Chocolate Caramel Cupcakes

I absolutely LOVE caramel, so, when Mam arrived home from the supermarket with a few tins of condensed milk I had to make something delicious with it. I always tend to go for Millionaire's Squares or Banoffee, but this time I was adamant to try something else. Mam has been raving about these Caramel Cupcakes she saw on Bakery Boss, so, I decided to try something new and invent my own Chocolate Caramel Cupcake. Despite what you may think, the cupcakes aren't heavy in the slightest. Both the sponge and the butter cream are light and airy which allows for the devilish caramel.

Ingredients

MAKES 12 CUPCAKES

FOR THE CAKE MIX

225g Butter (softened)

225g Caster Sugar

225g Self Raising Flour (sieved)

2-3 tbsp Cocoa Powder

4 Eggs

FOR THE CARAMEL

1 x 397g tin of Condensed Milk

1 tbsp Golden Syrup

50g Brown Sugar

30g Butter

FOR THE CHOCOLATE BUTTER CREAM

150g Butter

300g Icing Sugar

50g Dark Chocolate (melted)

2 tsp Boiling Water

Method

FOR THE CAKE MIX

1) Preheat the oven to 180C/ 350F/ Gas Mark 4 and line your muffin tray with bun cases

2) Cream the butter and sugar together in the electric mixer

3) Once a pale colour, add in the eggs, one at a time and continue to beat

4) Once combined, add the sieved flour, one spoon at a time as you beat

5) Then add the cocoa powder in beat again until all ingredients are combined

6) Put 1-2 spoons of the mix into each bun case and place in the oven for approximately 15 mins until the cupcakes are firm and spring up when touched

7) Leave to cool on a wire tray while you get to work on the caramel and the butter cream

FOR THE CARAMEL

Firstly, you can cheat a little and buy a tin of caramel - it works just as well.

 But if you feel like going all out follow these simple steps...

1) Melt the butter and sugar together in a pan over a low heat

2) When combined, add in the golden syrup and the condensed milk and stir continuously

3) Bring the mixture to the boil and then allow it to simmer for approx. 5 mins until it becomes thicker

4) Fill a piping bag with the caramel and stick the nozzle into each bun and squeeze

5) Then leave the buns to sit and use any left over caramel for decoration later

FOR THE CHOCOLATE BUTTER CREAM

1) Cream the butter and icing sugar together in the electric mixer (be patient this may take a while)

2) When light and fluffy, add in the melted dark chocolate, one tsp at a time and beat 

3) When combined, add the boiling water, again, a small amount at a time and beat

4) Using your piping bag, pipe the butter cream onto each of the cupcakes, covering the caramel

5) After making sure that the leftover caramel is cool, you can drizzle a small amount over each of the cupcakes for a nice effect.

ENJOY 

Carrot & Passion Fruit Smoothie

I woke up feeling a little under the weather this morning and decided that I needed to make myself some sort of vitamin packed breakfast. I thought of topping porridge with the usual chopped fruit and berries but instead I rooted through the fridge and pulled out a few carrots, pears and passion fruits and decided to whip up a pick-me-up smoothie. Blended carrot didn't sound overly appetizing to me, but, to my surprise this strange creation proved me wrong. This smoothie, packed full of vitamins, left me feeling ready to tackle my final semester assignment mountain.

 I'll just say one thing; don't knock it 'til you try it!

Ingredients 

SERVES 4

2 ripe bananas 

2 pears 

2 carrots

2 passion fruits 

2 cups orange juice

1 cup crushed ice
Mint leaves (to serve)

Method

There's not really much to making this smoothie 
- you pretty much whack everything in the blender, but here goes... 
just in case...

1) Peel and chop all fruit and veg and add to the blender 

2) Add the orange juice and blend on medium speed until smooth

3) Add in the crushed ice, blend again and, hey presto there's your super healthy vitamin packed smoothie - enjoy!

2013 - What a Year!

I know I'm a few days late, but, I'd like to take this opportunity to wish all of you a very Happy New Year. I hope it's a fab year for each and every one if you. I myself have great intentions for 2014 which, if go to plan, I'll be blogging about in future. But, for the moment, let's do a quick re-run through Yummmmyy's 2013.

2013 really has been such a brilliant year with so much happening with Yummmmyy. I've learned an awful lot in a year and, I really like to think that my bakes have improved by miles. I'm now baking cakes and other bakes to order - something I would have only dreamed of at the beginning of 2013.

Lets return to February 2013 when I was awarded the Liebster Award for best up and coming blog of the month. I couldn't believe it when I opened the email informing me that my blog had been given such an award. I was actually a little bit skeptical as I'd only been blogging for a few months at that stage and I thought of Yummmmyy as more of a private baking diary that no one really paid any attention to. Little did I know, Yummmmyy was actually reaching many other bloggers and followers in all corners of the world! Winning the Leibster Award really gave me that boost of confidence I needed to keep blogging and to believe in myself as a blogger.

In March 2013 another achievement made me realise that I really did have a group of followers who appreciated what I was doing. I was approached by an Irish company called Ads on Bags, who asked if they could feature some of my recipes on the surfaces of their biodegradable supermarket bags. Once again, I found myself second guessing the offer and asking myself why this company would choose my recipes to feature on their bags. How and ever, I agreed to submit a recipe for publishing once every month which turned out to be such a good opportunity.

With the Summer came more exciting opportunities, the first being my invitation to the launch of Kenco Millicano's new travel mug designed by Orla Kiely. I was so excited at the thoughts of mingling with other Irish foodies at the launch when I received the invitation.... Aaaand, would you believe, myself and my boyfriend Dave were pictured at the launch in the Irish Tatler!!! 

Also during the Summer, I was a recipient of a fabulous  cooler box full of Philadelphia products to try, which I had been sent courtesy of Kraft Foods - I felt so important being asked to test a new product. Like I said, SO much has happened in one year! 

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!

WELCOME 2014

Yummmmyy's 1st Birthday Celebrated with Raspberry & Almond Cupcakes

I actually can't believe that it's been an entire year since I began to blog! It was at a dinner party with the college galz when I made a batch of my Chocolate Brownies with Triple Chocolate Sauce that I was convinced set Yummmmyy up. I must have impressed the girls with my dessert, especially Rhona, who was really keen to see what else I could make. I showed her my recipe book and she was adiment I set up my own food blog. I'm so happy I took her advice as I absolutely love want I'm doing and my dream is definitely still to one day own my very own bakery where I can bake all of my favourite recipes :) 

It's been such a good year and so much has happened with Yummmmyy. I've learned so much and I really like to think that my bakes are improving week by week. In February 2013, I was awarded the Liebster Award for best up and coming blog - which I was absolutely thrilled about. 

In March I was approached by an Irish company Ads on Bags, who asked if they could feature some of my recipes on their biodegradable supermarket bags - such a brilliant opportunity.

During the Summer, I was invited to the launch of Kenco Millicano's new travel mug designed by Orla Kiely - time to mingle with other Irish foodies, aaaand myself and my boyfriend Dave were pictured at the launch in the Irish Tatler!!! 

Also during the Summer, I was a recipient of a brilliant cooler box full of Philadelphia products to try, courtesy of Kraft Foods - I felt so important being asked to test a new product. 

Like I said, SO much has happened in one year! 

Yummmmyy's Facebook, Twitter and Pinterest pages are also booming with a great amount of likes and followers and the blog itself has over 21400 page views !!! I am unbelievably proud of what I have done over the past year and here's hoping that I'll have another post similar to this one for Yummmmyy's 2nd Birthday!

So, to celebrate Yummmmyy's big day, I tried out a new recipe which I adapted from one I found in a cookbook given to me by my Nana Barbara, which is simply called "Muffins". I LOVE anything almond - marzipan, bakewell tarts, almond slices, almond fingers, frangipan - the list is endless! So, these Raspberry & Almond Muffins were a must try...

You Will Need...

250g Plain Flour (sieved)

80g Chopped Almonds

2.5 tsp Baking Powder (sieved)

.5 tsp Bicarbonate of Soda (sieved)

50g Ground Almonds

140g Caster Sugar

250g Raspberries (fresh or frozen)

1 Egg (lightly beaten)

80 ml Sunflower Oil

275 ml Buttermilk

150g Marzipan

12 Raspberries (for decoration)

Fresh Cream (for decoration)

Icing Sugar (for dusting)

Method

1) Preheat your oven to 180C/ 350F/ Gas Mark 5

2) Line your muffin tray with muffin cases and place it in the fridge while making the batter.

3) Put the Flour, Ground Almonds, Chopped Almonds, Bicarbonate of Soda & Baking Powder in a bowl and combine

4) In a jug or separate bowl, combine the Egg, Sugar, Oil and Buttermilk 

5) Fold the wet mixture and the Raspberries into the dry mixture until all of the dry ingredients are moistened

6) Cut the marzipan into cubes

7) Take your tray out of the fridge and fill each muffin case with one large spoon of the batter

8) Place a marzipan cube into the middle of each case and top with the remaining mixture

9) Bake for 20 mins

10) Leave to stand in the muffin tray when done and serve them warm topped with fresh cream and a raspberry

Yummmmyy's Recipes to Feature with Ads on Bags

I'm over the moon :) :) :) - I was approached last week by the co-owner of an Irish company called Ads on Bags and was asked for my permission to include some of my recipes on leaflets given out with these innovative creations.

The company is based in the West of Ireland in the counties of Galway &  Mayo. They create really cool biodegradable paper bags that feature advertisements on their surfaces. The bags are distributed in local supermarkets and my recipes and a piece about Yummmmyy will be included on leaflets included inside them. The company issue two bags per month so I may get organised and have some recipes lined up to go to print. For this issue, my Lemon Drizzle Cupcakes with Lemon Buttercream will be included. I thought that they would be well suited for Springtime and I thought it would be wise to include a recipe that's relatively easy to follow :)

 I'm so happy to have been asked by Marzena - its such a great opportunity to spread the word about Yummmmyy and I'm over the moon thinking that people are actually interested in my blog and that they are actually trying out my recipes - chuffed is not the word - thanks so much for all of the support you guys :)

The Liebster Award

So first off, this post is a little different to my usual kind. Instead of containing a recipe for a yummmmyy treat of some sort, I'm writing to share some great news -- I logged on to Blogger yesterday to find a comment on one of my posts. It said that Yummmmyy had been awarded the Liebster Award!!! I was shocked to be honest, I share my posts with many communities and often receive the odd +1 on Google + (don't get me wrong, I'm always over the moon to see them) but I never thought that my blog would be recognized for such an award. Reva from Yummy Cooking Made Easy chose Yummmmyy along with ten other up and coming blogs to award. I'm so grateful to her for choosing Yummmmyy and hopefully receiving the award will give me some recognition in the Blogger world -- I absolutely LOVE blogging and what I love even more is receiving feedback from those who have read one of my posts - there's actually nothing better! 

So the Liebster Award is given to up and coming bloggers who have less than 200 followers. Its seen as a way to discover new blogs and to give them some recognition. The German word Liebster means sweetest, dearest, beloved, lovely, cute, valued and endearing.

There are a few rules that go along with receiving the award... (If you choose to accept it that is)

1. You must post 9 random facts about yourself

2. You must answer the 9 questions set for you & also must set 9 new questions

3. Choose 9 people to award and link them in your post

4. Go to your chosen 9 bloggers pages and tell them the good news

5. And finally, no tag backs! (under no circumstances do you have to accept the award)

9 Random Facts about me

1. I'm Irish

2. I have triplet brothers

3. I love playing COD 

4. I can't sing - I haven't a note in my head

5. I don't know where I'd be without my family, boyfriend & friends

6. I just bought my first car

7. I'm dying to visit Hawaii 

8. I wear Diesel Fuel for Life perfume

9. I LOVE Ben n Jerry's Cookie Dough Ice-cream 

Here I am :)

So here are the questions set for me by Yummy Cooking Made Easy...

1. What is your favourite food?

Well that one's a toughie, I love so many different foods... If I really had to choose I suppose it would be ice-cream or coconut or Mam's lasagne or chocolate or pineapple or cheesecake or biscuits.... (I could go on and on!!)

2. From where did the idea of blogging come?

Well it actually came from my friend Rhona from college - we had a dinner party one night and she was flicking through my recipe book and suggested I start blogging. At first I dismissed the idea as I would have been too embarrassed to put my stuff out there but the more I thought about it the more I liked the idea and the more confident I got.

3. Who's your favourite author?

Hmmm... I don't really have a favourite author - I like a bit of everything, but I do love Malorie Blackman's Noughts and Crosses trilogy, John Steinbeck's Of Mice and Men and Lee Child's Jack Reacher books

4. What's your dream car?

Oh that's easy - an original Mini Cooper for sure. I do love Ford Capris, Mustangs and mark 2 Golfs as well, but an original Mini is definiiiiitely my dream car!

5. Do you think you'll still be blogging in 10 years time?

I do. My dream is to open a small cafe/coffee shop like one we visited in Fuerteventura that serves coffees of all kinds, freshly squeezed orange juice along with fresh cakes and slices, either at home or in another small town abroad. However I still hope to be blogging and sharing any new recipes I have.

6. What do your friends think about your blog?

Some of my friends still aren't aware that I'm blogging but those who do love it! :) They're all really supportive - Klara even set up a blogger account just to be my first follower! They especially love when I ask them to sample my creations before I blog about them (especially my brothers and my boyfriend Dave)

7. If you won the lotto, what would you do with the money?

Hmmmm.... If I won the lotto... Firstly I think I would use the money to buy a house with a huge, modern kitchen... then I'd open my dream coffee shop and use the rest to travel the world (don't worry, I wouldn't forget about my family and friends - they'd get their share ;)

8. What do you usually do in your free time?

That kind of depends on the humour I'm in but I do bake a lot in my free time  that's one thing I love to do -  I really can't wait until I have my own kitchen to bake what and when I want, I like to go for walks with my dogs, hang out with my buddies, watch all the TV series I love: New Girl, Grey's Anatomy, The Walking Dead, Modern Family (I swear I'm not a couch potato) and of course, I love to blog.

9. What is your favourite cuisine?

Emmm... that's a tough one, but, if I had to pick I think it would be the Italian. We always joke and say that my mam is from Italy because she makes the best Italian dishes. Italian food is really fresh - olive oil, tomatoes, herbs and I absolutely love the way that in Italy, food revolves around family.

And now for the tricky part - Choosing the 9 blogs that I think merit the Liebster award...

This was such a tough thing to do but I think that the following 9 blogs are most deserving... (these are no particular order)

My Vanilla Sprinkles
Paula's Kitchen Table
Hello, Sunshine.

The Pomegranate Kitchen

The Fashion Meteorologist
Two Hungry Piglets

Jacob's Crackers
Annie's Appetite
Sweet Lavender Bake Shopper

And here are the 9 Questions I've set for you...

1) Where did the idea of blogging come from?

2) What's your favourite season and why?

3) Describe your ideal 3 course menu.

4) Where is your favourite place and why?

5) Describe what you'd do on an ideal date.

6) What do you mostly do in your free time?

7) Describe yourself in 3 words.

8) What is your most prized possession?

9) What do your friends think about your blog or have you been brave enough to tell them yet?

I can't wait to see the answers to your questions - I really love all of your blogs and I definitely think that you deserve the Liebster Award - I hope that receiving this award will gain you some new followers and also that it will introduce you to some new blogs - Happy blogging!!!