In a bowl, mix together the vinegar, soya or rice milk, sunflower or vegetable oil and vanilla extract. In a separate bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, bicarbonate of soda and salt, then mix in the sugar. Add the wet ingredients to the flour mixture and whisk to combine completely – this may take a minute or so.
Divide the batter between the paper cases, filling each case three-quarters full. Bake in the oven for 15–20 minutes or until golden brown and springy to the touch. Allow to cool in the tin for 5 minutes, then remove from the tray and place on a wire rack to cool down completely.
As the cupcakes cool, make the icing. Whisk all the ingredients together (this is easiest using an electric food mixer or a hand-held electric beater) until soft and light.
Using a palette knife, the back of a spoon or a piping bag, spread the icing over the top of each cupcake before placing on a plate to serve.
A distinctive cake that’s really worth trying. Wholemeal flour contains all of the wheat grain and is high in fibre, proteins and minerals. It’s not just that it’s healthier, but it tastes fantastic too, with the nutty flavour complementing the dark chocolate and brown sugar.
Prep time: 15 minutes
Baking time: 20–25 minutes
Ready in: 1 hour
Serves: 6–10
125g (4½oz) wholemeal flour
1 tsp bicarbonate of soda
¼ tsp salt
50g (2oz) dark chocolate, in drops or broken into pieces
50g (2oz) butter, softened, plus extra for greasing
200g (7oz) soft light or dark brown sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla extract
150ml (5fl oz) sour cream
Cocoa powder, for dusting
23cm (9in) diameter cake tin with 6cm (2½in) sides
Preheat the oven to 180°C (350°F), Gas mark 4, then butter the sides of the tin and line the base with a disc of baking parchment.
Sift the flour, bicarbonate of soda and salt into a bowl and set aside. Some of the bran will be left in the sieve – you can return it to the flour bag.
Place the chocolate in a heatproof bowl and set over a saucepan of just simmering water. Leave just until the chocolate has melted, stirring from time to time, then remove from the heat and set aside.
Cream the butter until soft in a large bowl or electric food mixer. Add the sugar and beat until the mixture is light and fluffy. Whisk the eggs together in a small bowl for a few seconds or just until mixed, then gradually add them to the creamed butter mixture, beating all the time.
Beat in the vanilla extract and the melted chocolate, then gradually stir in the flour mixture along with the sour cream. Mix just until combined, then pour the batter into the prepared tin.
Bake for 20–25 minutes or until a skewer inserted into the centre of the cake comes out clean. Remove from the oven and allow to cool in the tin for 10 minutes. Loosen around the edges with a small, sharp knife, then carefully remove the cake from the tin and leave on a wire rack to finish cooling.
Once cool, transfer to a cake plate or stand and dust with cocoa powder to serve.
These don’t have a great deal of sugar in them, as much of the sweetness comes from the raspberries. For that reason, if you’d like to replace the raspberries with blackberries – which would make a great substitute – do taste the blackberries first and if they’re quite sour then increase the sugar in the recipe.
Prep time: 10 minutes
Baking time: 15–20 minutes
Ready in: 1 hour
Makes: 10 muffins
225g (8oz) plain flour
3 tsp baking powder
1 tsp bicarbonate of soda
¼ tsp salt
75g (3oz) caster sugar
Finely grated zest of 1 orange
150g (5oz) fresh or frozen (and defrosted) raspberries
225ml (8fl oz) soya or rice milk
50ml (2fl oz) sunflower oil
1 tbsp cider vinegar
1 tsp vanilla extract
12-cup muffin tray and 10 muffin cases
Preheat the oven to 180°C (350°F), Gas mark 4, and line the muffin tray with the paper cases.
Sift the flour, baking powder, bicarbonate of soda and salt into a large bowl, then mix in the sugar and orange zest. Carefully fold in the raspberries and set aside.
In a separate bowl, whisk together the remaining ingredients, then add these to the flour mixture, folding in to combine.
Divide the batter between the muffin cases, filling each three-quarters full, then bake for 15–20 minutes or until golden on top and springy to the touch.
Remove from the oven and allow to cool in the tray for 5 minutes, then take the muffins out of the tray and place on a wire rack to cool down completely.
The aptly named sweet potato provides these muffins with natural sweetness and gives a divinely moist crumb. The sweetness is given a little boost with agave syrup, making these delicious treats surprisingly healthy.
Prep time: 10 minutes (excluding cooking the sweet potato)
Baking time: 30–35 minutes
Ready
