Parragon

Getting Valentine’s Day Right with the Cupcake

+ February 13, 2012 by Sarah Flynn

Cupcakes exist for many reasons. They are delicious, they are portable, they are cost-efficient and easy to make, and most importantly, they solve very important problems like “what should I give my loved one on Valentine’s Day”? Bake along with Parragon’s freelance baker / writer extraordinaire, Sarah Purvis, as she helps to rescue your Love Holiday.

Valentine’s Heart Cupcakes (From The Cupcake)
Makes 6

Ingredients
85g/3oz butter, softened, or soft margarine
85g/3oz caster sugar
½ tsp vanilla extract
2 eggs, lightly beaten
70g/2 ½ oz plain flour
1 tbsp cocoa powder
1 tsp baking powder
6 sugar flowers, to decorate

Marzipan Hearts
35g/1 ¼ oz marzipan
red food colouring
icing sugar, for dusting

Frosting
55g/2 oz unsalted butter, softened
115g/4oz icing sugar
25g/1 oz plain chocolate, melted

Make the marzipan hearts first – you need to allow a good few hours for them to dry. Unfortunately I couldn’t find any marzipan, but fondant or gum paste work just as well!

Knead the marzipan (or fondant) until pliable, then add a little red food colouring and knead until mixed. Be careful – red colouring can stain quite badly, so wash your hands frequently or wear gloves if you’re concerned about looking like the chief suspect in a murder mystery. Roll out the marzipan to a thickness of 5mm / ¼ inch on a surface lightly dusted with icing sugar.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Using a small heart cutter, cut out 6 hearts. Place on a sheet of greaseproof paper dusted with icing sugar and leave to dry for 3-4 hours, or overnight.

And now for the cupcakes! Preheat the oven to 180°C/350°F/Gas Mark 4. Put 6 paper cases in a muffin tray. Place the butter, caster sugar and vanilla extract in a large bowl and beat together until light and fluffy. Mmmm, the smell of the vanilla as this mixes together is delicious!

Gently beat in the eggs.  (“Gently” is the key here to avoid curdling - which almost happened to me!)  Sift in the flour, cocoa powder and baking powder and using a metal spoon, fold into the mixture:  Chocolate Heaven Part 1! Spoon the mixture into the (delightful heart-themed!) paper cases. Bake in a pre-heated oven for 20-25 minutes, or until risen and firm to the touch.

Transfer to a wire rack and leave to cool. But, hold your horses – avoid the temptation of peeling back even the tiniest of corners – the best bit is still to come!

Put the butter in a large bowl and beat until fluffy. Sift in the icing sugar and beat together until smooth. Add the melted chocolate and beat together until well mixed. We like to refer to this stage as Chocolate Heaven Part 2. Spread all of the frosting you’ve not yet “just tasted” on top of each cupcake.  As you will see from the final images, I decorated mine with three hearts, but now is the time for the sugar flowers if you have them. Just pop ‘em on the top with the marzipan hearts.

You have to seriously love someone to part with even just one of these light, airy, moreish, yummy scrummy cupcakes. Thank goodness the recipe makes 6! Happy Valentine’s Day.