3. Line your muffin trays (pans) with muffin cases (liners) and set to one side.
2 Sift the flour, bicarbonate of soda, salt and spices together into a bowl.
3 Place the butter in the bowl of an electric stand mixer and cream for 1–2 minutes. Add the sugar and beat until the mixture is light and fluffy.
4 Add the eggs one at a time, beating for 1 minute after each addition, or until the mixture is light and fluffy. Add the vanilla extract and beat until combined.
5 Add a third of the flour mixture to the creamed mixture and mix on low speed until combined, then add half the buttermilk and banana and mix again. Repeat this process. Add the remaining third of the flour mixture and beat until well combined; don’t overbeat, as this will toughen the mixture. Add the nuts and beat again until evenly combined.
6 Spoon the mixture evenly into the cases. Bake for 20 minutes, or until a fine skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean. Cool on a wire rack.
Topping recipes
A cupcake is nothing without its finishing touch of decadent frosting, and there are lots of sumptuous recipes to choose from here to suit a variety of tastes.
Lemon cream cheese frosting
When using this lovely zingy yet creamy frosting, it’s best to frost and decorate only at the last moment because the frosting needs to remain cool (it should always be kept in the fridge), but sugarpaste decorations don’t like going in the fridge.
You will need…
160g (53⁄4oz) cream cheese
60g (21⁄4oz) butter, softened
2 tsp finely grated lemon zest (unwaxed)
480g (1lb 1oz) icing (confectioners’) sugar, sifted
1 Place the cream cheese, butter and lemon zest in the bowl of an electric stand mixer or mixing bowl and beat until light and fluffy.
2 Gradually beat in the sugar until well combined.
For an orange cream cheese frosting, simply replace the lemon zest with the same quantity of orange zest from a washed unwaxed orange.
Whipped chocolate frosting
I love this frosting as a lighter alternative to ganache. It’s great for kids, as it is more buttery – plus it’s so easy to make. Either spread directly onto your cakes with a palette knife or spoon into a large disposable piping (pastry) bag fitted with a piping tube (tip) and pipe on (see applying frostings).
You will need…
200ml (7fl oz) double (heavy) cream
150g (51⁄2oz) plain (semisweet) chocolate, finely chopped or callets
280g (10oz) icing (confectioners’) sugar, sifted
140g (5oz) unsalted butter, softened
1 Place the cream in a microwave-safe bowl and heat in a microwave oven until boiling. Add the chocolate and stir until smooth.
2 Leave to cool for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally as it thickens.
3 Place the sugar and butter in a separate bowl and beat until smooth, then beat the cooled chocolate mixture into the butter mixture. Chill for 25 minutes.
Throughout the recipes I mention chocolate ‘callets’, the term for high-quality Belgium chocolate that I always use in preference to ordinary chocolate bars. It comes in small buttons that melt quickly without burning or splitting and produce the best flavour, so always try to use these if you can.
Vanilla buttercream
This is what my kids love more than anything – sweet, fluffy vanilla buttercream just piped in a swirl as the finishing flourish to an irresistible cake! For really generous swirls, use the larger quantities listed.
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