PLAIN CUP CAKES

¼  Ib butter
¾  cup castor sugar
2 eggs
1 ½  cups cake flour
2 tsp baking.powder
½  cup milk
1 tsp vanilla essence
Beat together for 3 min, scoop into cup cake pans and bake on 180 till done.

VARIATIONS:
Coffee cakes, mix 4 tsp coffee with 3 tblsp boiling water add to mixture beating well. Decorate with coffee icing. Coconut cakes, Omit milk with coconut milk and add a tsp of coconut essence instead of vanilla essence, decorate as desired Caramel cakes. 4 tbsp caramel nestle caramel treat can be added to basic recipe and beat well, omit vanilla essence with caramel essence, decorate with caramel and pecans.

RED VELVET CUPCAKES

2 ½  cups flour
1 ½  cups castor sugar
1 teaspoon bicarb
1 teaspoon cocoa
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup buttermilk                      
2 eggs                                           
1 ½  cup oil
1 teaspoon vinegar
5 teaspoon crimson red coloring
1 teaspoon vanilla
Topping:       
1 cup cream cheese
250g butter
2 cups icing sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla

METHOD
Mix flour,sugar,bicarb,cocoa and salt.
In another bowl combine
buttermilk,eggs,oil,vinegar,coloring.
Mix all well together and bake on 180.

CHOCOLATE COCONUT MACAROON CUP-CAKES

¼  Ib butter
½  cup castor sugar
3 eggs (separated)
1 tsp vanilla essence
1 cup cake flour
1 ½ tsp b.powder
1 ½  tblsp cocoa
1/2 cup milk
Beat together butter and castor sugar until light and fluffy, add yolks and beat well. Sift together flour, b.powder and cocoa and add alternately with milk to  mixture. Put half the cake mixture into a greased cake tin, spread filling on top and place remaining mixture on top of filling. Bake in a moderate until done.

Filling:
3 egg whites
1/2 cup icing sugar
11/4 cup coconut
Beat whites till stiff, fold in icing sugar and coconut.

CARROT CAKES
2 eggs
¾  cup brown sugar
½  cup oil
1 ½ tsp cinnamon
1 tsp bicarb
1 tsp b.powder
1 ¼ cup cake flour
2 cups grated carrots
¼  cup chopped pecan nuts
Preheat oven to 180. Beat eggs brown sugar, and oil together. Add in cinnamon, bicarb, baking powder, cake flour and mix.
Lastly stir in grated carrots and chopped pecans. Scoop into baking pans and bake for about 45 min. Remove from oven and allow to cool. Decorate with cream cheese topping.

Cream cheese topping
30 gram butter
½  tsp vanilla essence
1 cup icing sugar
4 tblsp cottage cheese
Cream the butter, vanilla essence and icing sugar together until smooth, beat in cottage cheese and decorate.
COURTESY KHATIJA EBRAHIM