Thursday 24 April 2008

The Tempter, Or The Tempted, Who Sins Most...?

I know I'm late for St. George's day, but these cupcakes are actually from yesterday - I wasn't able to post as in the evening I went with school to see Measure For Measure (our A-Level text) in the theatre - and on Shakespeare's birthday, too! (It's a bit of a British-birthday themed week; if there are any other British icons with a birthday this week you probably shouldn't tell me, or my mother will be putting me on flour rations).

Yesterday's display of patriotism reached its crux just before the performance, when my friends ran up to me wearing party hats at jaunty angles, asking me for Measure For Measure quotes (they then wrote quotes all over the hats). This is apparently how Shakespeare's birthday is celebrated in the more elite circles.


It worked out quite well actually, when I was able to reel off a load of quotes -'ever till now, when men were fond, I smiled and wondered how'- in class today.

'Wow, have you been revising?'

'...Actually, I have it written on a party hat.'

These are just vanilla cupcakes with Union Jack and St George's Flag designs in fondant icing over blue buttercream, but I liked how they turned out. The two flags were so people could decide what they were celebrating - the St George fans went for the red crosses, and the more literate picked the Union Jacks.

I didn't tell them that was how I was categorising them at the time, of course.


Vanilla cupcake recipe
Adapted from 'Cupcakes' by Elinor Klivans
Makes 12 cupcakes

180g plain flour
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp bicarbonate of soda
1/4 tsp salt
1 egg
1 egg yolk
200g caster sugar
120g butter
1 tsp vanilla essence
120ml sour cream


Preheat oven to 180C and line 12 muffin tin cups with paper liners.

1. Cream the butter and sugar together in a mixer on medium speed until pale and fluffy. Add the egg & yolk, stopping the mixer and scraping the sides of the bowl as needed. On low speed, mix in the vanilla and sour cream until no white streaks remain.

2. Sift (ha!) the flour, baking powder, bicarb & salt together and mix into the batter slowly until it is incorporated and the batter is smooth and pale. Bake at 180C for about 20mins, until a toothpick stuck into the centre comes out clean.


13 comments:

Anonymous said...

These are beautiful! You are a talented baker!

Thanks for sharing.

test it comm said...

Great job decorating those cupcakes!!

grace said...

a cupcake personality test, how interesting. :)

your fondant skills are stellar. if i attempted that, it would end up looking like a massacre.

Anonymous said...

these are so pretty! and neat too...i'm envious :) bet they weren't just a looker, but a tasty one too.

p/s this blog's a treasure find. i'll be back for more.x

Rosie said...

These are SO beautiful Indigo you really have great talent!! I just love the fondant work it's awesome and rocks!!

Rosie x

Pixie said...

Brilliant Indigo, how original- you need to start selling your goodies! or better yet, send one my way- you have heard about the travelling cupcake in a plastic cup right? ;) I'm actually quite serious here. I want a sample like NOW.

Maria♥ said...

Indigo these are just gorgeous, love them!

Maria
x

Anonymous said...

Very adorable take on patriotism! I'd eat that in a second.

steph- whisk/spoon said...

ohh--i love them! if i'd only seen this yesterday, i would have been inspired to make some southern cross cupcakes for ANZAC day!

Anna said...

Thanks everyone for your lovely comments!

Maria! - Just letting you know that I've been trying to comment your blog for days and days; it keeps making my computer crash for some reason! I thought it was just my computer being a bit of a ho, but it seems to let me comment other people, so I don't know if it has a grudge against you or what, lol. Thought I'd let you know that I love everything you've been making recently (particularly that gorgeous chocolate loaf cake for Rosie's birthday!) and haven't just been boycotting your site ^__^ .x

Anonymous said...

Oh gosh, these are lovely! I'm not a fan of fondant because of its taste, but it's a show-stopper for its appearance!

Andreea said...

such a brilliant idea :)

Anonymous said...

I wish to be recognised as a bearer of Shakepeare birthday quote hats, thankyouverymuch!

"groping for trouts in a peculiar river"
"i have been an unlwaful bawd and yet i will be content to be a lawful hangman"
"do you mean to geld and splay the youth of the city?... they will t'it then"
"JUSTICE! JUSTICE! JUSTICE!"
"An Angelo for Claudio, death for death"

Love that play, love the funky hats, and looooove the cakes.

xxx