RETRO POPPING CANDY CUPCAKES	FOOD & COOKING ARTICLE

Cupcakes have been all the rage for a few years now and it seems that that culinary trend will last for quite a while longer. Cupcakes are great because they are delicious (if you do them right!), they look cute and they are not so big that feel guilty for eating one. Not that you should – everyone deserves a little treat now and then.

These pretty little buns can be found at tea parties, dinner parties and even at weddings, as a lot of brides and grooms are now opting for a tree of cupcakes instead of the traditional cake. And guests certainly aren’t complaining - many preferring the cute butter cream - covered buns to stodgy old fruit cake.

But how can you make your cupcakes stand out from the crowd? Well this recipe should help yours make their mark and the lucky people you give them to are sure to remember them! These are retro popping candy cupcakes, treats that will be delicious and remind people of this odd fizzing candy that they will have loved as kids. And if you’re baking for kids these cupcakes will seem like magical mouthfuls and provoke laughter and excitement. In short they’re not your average cakes. So, what do you need?

Ingredients

For the cupcakes:
220g of sifted flour
1 ¾ tsp baking powder
¼ tsp salt
5 tbsp butter
230g sugar
2 extra large eggs
3 large egg yokes
83ml vegetable oil
2 ½ tsp vanilla extract
80ml shaken buttermilk

For the popping candy buttercream:
2 tsp vanilla extract
230-320g sifted icing sugar
1-3 tsp cream
Popping candy to sprinkle on top

Method

Cupcakes:

• Preheat your oven to 180c or gas mark 4. Put cupcake cases in cupcake tins.

• Mix the flour, baking powder and salt together. Separately in a large bowl mix sugar and butter until fluffy and light. One at a time, beat in eggs and egg yolks, followed by vanilla extract. Add vegetable oil and fold the mixture, adding buttermilk as you do.

• Pour mix into cupcake cases, around three quarters full. Bake for 8-10 minutes, remove and leave to cool completely.

Popping candy buttercream:

• Mix together the vanilla extract and the butter until you have a smooth consistency. Add icing sugar, around 100g at a time, adjusting until the taste is right. Thoroughly beat in the cream.

• Decorate the cooled cupcakes with the buttercream as liberally as you like. Then add one or two teaspoons of popping candy for that touch of magic.

This recipe is sure to be a real treat for your guests, whether at a kids’ party of a more sophisticated adult soiree. And whatever age your guests are, they are sure to be delighted when they take a bite of their bun and feel the popping candy come alive on their palate. Of course you can add any food colouring you like too to add some extra excitement to your cakes.

So have some fun with your cupcakes and make them stand out from the crowd, with some nostalgic retro candy that will make sure people remember eating them.

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