Valentine’s Cupcakes
Easy
Children love any excuse to take out a mixing bowl and create something sweet and delicious. This is the perfect opportunity to make a special Valentine-themed bake together with the kids. Even though these cupcakes comprise of a few different elements, each step is easy-to-follow, and once the cupcakes are baked, the icing is made and the coulis is ready, these beautiful Valentine cupcakes only take minutes to assemble. Enjoy! Created by Nessa Robins
PREP IN
20 MIN
COOK IN
20 MIN
SERVE
18
Valentine’s Cupcakes
Easy
PREP IN
20 MIN
COOK IN
20 MIN
SERVE
18
Introduction
Children love any excuse to take out a mixing bowl and create something sweet and delicious. This is the perfect opportunity to make a special Valentine-themed bake together with the kids. Even though these cupcakes comprise of a few different elements, each step is easy-to-follow, and once the c
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Ingredients
- 225g butter, softened
- 225g caster sugar
- 1tsp vanilla extract
- 3 free-range eggs
- 250g self raising flour, sieved
- 30g cocoa powder, sieved
- 200g frozen raspberries
- 50g caster sugar
- 80ml water
- ½ tsp cornflour, mixed with a spoonful of water
- 200g butter, softened
- 400g icing sugar, sieved
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 2tbsp raspberry coulis
- To decorate: Valentine-themed sweets and sprinkles
FOR THE CUPCAKES:
RASPBERRY COULIS:
ICING:
Method
- 1. Preheat the oven to 200°C/ fan 180°C/gas mark 6. Line two bun trays with 18 cases.
- 2. To make the cupcakes, place the butter, sugar, and vanilla extract into a bowl and cream together for about 5 minutes, until the mixture is a pale yellow colour.
- 3. Add the eggs, one at a time with a little flour- to prevent the mixture from curdling, and mix well.
- 4. Add the remaining flour little by little, along with the cocoa powder, and gently combine.
- 5. Take a spoonful of mixture, with a dessert spoon, and scrape into the bun case using a teaspoon. Don’t fill the case to the top.
- 6. Bake in the oven for 20 mins or until golden brown in colour. Cool on a wire tray.
- 7. To make the coulis, add the raspberries, caster sugar and water to a small saucepan. Place over a low heat and bring to the boil, then simmer for 10 minutes. Remove from the heat and allow to cool a little. Tip the contents of the pan into a food processor, or using a blender, whizz to a purée. Strain through a sieve, rubbing it through with the back of a spoon. Reserve two tablespoons of the coulis to use in the icing. Return the remaining coulis to the saucepan, add the cornflour and heat gently for a couple of minutes, allowing the sauce to thicken slightly. Take from the heat and leave to cool.
- 8. Make the icing by beating the butter for about 5 minutes until creamy and white. Gradually add the sieved icing sugar until fully combined and the icing is light and fluffy. Add the vanilla extract and reserved cold raspberry coulis and beat together for a few seconds.
- 9. With an apple corer, cut out a small circle from the centre of each bun. Either using a piping bag, or simply a spoon, fill the cavity with some of the cooled raspberry coulis. Pipe over the raspberry icing and decorate with some valentine-themed sweets and sprinkles. Store in a sealed container for up to three days. Enjoy!
