The Great Recipe Book Challenge of 2013 - June

Firstly, bad news. I've not posted here for a long time. This was because:

Secondly: I'm back now.

Baking. It has certainly captured the public imagination at the moment. Of all cookery shows on TV, there seems to be no better way to ensure rating success than to mix flour, sugar and presenters (Mary Berry may be getting on a bit but we all know she's still got it).

And yet. I just can't get to grips with baking, it's one of the very few skills of the kitchen that simultainiously elludes me and yet remains as unexciting as a slap in the face with a wet haddock. Mind you, I love watching all the shows. Oh yes, you cant move me from the sofa now The Great British Bake Off has started, it's essential viewing. But, doing it myself? Nah, I'll leave it to Mrs P. thanks very much.

I know that the majority of professionals are a savory rather than a sweet, which is what makes pastry chefs so sought after, and I would love to buck the trend but my life does not depend on it and I have the ability to choose what I cook. That means I limit the amount of sugar that enters my diet and instead concentrate on salt and fat, much better.

To this end I was relatively happy to be given cupcakes as the next challenge. About as easy as could be achieved and still be classed as baking, it wasn't too stressful. Plus, I could get my always able and willing assistant to help.

In fact, as cupcakes are so difficult to cock-up, I'm not going to bother talking about the recipe too much. The only comments I'm going to make are; the recipe called for an obscene amount of butter, in the interest of keeping my child heart disease free over the age of 9, I reduced the amount by half. Also it claims to make 12 cupcakes. This is a lie, we made 19 and were being generous with our spoonage. Thirdly, they tasted lovely. A little heavy and dense perhaps but nice all the same.

Happy Days.

Marshmallow Vanilla Buttercups

3 eggs
1 cup butter
1 cup caster sugar
1/2 cup buttermilk
1 1/2 cup self raising flour - sifted
2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Topping
100g icing sugar
1 cup butter
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
marshmallow dots

Preheat the oven to 160 - line a cupcake tin.

Beat the eggs, add butter and sugar and mix until light and fluffy.

Add buttermilk, flour and vanilla, stir to combine. beat with an electric mixer until light and creamy.

Bake for 20 minutes.

While cooling, combine half the icing sugar and butter and mix with a wooden spoon. Add the remaining nicing sugar, butter and vanilla abd beat with a spoon.

Dollop on the cakes then add marshmallows.

I'll leave you the joys of converting American cups to something more useful...