Pimms Cupcakes!

I've finally had a reason to bake! It has been a hectic week at uni so to take a break from it all the boyfriend and I baked some cupcakes for his mother's birthday! 

It's not exactly the right season for pimms cupcakes but it was the best idea we could both come up with.. so here they are! 

They consist of a strawberry and pimms filling with mint and cucumber syrup drizzled on top! Mmmm....

Step 1: The Cupcakes

1. Pre-heat oven to 180 degrees and line 12 muffin cases
2. Weigh 3 medium eggs ( e.g. 200 g) and put aside 
3. Weigh out 200 g of pure soya margarine ( or any butter) and 200 g of caster sugar and whisk in a bowl
4. Crack and beat in one egg at a time into the mixture and add a few dashes of vanilla essense
5. Add the zest of 1 orange and the juice
6. Add and sift 200 g of self raising flour and a desert spoon of cornflour
7. Fill the cases and place in the oven for 30 minutes

Step 2: Filling

1. Blend 200 g of fresh strawberries and sift to get rid of pips 
2. Heat in a small pan along with 1tbsp of cornflour and 1tbsp of caster sugar
3. Add 2tbsp of pimms and whisk
4. Leave to cool in the fridge to thicken up a little

Step 3: Butter Cream

1. Just a plain vanilla buttercream recipe :)  I dont measure but use Stork block and loadss of icing sugar and vanilla essence!! 

Step 4: Mint and Cucumber Syrup 

1. Chop a small handful of mint leaves and 12 thin slices of cucumber and place in a saucepan over heat
2. Add 2tbsp of sugar and 2tbsp of water
3. Leave until the sugar is boiling then place in the fridge to cool

Step 5: Assemble cakes 

1. Use an apple core to core the centre and fill with the strawberry filling and replace top
2. Use a piping nozzle and pip the butter cream
3. Add fruit pieces ( e.g. strawberries, orange, cucumber) to decorate
4. Drizzle over the syrup

And voila!! :) 

Enjoy! Have a good weekend!!

Kathryn xx