Mary Berry shared her recipe for a scummy cupcake recipe, and says the ‘surprise’ ingredient will not only give the cakes a kick of flavour, but make them look ‘spectacular’ as well
Cupcakes may be a doddle for home bakers, yet there’s always room for a bit of pizzazz and indulgence. Baking legend Mary Berry has let slip the “surprise” ingredient that can take your run-of-the-mill cupcakes to new heights: by not just perking them up with an unexpected burst of flavour but also giving them an eye-catching look.
The beloved former Great British Bake Off star confesses her penchant for baking on grand occasions, concocting recipes to make cupcakes more than just a sweet treat. She swaps out plain vanilla for a zingy lemon base, topped off with a dash of freeze-dried strawberries for a blend that’s tangy and sugary all at once.
During a YouTube tutorial, Mary revealed: “My next recipe is a divine idea to transform a simple cupcake. These are lemony cupcakes which I’ve added some freeze-dried strawberries to, so it’s all a bit of a surprise when you get inside.
“This is a nice, easy, all-in-one sponge so two eggs, 100g of baking spread – you could use butter if you prefer, but it’s got to be soft – 150g of caster sugar and the same of self-raising flour.”
Mary emphasises the importance of room temperature ingredients, which help to blend and aerate better, leading to an airier, more mouth-watering cake, reports the Express. And for that must-have fluffy quality? It’s all in the creaming of the butter and sugar.
Mary stresses that getting this step spot-on is key for achieving that delectable lightness in your cakes. Mary Berry has shared her secret to making the perfect cupcakes, and it’s all about one special ingredient.
She said: “The ingredient that takes these [cupcakes] out of the everyday is freeze-dried strawberries. You get a wonderful flavour of the strawberry and it’s lovely to come across.”
After whipping up the batter until it’s “pale and creamy” she bakes them at 160C for a snug 18-20 minutes. But it’s not just the cupcakes that get a twist; Mary whips up an “unconventional” meringue topping and injects each cake with a “luscious” lemon curd heart.
To cap it off, she brandishes a blowtorch over the meringue and showers the tops with freeze-dried strawberries for that extra pizzazz and taste.
Mary said: “They look really spectacular. I reckon these are a real show-off, perfect for that special tea. That’s wickedly delicious.”
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