raspberry and coconut cupcakes: peyton and byrne recipe

shopping list
for the cupcakes
♥ 100g softened unsalted butter
♥ 125g caster sugar
♥ 150g self raising flour
♥ two eggs
♥ 60g low fat natural yoghurt
♥ 200g raspberries - set aside the best 12 for decoration
♥ 30g desiccated coconut 


for the icing
♥ 115g caster sugar
♥ 175g unsalted butter, softened
♥ two egg whites
♥ 50ml coconut milk, shaken
♥ flaked coconut to decorate

preheat the oven to 170 degrees and line the tin with 12 fairy cake cases. drop in a couple of raspberries in each.


for the cupcakes, mix together the butter and caster sugar until creamy. then add in each egg at a time and sieve in the flour. lastly, lightly mix in the natural yoghurt and desiccated coconut.


drop roughly three generous teaspoons of the mixture into each case. pop in the oven for around 15-20 minutes, or until golden brown. 
next... the yummy, scrummy icing :)


the coconut icing is made with an italian method - which means it uses egg whites instead of classic butter and icing sugar made buttercream.

to prepare the egg whites, simply crack the egg in your hand and let the whites fall through your fingers into a bowl ready for later.

begin making the icing by pouring the sugar and egg whites into a heatproof bowl over a saucepan of boiling water over a low heat until the granules have dissolved into a thickened syrup. 


when the sugar mixture has cooled, beat together for 10 minutes - preferably with an electric hand whisk - or if not just a little of elbow grease. add in the butter a little at a time. do not fret if it splits; persevere and it will come back together to form a creamy texture. a great tip is to keep it in the fridge for a little while so it thickens even more.


ice the cupcakes and sprinkle with coconut flakes - of course topping each with a raspberry. it's one of your five a day, right?

if you love these as much as i do then maybe you'll like my lemon and almond frangipane tart recipe.

with thanks to peyton and byrne for their amazing cakes and even more amazing recipes. if you're ever in st pancras station in london, be sure to buy a chocolate tart for the journey :)

the rude shipyard: my first taste of guinness cake.

yoho ahoy!

a slice of guinness cake and a cuppa from the rude shipyard in sheffield. for those of you who haven't been, it's a quaint little café-come-book shop on abbeydale road with higgledy piggledy furniture and lovely company.

the cake looked and tasted divine. with cream cheese for that famous guinness head.

if only there were some kind of record for the best cake. world records perhaps...

haddock kievs ♥

shopping list.

for two people.

♥ two skinless haddock fillets
♥ four slices of parma ham
♥ 150g handful of asparagus

for the garlic filling

♥ two garlic cloves

♥ a bunch of parsley

♥ a knob of butter

for the chips

♥ two baking potatoes
♥ salt and pepper to season

wrap it up and you're away. cook for 20 minutes on 200 degrees :)

if you're a fan of parma ham then you should absolutely, definitely try out this recipe for parma ham and mozzarella risotto :)

grilled salmon and avocado salad.

shopping list

♥ salmon fillet
♥ handful of rocket
♥ cracked black pepper

♥ one avocado

i know i claim a lot of my favourite dishes are simple. and i'm probably a tad biased/make them too much. but with this one it really is a "bung it".

simply grill the salmon for 10 mins on a medium heat, checking it flakes away if you break it with a fork. then toss it with sliced avocado and rocket. or whatever your favourite salad leaves are really :) healthy and filling!