Easy Cupcakes by Colour - Australian Women's Weekly

vanilla cupcake with fluffy mock cream frosting and crystallised vanilla pod sliver

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Off the shelf 

baking book reviews

Easy Cupcakes by Colour by the Australian Women's Weekly is a 120 page softcover baking book for beginners. Divided into 'colours'; pink, white, yellow, blue/green & chocolate, it offers simple decorating techiques many using commerical lollies and sprinkles. 

In the back of back you'll find 16 cupcake recipes from sponge cakes to fruit cakes, including four gluten free recipes. There is 10 icing/frosting choices, amongst the ganache and lemon glaze is this unusual one they call 'fluffy mock cream' which is quite white in colour and colours more easily than standard butter cream frosting.

Fluffy Mock Cream

Makes 2 cups

Ingredients

2 tbs milk

1/3 cup water

1 cup caster sugar (superfine)

1 tsp gelatine

2 tbs water, extra

250g (8.8oz) butter, softened 

1/2 vanilla extract (I added the seeds from half a pod as well)

Method

Combine milk, the water and sugar in a small saucepan; stir over low heat, without boiling until sugar is dissolved. Sprinkle gelatine over extra water in cup, add to pan; stir syrup until gelatine is dissolved. Cool to room temperature.

Beat butter and extract in an electric mixer until as white as possible. While mixer is still running,  gradually pour in cold syrup; beat until light and fluffy. Mixture will thicken on standing.

If you or someone you know is just learning to bake then this book is a great introduction to baking from scratch, nothing difficult and with the help of a few lollies or fresh flowers they will get a delicious and confidence building result.

Happy Baking :)

available from Angus & Robertson (Australia)

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