying a lot of Christchurch city and homes all around the Canterbury region.  Red Cross are on the ground in Christchurch and around Canterbury helping out.  Being so far away in Auckland and feeling rather helpless I thought I could bake a big batch of cupcakes and sell them on at work to make some money to donate.  Vanilla cupcakes with butter cream icing recipe below.

Ingredients (makes 12)
1/2 cup caster sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup self raising flour
2 eggs
125 grams butter, softened
3 tablespoons milk
2 cups icing sugar
125 grams butter, softened
2 tablespoons milk
Food colouring
Cupcake papers

Directions
Preheat the oven to 180 degrees Celsius.  Using an electric mixer beat the sugar, vanilla extract and butter until light and fluffy.  Add the eggs one at a time and beat well after each addition.  Add the milk and flour alternately and mix until combined.  Line a 12 hole muffin tin with cupcake papers and place tablespoon dollops of the mixture into each paper.  Bake for 12 - 15 minutes or until golden.

When the cupcakes have cooled beat the butter until light and fluffy, stir in the milk and icing sugar.  Add food colouring of your choice until you get the colour you desire.  Pipe or spread the icing onto the cupcakes.  I have also used fondant on these cupcakes and glitter icing pens..

Chicken and Coleslaw Pita Pockets

Tonight was shopping night so I wanted to make something yummy and easy.  Cabbages were on sale at the supermarket and because I love them I thought I would get one and make a coleslaw, yum yum!  No photo's tonight sorry...

Ingredients
1/4 green cabbage, finely shredded
1/2 red onion, finely chopped
2 small carrots, grated
1/2 cup Best Foods Lite Mayonnaise
1 teaspoon lemon juice
Rock salt
Freshly ground black pepper
2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
2 chicken breasts, chopped into 2cm cubes
1 pita bread per person, halved

Directions
In a large bowl mix the cabbage, red onion, carrot, mayonnaise, lemon juice, salt and pepper.  Place in the fridge to cool while you cook chicken.  Heat a non-stick pan over a high heat.  Drizzle some olive oil in the pan.  Cook the chicken and garlic in the pan until cooked through.  While the chicken in cooking place the pita breads in the oven to heat through for 5 - 10 minutes.  Once all cooked stuff the pita breads with the chicken and coleslaw.  Enjoy.

Banana Cake Muffins with Lemon Icing.

Today is Fathers Day and I decided to make a variation on one of my Daddy's favourites, Banana Cake, and make it into muffins.

Ingredients

125 grams butter, softened

3/4 cup sugar

2 eggs

2 cups mashed ripe bananas

1 teaspoon baking soda

2 tablespoons hot milk

2 cups standard plain flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

2 cups icing sugar

1/4 teaspoon butter, softened

2 tablespoons lemon juice

1 teaspoon lemon rind

Directions

Cream the butter and sugar until light and fluffy.  Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition.  Add mashed banana and mix thoroughly.  Stir soda into hot milk and add to creamed mixture.  Sift flour and baking powder.  Fold into mixture.  Turn into a large greased muffin tin.  Bake at 180 degrees Celsius for 40 minutes or until the muffin springs back when lightly touched. 

While the muffins are baking sift the icing sugar into a bowl.  Add butter.  Add sufficient lemon juice to mix to a spreadable consistency.  Flavour with lemon rind.  Leave in the tin for 10 minutes.  While in the tin drizzle over some of the icing so that it drizzles down the side of the muffin into the bottom of the tin.  Turn out on to wire rack.  When cold drizzle with a tad more of the icing and leave to set.  Enjoy warm or cold.  Store in a airtight container.