Double Champagne Cupcakes

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I call these my Double Champagne Cupcakes, there is champagne in the Cupcakes and Frosting. These are great for ringing in the New Year, a birthday, or an anniversary–pink champagne would be great for a hen party! Quite easy, but show-stopping for a celebration!
For the Champagne Cupcakes:
-3/4 cup salted butter, at room temperature.
-1 cup of white sugar
-1 tsp vanilla extract
-3 egg whites
– 1 2/3 cups of flour
-1/4 tsp baking soda
-1 tsp baking powder
-1/2 cup of sour cream (or Greek yogurt)
-1/2 cup of champagne
For the Frosting:
– 1 cup of butter (salted)
-1 tablespoon vanilla extract
-4 cups icing sugar
-5-6 tablespoons of champagne
1. Preheat oven to 350F
2. In a small or medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, and baking powder. Set aside.
3. In a larger mixing bowl, cream the butter and sugar together until light and fluffy.
4. Add the vanilla and eggs whites and mix.
5. Then add the flour, but not all at once! You’ll add about half of the flour, then add the sour cream, and mix. Then add the rest of the flour.
6. Fold in the champagne and mix until smooth. Don’t overmix!
7. Fill the cupcake liners a little more than half way-or about three heaped tablespoons of batter. (This batter will make about 14). Bake for about 20 minutes.
While the cupcakes are baking, make the Frosting:
1. Beat butter and vanilla extract until smooth.
2. Add half of the icing sugar and mix until smooth.
3. Add champagne, and mix until smooth. Then add remaining sugar, and mix.
4. Add more champagne if you wish(I added a 2-3 more little splashes!)
Ice the Cupcakes once cool. Decorate with edible pearls or sprinkles.

COOKING DEMO NEXT WEEK

In West Cork next week?! I am giving a cooking demonstration on Bere Island! It’ll be at 5pm in the Community Center.

There’s a lot of fun activities on Bere Island happening over the next week, check out the line-up:

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Coming soon…RECIPE EBOOK

One of my goals is to have my own cookbook. I’ve just started a baby/junior cookbook…well a RECIPE EBOOK! AAHHH! I’m a little scared, excited!

It will be available for your Kindle come August!

I’m really excited, and have been working on it quietly the last while.

More details to follow in the coming weeks, so if you aren’t already subscribed, GO DO IT NOW…and follow me on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.

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Here it is-my FIRST WEDDING CAKE!

This is my proudest culinary moment And most special. This past spring I made my brother’s wedding cake. It was my first wedding cake, and I am pretty happy with the result!

The silver and white pearls are edible, the second tier has a marbled effect to it, and the flowers were picked that morning.

The wedding was an absolutely fantastic time-couldn’t be happier for you two!

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Hello Dublin!

Last week I was in London, where the food scene is UHMAZING! I made it to Deliciously Ella’s Mae Deli, Cutter and Squidge, and Crumbs and Doilies…I’ve been dying to try each of these for ages now! And I’ll have a few recipes inspired by that ‘London Look’ in the next couple of weeks. It really is a place to visit, foodie or no foodie.

SO, BIG MOVE TO DUBLIN TOMORROW!!

I will be working in a top cookery school in Dublin from here on out. I’ll be the digital content manager, so I’ll be doing the school’s blogging, snapping, Facebook, Tweeting, and Instagram. A dream job really!

I’m so excited for this next chapter. I can’t wait to meet other food bloggers, chefs, social media influencers, and others in the industry. I’m so ready to live in a fast-paced city again, and Dublin is such a cool place for food. Moving and starting a new job can be a little bit daunting, but I’ve a great support system up in Dublin, and it’s nice having a sis in the same time zone!

Switching gears to another fast-paced city, actually in my home state of CALIFORNIA(knows how to party). I’m taking you to Los Angeles for a minute. L.A. Lady Magazine is pulled up on my phone and laptop a lot as of lately. And who doesn’t have screenshots of inspirational quotes saved on their phone? Well L.A. Lady Magazine interviews the most badass women in L.A. at the moment. They really do strive to provide inspiration and content about strong women. Their stories are motivating and remind me why I started/ have far I’ve come. So if you’re feeling a little weary(I will definitely be referring to the Mag when I start the new job Monday!), definitely take a look. One of my food heroes, Brandi Milloy is among the ladies interviewed! I share a couple of my favorite snippets below.I faced a major obstacle breaking my ankle, and having the scare of having a second operation. It was terrifying, the possibility of a second operation. But I remain positive, and in some way it was a blessing, being told to quit a professional kitchen, it has lead me to a job that is a combo of everything I love.

Here’s to a new start! Don’t worry, I won’t stop creating my own recipes and projects! I’m feeling so motivated. And by the way, there is a HUGE number of subscribers, so thank you!! You can also follow me on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram for more drooling.

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Wild garlic and cheddar power scones

Guests will be certainly be impressed with the foraged ingredient. I load these bad boys up with heaped tablespoon of linseeds, bee pollen, sprouted buckwheat to get those extra gains. I  like to use my smallest scone cutter, and top soups with mini scones!

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Ingredients:

225g self-raising flour (I used wholewheat)

1 level tsp baking powder

50g butter

100g grated cheddar cheese

30g wild garlic leaves, finely chopped

1 egg

milk

 

Preheat the oven to 200C. Mix the flour and baking powder in a large bowl, rub in the butter until it looks like breadcrumbs. Stir in the cheese and wild garlic. Beat the egg in a small bowl, or mixing jug. Add that to the flour mixture. Then add in milk, just less then a teaspoon at a time to bring it all together as a soft dough. Dust your countertop with flour. Gently pat or roll out the dough into a round about 2cm thick. Cut out your scones, place ona baking tray, and brush with milk. Bake for 10-12 minutes, until golden brown. Remove from oven, and enjoy slathered with butter while still warm, or as a side to soup.

First live demo done!

Thank you everyone who came out to my live demo this past Sunday! A huge congrats to Helen and Niamh for organizing a fabulous Bealtaine festival! And thank you to all the speakers who shared their stories with us. It was a wonderful, and such unique weekend to be a part of.

It was my first live demo, and yeah I was a ball of nerves the size of Texas, but it went well!I wanted to give my first demo on Bere Island, because it’s where I started writing and photographing my blog. There was a big crowd, about 30, much bigger than I anticipated. Once I got a little more comfortable and my nerves calmed, it was a fun hour! So I’ll be publishing my recipes over the next couple of days, so stay tuned!

Thank you again for those who attended. Hope you learned something new, and are inspired to use what’s on our front doorstep here in West Cork!

Coming up on the blog this week:

NETTLE SOUP

WILD GARLIC AND CHEDDAR SCONES

COURGETTI WITH WILD GARLIC AVOCADO CREAM

HOMEMADE YOGURT AND A BLACKBERRY COULIS

YYYYUUUUMMMM!!

 

It is certianly not the last demo I’ll be doing, so stay subscribed!

 

Tahini Banana Bread

If you haven’t tried tahini, you should, just don’t take a big tablespoon and plop it on your porridge! I learned that the pretty hard way as it’s quite bitter on it’s own, but mixed into a cake batter or some bread dough, it takes desserts and other sweet recipes to another level. I also use it in stir fries, but I love experimenting with  contrasting and unexpected flavors.

Bananas usually don’t last very long with me. I’m sure I eat two a day. But I had a real hankering for banana bread, and have way too many jars of tahini. This came out nicely, and it will for sure be a regular thing I make! It’s quick and easy. It’s a twist on the classic banana bread!

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Here’s what you’ll need:

4 very rip bananas

About 1/4 cup veggie oil

1/4 cup Greek yogurt

2  eggs

1 tablespoon vanilla

1 1/2 cups flour (I used gluten free)

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon cinnamon

3/4 cup sugar

Preheat oven to 155C. Oil or butter a bread loaf tin. In a bowl, sieve the flour, then add the baking powder, sugar and cinnamon. In a larger mixing bowl, mash the bananas. Add the veggie oil, yogurt eggs and vanilla and whisk well. Then add the dry ingredients. Pour the batter into the tin. Bake for approximately 45 minutes, or until skewer comes out clean. Let sit for about 5 minutes, then pop it out of the tin. Slather with almond butter and enjoy with a cup of coffee!

 

 

Easy Like Sunday Morni…French Toast Simplified

FINALLY! A new(well new-ish recipe!)post. I’m so excited for tomorrow: I’ve enrolled in a cake decorating/sugar craft class and it starts tomorrow night!! Sugar craft is something I’m very interested in, and can’t wait to play with it more. Wish me luck!

 

This recipe is a super easy, and classic, brunch idea: French toast. And sometimes, you just can’t beat, and need, a classic!

I’m big into my breakfasts, especially pancakes and French toast. Growing up, it was such a treat! And when I was younger I had such a a sweet-tooth, so French toast hit all the right notes( and it still does!). And the smell of the cinnamon batter is just DIVINE!

The secret to getting French toast right: melting LOTS of butter in the pan.

For your next super easy breakfast treat:

4 eggs

1 1/2 tablespoons cinnamon

1/4 milk

About 4-5 slices of white bread-sourdough is also a great choice! Slice diagonally for presentation!

Melt 3 HEAPED tablespoons in a saucepan (I did say A LOT!). In a mixing bowl, whisk eggs, cinnamon, and milk. Soak slices of bread for about 30-45 seconds in the mixture. Then add to the pan. Flip when golden brown.

Serve with a heaping pour of maple syrup. Add a side fruit salad of grapefruit and pomegranate seeds- they add a a cut to the sweetness of the French toast.

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