Zucchini and Parmesan Muffins

Recipe from 100 Favourite Muffins and Slices
Images by Yasmin

This is a really scrumptious and filling savoury bite of goodness. The different types of cheese just take this muffin to a whole new dimention! I really enjoy eating these muffins because I can have the satisfaction of eating something delicious without feeling guilty about eating something sweet and unhealthy.

Ingredients:

• 2 cups standard (plain) flour
• 4 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp salt
• black pepper, to taste
• 1 cup grated tasty cheese
• 1/4 cup grated parmesan
• 3/4 cup milk
• 2 large eggs
• 3 zucchini, grated (250g altogether)

Method:
Heat oven to 200'C fanbake, with the rack just below the middle.

Sift or fork together the flour, baking powder and salt in a large bowl. Grind in black pepper to taste, then add the grated cheeses and stir to combine.

Break the eggs into another large bowl, add the milk and whisk together with a fork, then add the grated unpeeled zucchini.

Tip the dry ingredients into the liquid mixture, then carefully fold everything together, taking care not to overmix. As soon as all the flour is moistened, spoon the mixture  into 12 lightly buttered or non-stick sprayed regular muffin pans or 24 mini muffin pans.

Bake for 12-15 minutes or until the tops are golden and the muffins spring back when pressed in the centre.

Meringue Cupcakes

Recipe from CupcakesImages by Yasmin

I love meringue. It is beautiful on lemon meringue pie, so it is just as beautiful as an icing for cupcakes. To make this cupcake look even more sweet and appetising it is dusted with jelly crystals. De-lic-ious! This was served for afternoon tea with Citrus Slice, posted previously. Great for a hot summers day.

Ingredients:
For cupcake:

• 1 1/3 cups plain flour
• 1 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 1/8 tsp salt
• 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
• 1 cup brown sugar
• 1 tsp vanilla essence
• 2 large eggs
• 1/2 cup milk

Meringue Topping:

• 3/4 cup sugar
• 2 large egg whites
• jelly crystals, to decorate (any colour)

Method:
Line cupcake tins with patty pans.

For cupcakes, combine the flour, baking powder and salt into a small bowl. In a medium sized bowl, beat the butter, sugar and vanilla until creamy. Add the eggs one at a time, beating until just blended after each addition. With mixer on slow speed, add the mixed dry ingredients and milk. Spoon the batter into the prepared patty pans, filling each 3/4 full. Bake for 10-20 minutes, until golden brown and firm to touch. Transfer to wire rack once cool.

For Meringue, beat at high speed the egg whites until soft peaks form when beaters are removed. While the motor is running slowly pour the sugar into the egg whites. Beat until meringue is thick and forms soft peaks.

Spoon meringue on top of the cupcakes. Using the spoon create small peaks on the cupcakes. Dust with jelly crystals. Store in refrigerator in sealed container.

Simplicity Cake/ Multicoloured Cake

Recipe from NMAA Cooks
Images by Yasmin

This is the most basic recipe on the planet and should be the first thing everyone learns to cook; a cake. Once you learn how to make a cake, you can do many wonderful and creative things to it, such as making a decorative cake or another flavoured cake altogether. I have made many different cakes by adjusting the ingredients or flavouring slightly, such as coffee, orange, lemon, banana, choc chip, chocolate (more my sisters than me) and multicoloured cakes. I am going to explain to you how to make multicoloured cakes on this post following the simplicity cake recipe. This of course is optional. You can just make the basic cake and put it in the oven, your choice! I like to be a bit creative!!!

Unfortunately I don't have a photo of the cooked product, because my friends and I ate it before I realised I needed a photo!!! Good times though!

Ingredients:
For simplicity cake:

• 2 tblsp margarine or butter
• 1 cup Self Raising flour
• 1 cup sugar
• 1/2 cup milk
• 2 eggs
• 1/2 tsp vanilla flavouring

For multicoloured cake add:

• at least three different food colouring (I chose Blue, Yellow and Pink food colouring)

Method:
Grease a cake, muffin or patty pan tin. Heat oven to 180'C fan-forced. Melt Butter. Add all other ingredients and beat for 3 minutes. Now either bake the simplicity cake for 30 minutes, or cup cake tray for 10 minutes or complete the following:

Separate the mixture evenly into three different bowls (or as many required for the number of different food colours). Add a few drops of food colour into each bowl to make different colours. Stir thoroughly with a knife until the food colouring is completely mixed in. Using a teaspoon, place one colour in the patty pan (in my case), then another and finally the third. Complete this pattern until all of the mixture is gone, make sure to vary your layers and patterns of cake coloured mixture. Be inventive and creative. You may have most of the cup cake being blue and only one spot being yellow and/or pink.

Bake in oven for 10 minutes if a cupcake tray, or 30minutes for a cake tin. Remove once a skewer can be inserted and come out clean.

Orange Jelly Cupcakes

Recipe and Image from Super Food Ideas

I have never made or tasted something quite like this before. The technique in soaking the cupcake in jelly without making it fall apart is difficult, but achievable. This idea and texture is interesting and tasty. The cupcake essentially falls apart in one's mouth, releasing a wave of orange flavour; something truly sensational. I strongly recommend decorating this cupcake half an hour before serving as it is a food that cannot be stored for many days due to the risk of mold and bacteria. Despite this factor this is a really simple and tasty treat for all to enjoy.

Ingredients:

• 1/2 Basic Muffin recipe, using only 2 eggs (see Gooey Caramel Muffin Post)
• 85g packet of orange jelly crystals
• 2 cups desiccated coconut
• 300ml thickened cream, whipped
• silver  cachous, to decorate (optional)

Method:
Bake the basic muffin recipe in cupcake form. Meanwhile, prepare jelly following packet instructions. Refrigerate for 20 minutes only. Place coconut in a bowl (only a little bit at a time - the jelly wets it). Dip one cupcake in the jelly mixture, to coat. Roll in coconut. Transfer to serving plate. Repeat with rmaining cakes, jelly and coconut. Refrigerate for 15 minutes. Cut a small wedge i the topp of each cake. Discard wedge. Spoon cream into holes. Decorate with cachous. Serve.