Simple Simnel Muffins Recipe

Simnel Muffins Recipe

Are you a dried fruit and spice lover like me? No? Try this muffin recipe and I expect a change of opinion. If you said yes then hooray! You're going to go absolutely head over heels for these super easy full of flavour muffins.
   As Easter is fast approaching, these Easter muffins are a great and flavourful Spring dessert recipe, guaranteed to impress your celebrating friends and family. What I love most about these muffins are how the flavours and spices used are reminiscent of the flavours used throughout fall and winter, but sweeter and not quite as heavy and dense.

Morning Baking at it's finest

Using simple ingredients you most likely already own, these are great for a fiber packed snack, breakfast or dessert.

This recipe uses 3 different spices and 4 different dried fruits, you may add or omit as you desire, this is a great chance to experiment!

Makes 12 - 20.

Ingredients

110g Butter

50g Granulated Sugar

60g Brown Demerara Sugar
2 Eggs
Zest and juice of an Orange

110g Self-Raising Flour

1/2 Tsp Baking Powder

1 and 1/2 Tsp Mixed Spice

1/2 Tsp Nutmeg

1/2 Tsp Ginger (Optional)
1 to 2 Tbsp Milk

Dried Fruit (I used Raisins, Sultanas, Dried apple chunks, Dried Cranberries)
90g Marzipan (Optional)

Optional; 

1 Tsp Glaze Icing (for each muffin)

Driedfruit, Nuts or Mini Chocolate Eggs to decorate

Directions

• Preheat an oven to 180C and line a muffin tray with muffin cases.
• In a large bowl, cream together the butter and both sugars until fluffy.
• Beat in the eggs and add the zest and juice.
• Fold in the flour, baking powder and spices until well combined, adding milk until the mixture is of dropping consistency.
• Fold in the dried fruit.
• Fill muffin cases to approx. 1/3 full and place a piece of marzipan in the centre before covering with more mixture until 3/4 full. (If omitting the marzipan, then simply fill until 3/4 full).
• Bake for approx. 20 - 25 mins. (Until golden brown and firm to the touch).
• Allow to cool and decorate with a tsp of glaze icing and decorations of choice.
• Best eaten within approx. 2 days of baking.
  
  

Tips & Serving Ideas

• Use the left over orange zest / juice to flavour the icing.
• For more of an Easter theme, make small easter fondant decorations such as mini rabbits, rabbit ears, ducklings or eggs!
• Candied orange peel also makes a great decoration.
  
  

Cara X

Traditional Welsh Bara Brith Fruit Cake Recipe

Bara Brith Recipe

Another traditional Welsh recipe I love making is Bara Brith. It is a very old traditional native dish, with recipes being passed down for generations. This is one such recipe! Unfortunately I did not get the chance to meet my grandmother, someone who I've been compared to on so many occasions. Even so, she has inspired me in many ways, from her delicious baking recipes to her classy ladylike ways of never going out without your face on! This recipe was given to me by my mother, on a small piece of paper written in my grandmother's lovely swirled writing, and I now wish to share with you to try for yourself! A sweet spongy loaf filled with warm spices and dried mixed fruits, this is a great comfort food and perfect for tea parties!

Wales at it's finest.

As with all traditional recipes, there are many variations to make Bara Brith. Some require soaking the dried fruit in tea for 30 minutes beforehand, while others use different sugars and spices. For me however, this recipe has produced the most traditional flavour and texture, and has earned the most compliments everytime I've baked it. (This recipe also happens to be the first baking order I received!). Using only 7 ingredients, it really is a simple but delicious treat, ready in approx. 1 1/2 hours (cooking time).

Fruit and cake have never been more well-acquainted!

Love cake? Love warm spices and fruits encased in a baked sweet spongy loaf?! Of course you do! This is definately my favourite dessert, served warm and smothered in butter with a nice hot mug of tea!
Being that a very important date in the Welsh calendar is coming up in less than a month (1st of March!), why not try baking some of this Welsh Bara Brith along with some Authentic Welsh Cakes to celebrate all that is Welsh on St David's Day!

Ingredients

For the Loaf:

4oz Butter or Margarine

1 cup Granulated Sugar

1 cup Milk

1 Egg

12oz Self-Raising Flour

1 packet Mixed Dried Fruits (e.g raisins, sultanas, cranberries, small dried apple, candied orange peel etc)

2 to 3 teaspoon Mixed Spice

For the Sugar Glaze:
2 to 3 Tsp Brown Sugar (I used Demerara, although any brown sugar would work)
Approx. 50 ml Hot Water

Additional Brown or Granulated Sugar to sprinkle on top (Optional)

Directions

• Preheat an oven to 190°C.
• Grease a loaf tin (alternatively, you may use a cake tin although this will make it more cake like and take less time to bake).
• In a large bowl, cream together the butter and sugar until light and well mixed.
• Beat in the egg and add the milk.
• Mix in the flour with a spoon and add the mixed spices, stirring until well mixed.
• Mix in the dried fruit (don't worry about adding too much, it is meant to be very well packed with fruit).
• Bake for approx. 1 hour 30 min (until brown / slightly blackened and firm / crispy on top).
• In a small saucepan, combine 2 to 3 teaspoons of brown sugar with hot water and heat until the sugar is partially melted. Drizzle over the cake.
• Place back into the oven for approx. 5 to 10 mins (until the sugar is glazed on top).

Tips & Serving ideas

• Serve warm thick slices with a thick layer of good quality butter and a cup of tea!
• Sprinkle cinnamon or nutmeg on top before baking.
• Add some nuts or orange zest/juice to the mixture.
• Serve with honey, jam or marmalade.

                


Cara X

Honey, Apple & Apricot Crumble

Apple & Apricot Crumble

Brrrr! The festive season may be over, but the weather is still a winter blizzard it seems. It would seem that all over the globe people have been complaining over the neverending cold, wet and windy weather, so here's a little recipe that is sure to comfort and warm you up for the hard cold nights ahead! This recipe is my sweet and sugary version of a traditional apple crumble recipe, so if you don't have a big sweet tooth (like me!) you may want to use a little less sugar. (Though we both know that's not going to happen..!)

Home cooking at it's best!

Ready in approx. 40minutes, this winter warmer is jam packed full of homely and comforting flavours that you and your friends and family are sure to love. 

You can just about smell the apples through the screen can't you...

Ingredients

4 to 5 Large Apples

20 Dried Apricots

55g Granulated Sugar (or caster)

30g brown demerara sugar (or any similar brown, such as muscovado)

50 to 60ml Water (boiled)

2 tsp Honey (I used Spanish Forest, though any honey will do!)

For the crumble:

115g Self-Raising Flour

110g Brown Demerara (or muscovado)

60 to 80g Butter

2 tsp Cinnamon

1 to 2 tsp Nutmeg

Directions

• Grease a baking tray and preheat an oven to 180
• Peel, core and chop apples into chunks.
• In a large saucepan, combine apples, water and both sugars, cooking over a low to medium heat (covered) for approx. 10 mins (until apples are soft and cooked).
• For the crumble, combine flour, sugar and butter in a large bowl.
• Rub in the butter until the mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs.
• Rub in the cinnamon.
• When apples are near done, add in the honey and apricots and stir.
• Place apple mixture into a tray and spread evenly.
• Sprinkle the crumble over the apples evenly and press down until top is fairly even.
• Sprinkle the nutmeg on top, along with some cinnamon and brown sugar if you wish.
• Bake for approx. 25 to 30 mins (until browned on top).

Tips & Serving ideas

• This dish is best served hot with cream, ice cream or custard!
• Try adding fruits such as peaches, raisins and sultanas.
• Instead of honey, try golden, maple or agave syrup!

Cara X

Fresh Strawberry Cupcakes Recipe

Fresh Strawberry Cupcakes

For me, there's not much better than a new box of fresh red strawberries, especially when said strawberries are turned into a dessert! If you're a dessert and fruit lover like me, you 're going to absolutely love this recipe, with a combination of fresh fruit and moist sweet cake sponge..these cakes are definately a winner. As with all recipes, this can be easily adapted to use all kinds of fruit, or a combination (fruit smoothie cupcake anyone?!). The use of fresh ingredients means that these are best eaten within one or max. two days within baking, although whether they survive that long is highly unlikely! This recipe uses chopped fresh strawberries but you could also use a strawberry extract.

Nothing better than a ripe ol' Berry.. 

Given their fruity and fresh nature, these cakes would make a great accompaniment to a tea party, or other Spring / Summer events! They're also a great gift idea (I made these for the first time for my mother's birthday!), and would make a lovely homemade Valentine's gift for that special someone.. yum!

Makes 12 - 24

Ingredients

For the cakes:

120g Butter or Margarine

120g Caster Sugar (could also use granulated)

2 Eggs

140g Self-Raising Flour

A Splash of Milk

7 Medium sized Strawberries (Or 1 tsp Strawberry Extract)

For the filling:
12 to 24 tsp Strawberry Jam

For the buttericing:

140g Butter

340g Icing Sugar (+ more if necessary)

1-2 tbsp Milk (+ more if necessary)
2 Medium sized Strawberries (Or 1/2 tsp Strawberry Extract)
6 to 12 Large Strawberries to decorate
Pink or Red Food Colouring
Pink / White / Red Sprinkles or other edible decorations

Directions

• Preheat an oven to 180°C.
• Line a muffin/cake tray (2 if you have them) with cake cases.
• In a large bowl, cream the butter and sugar with a spoon until pale and fluffy.
• In a jug or cup, beat the eggs with a whisk and beat into the butter mixture.
• Fold in the flour a little at a time, using a spoon. Whisk the mixture and add some milk until the mixture is of a dropping consistency (take a spoonful and see if the mixture drops / droops off).
• Wash and chop up the strawberries into small chunks and fold into the prepared mixture. (or alternatively, add the strawberry extract).
• Spoon the mixture into the cases until half full.
• Bake in the oven for approx. 10 to 15 minutes (until the tops are golden and firm and an inserted skewer / toothpick comes out clean).
• Allow the cakes to cool on a plate or wire rack.
• While the cakes are cooling, make the buttericing by beating the butter until smooth in a large bowl.
• Add icing sugar until the buttericing is a pale yellow / white colour (here is where I do a taste test to see if more icing sugar is needed!)
• Add milk until the icing is of a smooth and drooping consistency but not too liquid. (It should be thick but still a droopy mixture).
• Wash and chop the strawberries into small chunks and fold into the icing (or alternatively, add the strawberry extract).
• Mix in the food colouring until you gain the shade you like.
• For the filling, cut out a shallow hole in the center of each cake using a teaspoon, knife or apple corer. 
• Place 1/2 to 1 tsp of jam into each hole and place the cut out piece of cake back on top of the jam.
• Place the buttericing mixture into a piping bag and pipe onto the cooled cakes. (I used an open star nozzle!).
• Wash and cut the large strawberries length wise starting from the leaves and going downwards.
• Place half a strawberry on top of each cake, adding any additional sprinkles and decorations around.
• Allow to chill in a refrigerator.
• These will last for approx. 1- 2 days. (due to containing fresh strawberries). 

Tips & Serving ideas

• You could substitute the Strawberries for any other fruit, for example; blueberries with blue icing, lemon with yellow icing etc!
• A great alternative to buttericing is fresh whipped cream (these should then be eaten on the day of baking!).
• A drizzle of homemade or bought Strawberry coulis on top would add an extra level of Strawberry goodness as well as being decorative.. yum!
• Strawberry gummy sweets would also work well as decorations.. as would any other Strawberry looking treats!
• Add pink, red or green food colouring to the sponge too.
  
  

Cara X