Vanilla Cupcakes with Natural Pink Butter Cream, originally uploaded by Food For Think.

Due to all this talk about natural food colourings at the moment, I thought I’d give it a go and make vanilla cupcakes with natural baby pink butter cream. So off I went to the supermarket to buy some frozen berries. I recently read an article by Huma Qureshi which spurred me on. She recommended frozen instead of fresh as they have higher water content.

I don’t really make cupcakes very often because my previous attempts haven’t exactly been perfection but decided that I’ll have one last crack and I have to say that I am rather pleased with the outcome.

The reason I liked using frozen berries is that I could eat the stewed berries after I had added to the juices to my butter cream and my oh my they were delicious.

Recipe for vanilla cupcakes (makes 12)

115g unsalted butter at room temperature
115g golden caster sugar
115g Allinson Nature Friendly Flour
2 eggs at room temperature
1 tsp vanilla extract (I love Nielsen-Massey)

Method

1. Pre heat the oven to 170C/340F and line a 12 holed cup cake tin with cup cake cases
2. Beat the butter, sugar, eggs and vanilla extract together until smooth
3. Mix in the flour until just combined
4. Spoon into cup cake cases and bake for 12-15 minutes or until a skewer comes out clean

Recipe for natural baby pink buttercream
150g Icing sugar
150g butter at room temperature
Handful of frozen berries
Glug of boiled water
Tablespoon of golden caster sugar

Method

1. Cream the butter and icing sugar together until light and fluffy
2. Place the frozen berries, water and sugar into a pan and bring to the boil
3. Simmer for 5 minutes and add 5 teaspoons of the juices to the buttercream and mix together

Use a piping bag to pipe the buttercream onto the cupcakes once they have cooled and enjoy. You can even marvel at how the butter cream tastes nothing like fruit!