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Apple and Mixed Berries Cupcakes with Raspberry Frosting

Published 31 October 2012 by Veronica Stillwater

Apple and mixed berries cupcakes with raspberry frosting, two types of decorative piping and gold shimmer spray for that wow factor!

This week's recipe contains a rather odd ingredient for a cupcake and I had wondered if it would pass the taste test. I eagerly awaited the outcome with curious anticipation. The result was pleasing, not only to me but the guests trying these fruity cupcakes were pleasantly surprised and unable to guess the secret ingredient, which was cous cous. I was curious to see if its light and fluffy texture would have any impact on the texture of the cake and it certainly did. These cupcakes are fruity, light and fluffy with a raspberry frosting and some gold shimmer spray to give them the wow factor! Hope you enjoy this week's recipe.

 

 

For the cupcakes:

You will need:

Food processor

Large mixing bowl

12 cup muffin baking tray

12 muffin paper cases

Teaspoon Tablespoon

Small chopping board

Small chopping knife

Spatula

Potato peeler

Ingredients:

125g butter or margarine

125g sugar

125g self raising flour

100g cous cous

2 large eggs

1 level teaspoon baking powder

100ml milk

2 Bramley apples (Peeled cored, chopped into approx centimetre cubes and raw)

100g mixed berries (can be frozen and thawed or fresh)

2 tablespoons water

Turn on the oven, set to 180° and fill the muffin baking tray with the muffin paper cases.

 

Using the chopping board, small knife and peeler, peel the bramley apples, core and chop into roughly centimetre squares and set aside. Place the cous cous, water, butter and sugar in the food processor and pulse blitz on a high speed setting until pale, light and fluffy. With the exception of the apple and the mixed berries, add the remaining ingredients and pulse blitz on a high speed setting until a smooth spoon dropping consistency is achieved. Scrape the mixture from the sides of the food processor bowl using a spatula and pour the mixture into the large bowl. Add the apple and mixed berries and lightly stir in the fruits using the spatula. Using the tablespoon, spoon an equal amount into each of the muffin cases. Once all are filled, place the baking tray in the oven near or just above the middle shelf and bake for 30-40 minutes, checking at 30 minutes cooking time on their progress. The cakes will appear golden, will have risen and be firm to the touch.

You can always test by inserting a clean skewer into one of the cakes, if it comes out clean they are ready, if not return to the oven checking with the skewer again at 5 minute intervals. (Always really important never to open the oven door and allow any air in before 30 minutes of cooking as this will allow for the mixture to 'drop' and sink, look through the oven door if you have one that's made of glass to visually check on their progress rather than open the door). Once baked, using oven gloves remove the baking tray from the oven and rest on a trivet until completely cooled.

 

 

 

For the Frosting:

You will need:

1 large mixing bowl

 

Spatula

 

Piping bag

 

Medium open star nozzle

 

Food processor

 

 

Ingredients:

700g icing sugar

 

75g butter

 

1-2 tablespoons hot water

 

½ teaspoon vanilla extract

 

1 tablespoon raspberry syrup

 

Edible gold shimmer spray

 

Place the icing sugar, butter and initially 1 tablespoon of hot water into the food processor and pulse blitz on a low speed setting until the ingredients are roughly incorporated then pulse blitz on a high speed setting until smooth and of a piping consistency. You may or may not need to add the remaining tablespoon of water depending on the humidity conditions, if it is a smooth piping consistency you will not need to add any more water, if a little dry add a little drop at a time of the remaining 1 tablespoon of hot water until the right consistency is achieved.

Using the spatula, place most of the frosting into the other bowl. Reserve 2 heaped tablespoons of the frosting in the food processor bowl. To the frosting in the large bowl with the larger quantity, add the raspberry syrup and beat well, adding air and until the colour is uniform and a delicate pink. In the food processor bowl with the smaller quantity of frosting, add the vanilla extract and beat well. Place the vanilla frosting in your piping bag ready with the small open star nozzle. Pipe a single, circular outer row of white stars. Start on the outer edge and start to pipe applying even and light pressure to begin with slightly swaying from left to right a little and pulling the bag away to the right, stop applying the pressure and pull the bag away quickly to get a spiked effect. Repeat in a circle on the outer edge until the circle is complete. Repeat for all 12. Once all 12 have a ring of outer stars, spray each of them with the gold shimmer spray sparingly. Shake the can well before use and with the cupcake approximately 20cm away from the can's nozzle and apply the shimmer spray in short, sharp bursts. Repeat for all the remaining cupcakes.

 

Wash the piping bag or using a second piping bag, place the raspberry flavoured frosting in your piping bag ready with your medium open star nozzle and pipe five small rosettes in the centre area of uncovered cake, pipe one further rosette in the centre on top of the five smaller ones to finish. To pipe the small rosettes, start with the nozzle pointing straight and pipe the rosette in one circle, applying moderate pressure making the circle ends where they meet to just slightly overlap, stop applying pressure and pull the piping bag away from where you are piping and towards you. Repeat for the remaining cupcakes and they are ready to serve! Until next week, happy baking! Look out for next week's post using silicone moulds receved with an issue of Cake Decorating to create sea creature toppers for a beach themed cupcake complete with edible sand!