Simon Brown
If you think that cupcakes are in danger of falling out of fashion, then think again. Xanthe Milton's cupcake bible Eat Me! The Stupendous, Self-raising World of Cupcakes and Bakes According to Cookie Girl
We've selected our favourite three recipes so get baking and let us know what you think.
"These cupcakes consist of a deliciously damp sponge with a jewel-like raspberry buried at the heart," says Xanthe Milton, who considers herself as part Snow White and part Nell Gwynne with a smattering of Little Red Riding Hood.
Makes 12
225g/8 oz plain flour, plus1 tbsp
½tbsp baking powder
5 g/2 oz ground almonds
2 large eggs
90ml/3 fl oz sunflower oil
250ml/8½ fl oz low-fat Greek yoghurt
250g/8½ oz sugar
grated zest and juice of 1 orange
24 raspberries
For the icing
700g icing sugar
75ml/2½ fl oz Greek yoghurt
Method
Preheat the oven to 180°C/ 350°F/Gas 4. Line a 12-hole nonstick muffin tray with paper muffin cases.
Sift the flour and baking powder together and add the ground almonds.
In a large bowl, mix the eggs, oil, yoghurt and sugar together. Add the dry ingredients, followed by the orange juice and rind, and mix until thoroughly combined.
Spoon the mixture into the cases so they are half full. Dust the raspberries with the tablespoon of flour (to prevent them sinking) and add two to each cake case. Add the rest of the cake batter.
Bake the cakes for 25 minutes until they are springy to the touch. Remove and place the cakes on a wire rack to cool.
Next make the icing. Sift the icing sugar into a large bowl and stir in the yoghurt. The consistency should be thick but easy to spread. If it isn't, add a drop or two of water.
When the thickness seems right, coat the top of each cake with about half a tablespoon of icing, spreading it to reach the edges. Decorate with rice paper flowers or extra raspberries, as you wish.
Taken from Eat Me! The Stupendous, Self-raising World of Cupcakes and Bakes According to Cookie Girl