With National Cupcake Day, what you see is what you get. There's no fundraising involved and no need to hang any bunting, just an invitation to enjoy a cupcake or two, alone or with friends, at home or in a cafe. So long as you're eating and enjoying all things cupcake, you're doing it right.
Of course, there's a whole lot of fun to be had baking cupcakes too and if you're the kind of person who prefers to make things instead of buy them, you're in luck because we've rounded up some cracking cupcake recipes for you to try at home.
Vanilla cupcakes
Simple, sweet and satisfying, these tasty treats are a surefire winner.
Ingredients
To make 12 vanilla cupcakes, you will need:
110g softened butter
110g golden caster sugar
2 large eggs
½ tsp vanilla extract
110g self-raising flour
For the buttercream, you will need:
150g softened butter
300g icing sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract
3 tbsp milk
Begin by heating your oven to 180C/160c fan/gas 4 and fill a 12 cupcake tray with cases. Next, use an electric whisk to beat 110g softened butter and 110g golden caster sugar together until fluffy, then whisk in the eggs one at a time.
Add ½ tsp vanilla extract, 110g self-raising flour and a pinch of salt, whisk until combined, then spoon the mixture into the cupcake cases. Bake for 15 mins until golden brown and a skewer inserted into the middle of each cake comes out clean. Leave to cool on a wire rack.
To make the buttercream, whisk 150g softened butter until soft then add 300g icing sugar, 1 tsp vanilla extract and a pinch of salt. Starting off slowly, whisk until smooth, then beat in 3 tbsp milk. Spoon or pipe onto the cooled cupcakes to finish.
Strawberry cupcakes
Colourful and fresh, these little beauties won't last long around kids! Or adults, for that matter…
Ingredients
To make 12 strawberry cupcakes, you will need:
175g self-raising flour
115g caster sugar
2 eggs
100g Greek yoghurt
115g butter, melted and cooled slightly
100g strawberries, finely chopped
For the icing, you will need:
300g icing sugar, sifted
150g butter, softened
2tbsp milk
1tsp vanilla extract
pink food colouring
6 strawberries, halved, or 12 small whole strawberries
Heat your oven to 180C/160C fan/gas 4 and line a 12-hole muffin tin with cupcake cases. Mix the flour and sugar together in a large bowl, then whisk together the eggs, yoghurt and melted butter in a large jug. Gradually mix the wet ingredients into the dry until you have a smooth batter, then fold in the strawberries.
Next, fill the prepared cases so they are about three-fourths full. Bake for 25-30 mins, or until golden and a skewer inserted into the middles comes out clean, then leave to cool.
While the cupcakes are cooling, make the icing. First, beat the sugar and butter together until smooth, then add the milk, vanilla and a little pink food colouring and beat until the icing is pale pink. Spoon the icing into a piping bag fitted with a star nozzle, then pipe in swirls onto the cooled cupcakes. Decorate each with a strawberry half or small strawberry, then serve.
Coffee cupcakes
Our favourites. Of course!
Ingredients
To make 18 coffee cupcakes, you will need:
140g golden caster sugar
140g butter, softened
3 large eggs
140g self-raising flour
2 tbsp instant espresso mixed with 1 tbsp water
chocolate-coated coffee beans, to decorate
For the icing, you will need:
200g butter, softened
200g icing sugar
2 tsp instant espresso mixed with 1 tbsp water
50g plain chocolate, melted
Start by heating your oven to 170C/150C fan/gas 3, then line 18 holes in 2 bun tins with fairy cake cases. Beat the sugar and butter until light and creamy, then beat in the eggs, one by one, adding 1 tbsp flour at the same time. Beat in the rest of the flour along with the espresso. Spoon into the cake cases and bake for 17 mins, swapping the trays after 12 mins, then leave to cool on a wire rack.
To make the icing, beat the butter until pale, then gradually beat in the icing sugar, followed by the espresso and the melted chocolate. When the cakes are completely cool, swirl the icing generously on top and decorate with the coffee beans.
Salted caramel cupcakes
The UK's love-affair with salted caramel is still going strong and with these indulgent cupcakes, it's not hard to see why.
Ingredients
To make 12 salted caramel cupcakes, you will need:
100g softened salted butter
100g golden caster sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla extract
100g self-raising flour
1 tbsp milk
6 tsp caramel sauce
For the icing, you will need:
75g soft salted butter
150g icing sugar
200g caramel sauce
sea salt flakes
First, heat your oven to 180C/160C fan/gas 4, then line a 12-hole cake tin with paper cases.
Beat the butter and sugar together with an electric whisk until pale and fluffy. Add the eggs, one at a time, along with the vanilla extract, then mix in the flour until just combined. Finally, stir in the milk until the batter falls off the beaters.
Next, divide the mixture between the cases, leaving about 2 tbsp batter in the bowl. Add a pinch of salt to the caramel sauce, then add ½ tsp to the tops of each cupcake. Use a teaspoon to cover the caramel sauce with the remaining batter. Bake for 15-20 mins until springy and golden, then leave to cool completely on a wire rack.
Meanwhile, make the icing. Beat the butter and half the icing sugar together, then tip in the remaining icing sugar and whisk until pale and fluffy. Stir in half the caramel sauce, then spoon the mixture into a piping bag with a star nozzle. Pipe swirls of icing on top of the cooled cupcakes.
To finish, stir a pinch of salt into the remaining caramel sauce, then drizzle over the icing and sprinkle a small pinch of sea salt over each.
Cafe2U - the perfect accompaniment to National Cupcake Day
Whichever cupcakes take your fancy, one thing's for sure - they'll taste even better with a cup of coffee. Get in touch with your nearest Cafe2U van here and let us deliver some of our top quality drinks to your door while there are still some cupcakes left to have with it!