These cupcakes are ridiculously easy to make and are a crowd pleaser every time. They are probably one of my favourite things to make and to eat! The cake itself is a recipe I grew up with. My Mum would use this trusty Women’s Weekly recipe to make our birthday cakes and cupcakes. My brother and I would always fight over who got to lick the beaters when Mum made these cupcakes! Mum would ice these cupcakes with a coloured icing made with a little margarine, milk and icing sugar, I of course always wanted pink!
The original recipe uses butter, however Mum has always used margarine. Margarine gives the cakes a nice light texture. She also says using a low fat milk is great for creating a nice light cake. I find this recipe makes between 12 and 15 cakes. I think it depends on the size of the eggs used, or how much batter I fill the cupcake cases with. Either way, I always line a 12 hole cupcake tray with cases, and have another tray ready in case I need it.
Ingredients:
125g margarine
1tsp vanilla essence
3/4 cup caster sugar
2 eggs
1 1/2 cups self raising flour
1/2 cup milk
Ingredients for the Icing:
2 cups icing (confectioners) sugar (approx.)
pulp of 3-4 passionfruit (approx.)
Method:
Pre-heat oven to 160 degrees Celsius and place cupcake cases into a cupcake tray.
Cream the margarine, vanilla essence and sugar in a bowl with an electric mixer. The mixture should become light and fluffy. Beat in the eggs one at a time, then sift half the flour into the mixture and add half the milk. Mix until combined, then add the remaining flour (sifted) and milk.
Divide mixture between the cupcake cases. Fill them about 1/2 to 3/4 full. They will rise, and if you fill them too much they will spill over the sides.
Bake for 15 minutes, or until the cakes are slightly golden in colour and spring back when touched. Cool on wire racks.
Once the cakes have cooled, sift the icing sugar into a microwave safe bowl, and gradually add the pulp of two passionfruit. Mix to form a thick paste. If the mixture is too wet, sift in some more icing sugar. If it is too dry add more passionfruit pulp. Place the bowl into the microwave and heat the icing in 10 second intervals until a smoother consistency is achieved. The icing should spread nicely, but not be so runny that it will run down the sides of the cupcakes.
Using a knife or small spatula, ice the top of the cupcakes with the passionfruit icing. Allow the icing to set before storing in an airtight container.
The original recipe for the cupcakes can be found in ‘The Australian Women’s Weekly Cakes and Slices Cookbook’ p. 89.
Originally Posted April 27, 2014.