Raspberry and Almond Cupcakes

Of course, you probably know me very well for invading Vocal with my film studies stuff and articles entitled ‘a filmmaker’s guide’. I have often explained that I love to bake as well. Since I was young, I have loved the idea, the creativity and the relaxation of baking different things. I love to make macarons, layer cakes and gingerbread in particular and the activity of it really gets me away from my laptop (where I’m sure you know that I spend most of my life). So, I hope you enjoy me talking about what I bake and why I bake it complete with pictures (if not very good) of me actually baking, my baked goods in the process of being created and when they’re finished. I’m really happy to share this with you. And if you like, you can show me your baking (yes, I spend a lot of time writing, but I also spend a lot of time reading other people’s articles!), I would love to see it. Since I was in school, I was always interested in creating things, whether that be pieces of writing, welding things to make small statues or baking foods and making sweets (candy, if you’re American). I hope you enjoy looking at some of the stuff that has honestly kept me sane, because I seem to be going slightly mad.

Raspberry and Almond Cupcakes

I love raspberry and almond, as a flavour it works so well in desserts. If you've ever had a raspberry themed dessert shot then sprinkling it with almond, eating it with an almond liqueur or even have an amaretto-dipped raspberry with chocolate. All of it is so tasty because of the sweet flavour of the fruit blended with the smooth flavour of the almond. It's a beautiful flavour and I think you will enjoy it just as much as I do.

Let's make the cakes!

• 110g Caster Sugar
• 110g Chilled Butter
• 2x Eggs
• 110g Self Raising Flour
• 40g Ground Almonds
• 2tbsp Vanilla Extract
• 12 Raspberries

1. Preheat the oven to 200C and line a cupcake tray
2. Cream together the sugar and butter, add the vanilla and mix again.
3. Add the eggs and whisk.
4. Finally, add the self raising flour and ground almonds and whisk again.
5. Split the mixture between the cupcake cases
6. Put a raspberry each into the cupcake cases and press it down slightly
7. Bake in the oven for about thirty minutes
8. Allow to cool for fifteen minutes.

Decoration

When it comes to decoration, I like to be short and sweet. I don't like spending so much time on just decorating cakes unless they are for an actual celebration because honestly, I don't physically have that much time. But, when I am looking to decorate, I like to make it classy and efficient. I like to use what I have and I like to make it delicious so that it isn't too sweet. As these cakes are sweet and smooth anyway, I do not want to make the cake overly sweet by giving it too much icing. Instead, I used only a bit of icing and a piece of edible paper shaped in a gingerbread man shape for the on-coming Christmas season.

When it comes to baking at Christmas time, I like to add things to my usual flavours. I enjoy fruit flavours and things that taste tart like lemons and limes. So adding things like cinnamon, ginger, nuts and other more warming ingredients to the cakes and biscuits can make a nice blend of things I like to eat and things that are season appropriate. A variation on these raspberry cupcakes could be to use a blueberry, some lemon zest and sprinkle with walnuts on the top. I love to sprinkle walnuts on to things - especially when they taste like fruit. Another flavour, which is possibly one of my favourites, is to use a raspberry in the middle, flavour the cupcake with a hint of coffee and add ground hazelnut to it. You have absolutely no idea how great hazelnut and coffee tastes until you’ve tried it. If you want to try it separate from the cake, then I suggest a nice cocoa and ginger cake with a hidden raspberry drank with an espresso of Nespresso’s Hazelnut Coffee. Now, I’m really in the mood for some hazelnut coffee so I’m going to go and have some. Enjoy your cake!