Monday 9 August 2010

Very Berry

Did you know that cupcakes can be very addictive!? I certainly do, as I can’t go on long without baking some (suspicious disorder…). I love their shape, their smell in my kitchen and of course their taste!

As this summer is coming to an end (I can’t believe this!) and the garden is full of delicious things, it would be a shame to waste a single berry. To tell the truth I got fed up with trying to fit them all into jars, so some went straight into the batter...

Black Currant Cupcakes

(It’s an altered recipe; the original one was for blueberry cupcakes, so if you prefer some other berries, use them instead.)

Ingredients for 12 standard size cupcakes:

1/2 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
3/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon sugar
2 large eggs
2 cups fresh black currants, rinsed and dried
1 tablespoon grated lemon zest, (from 1 lemon)
2 cups flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup milk

Directions

Preheat oven to 180C (160C fan). Line a standard (12-cup) cupcake tin with paper cups. With an electric mixer, cream butter and 3/4 cup sugar on medium-high speed until fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time; beat until combined.

Liquefy black currants (I’m using cocktail blender) and get rid of the skins/pips by running them through a sieve. Add to butter mixture, along with lemon zest; beat to incorporate (mixture will appear separated).

In a large bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt. Gradually add flour mixture and milk to the butter mixture in alternating batches, beginning and ending with the flour.
Spoon or scoop batter into cups, and sprinkle tops with remaining tablespoon sugar.

Bake until a toothpick inserted in the center of a cupcake comes out clean, about 25 minutes. Cool in pan 20 minutes, then turn out cupcakes onto a wire rack to cool 10 minutes more before serving.

I love their colour! They are so unusual - came out a bit sour, so they'd be ideal for those who enjoy sweet and sour flavoured dishes.

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

Kristina, I'm so happy to see a recipe for a single batch of cupcakes. Sometimes, you just want a taste and not several dozen! Your currants look like they are full of flavor.

And I can't believe your summer is almost over, too! We've had a cooler-than-usual summer and are just now starting to get temps in the 90s again.

Unknown said...

Na ir kam sito reikejo? Kad ir vel seile varvinciau:)))
Siaip tai super atrodo! O jau skanumas tai turbut neispasakytas!