Afelia's Buttermilk Cupcakes
 
 
Author:
Ingredients
For the cupcakes:
  • ½ cup of milk
  • 1 tsp white distilled vinegar
  • 100g white sugar
  • 75ml oil
  • 2 medium eggs
  • 140g self raising flour
  • 1 tsp baking powder
  • 1 tsp vanilla essence (optional)
For chocolate cupcakes:
  • 2 tbsp cocoa powder (replace 2 tbsp of self raising flour with the cocoa powder)
For the chocolate buttercream frosting:
  • 100g butter
  • 200g icing sugar
  • 100g milk chocolate
  • 1 - 2 tbsp of milk (if required)
  • Minstrels to decorate (optional)
Method
  1. Preheat your oven to gas mark 4 before preparing the ingredients.
  2. Start by preparing the homemade buttermilk substitute. To ½ cup of milk add 1 tsp of distilled vinegar, leave to one side whilst the milk curdles.
  3. Add 100g of sugar to a mixing bowl, measure and add 75ml of oil and whisk together till combined.
  4. Crack in 2 medium eggs....
  5. and whisk well. If you are using vanilla essence now is the time to add it, add 1 tsp.
  6. Next sift in 140g of self raising flour (you will need to replace 2 tbsp of flour with 2 tbsp cocoa powder if you are making chocolate cupcakes).
  7. Add 1 tsp of baking powder and add 2 tbsp of cocoa powder (if you are making chocolate cupcakes).
  8. Mix all the ingredients together until smooth.
  9. The buttermilk made earlier will have curdled by now, add slowly, mix to combine until completely smooth.
  10. Add fruit, nuts or other ingredients at this stage if you are using them.
  11. Prepare 10 - 12 cases in baking tins, I am using muffin cases to bake the cupcakes as they do tend to rise a lot.
  12. To ensure the cupcakes are equal in size to one another use a ¼ cup measuring cup to measure the batter into the cases. Fill the cupcake cases and ensure you use a spatula to empty each cup before measuring again, you should be able to get 12 cupcakes if you wipe clean every last drop of batter (sometimes I pinch batter from the cases that look slightly fuller to get a full set of 12, lol).
  13. Bake in the oven for 15 - 20 minutes until risen and cooked. DON'T overcook these cupcakes, set a timer or keep a close eye on the time, this will ensure the cakes are moist and not dry.
  14. Remove from the oven once baked and allow to cool completely.
  15. Measure and cube 100g of butter (the image shows a lot of cubed butter, not all of it is required).
  16. Cream the butter in a stand mixer (or use a handheld mixer) for about 10 minutes, on a low setting, until the butter is smooth and looks a couple of shades lighter.
  17. In the meantime measure and melt 100g of milk chocolate in short 20 second bursts, remove to stir after each zap in the microwave.
  18. The chocolate is ready when it is melted and completely smooth (as in the top left photo). Leave to cool to one side.
  19. By now your butter should be smooth and look like the top right photo.
  20. Measure 200g of icing sugar and sift into the creamed butter, add the icing sugar gradually and whisk well after each addition to ensure a smooth buttercream.
  21. Add the melted chocolate to the buttercream, I like to drizzle it using the end of my spatula, this helps to cool it as it hits the bowl.
  22. Fold in using a spatula and then return to the stand mixer (or use a hand mixer) to mix completely.
  23. The buttercream will look like the bottom right photo. If you feel the buttercream is stiff and not smooth enough to pipe, add 1 tbsp of milk and mix really well to combine. Add more ONLY if you feel you need it, adding 1 tbsp at a time.
  24. Prepare a nozzle to pipe the buttercream with, I am using a Wilton 1M nozzle.
  25. Fit into a disposable piping bag and place the bag over a tall glass or jug, this makes filling the bag easier.
  26. Pull down the sides of the bag over the jug (as shown in bottom left photo) and fill with the buttercream.
  27. Pull up the piping bag and using the edge of your hand push the buttercream towards the end of the nozzle.
  28. Twist the top of the bag and you're ready to pipe.
  29. Only start to pipe the cupcakes once they are COMPLETELY COOL, otherwise the buttercream will melt!
  30. Hold the piping bag perpendicular to the centre of the cupcake and allow the buttercream to fall down, the nozzle should not touch the cupcake.
  31. Using a swirling motion go around the cupcake slowly.....I'm telling you it wasn't easy to photograph AND pipe the cupcake simultaneously!
  32. When you get to the end, gently lift the nozzle away to taper the buttercream. Place a Minstrel (or two) over where the buttercream ended to conceal and neaten the cupcakes.
  33. The cupcakes are best enjoyed on the day they are baked, they won't be around for long so be sure to grab one!
  34. This recipe can be easily doubled and tripled for larger bakes.
Recipe by www.afeliaskitchen.com at https://www.afeliaskitchen.com/afelias-buttermilk-cupcakes/