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Maz's Kitchen Blog

Cheese Scones

by Maree Hills-Daniels • 28 May, 2019
Savoury scones are the way to go!

Saussy Rolls

by a.LAD • 07 May, 2019
With picnic season upon us, it's time to brush up your baking skills with this easy sausage roll recipe for you and your little cook to make together

St George's Day Biscuits

by a.LAD • 23 Apr, 2019
So we're early! Apparently St George's Day falls on the 29th this year due to easter, who knew! These biccies are too good not to bake, so we thought why not!

Hot Cross Buns - Tear'n'Share

by Maz Hills-Daniels • 21 Apr, 2019
When Easter plans go awry, we bake! These tear'n'share hot cross buns are the perfect afternoon treat and it keeps little hands busy and happy in the kitchen with you.

The Alternative Easter Egg Hunt!

by a.LAD • 20 Apr, 2019
With easter weekend promising to be a scorcher, you know it’s best to get out and about and wear your beasts (kids or dogs!) out for a hassle free Easter evening.

10 things about Maz

by a.LAD • 19 Apr, 2019
Maz's Kitchen is new to the Brighton & Hove food scene, but Maz certainly isn't, so we asked her 10 questions to get you up to speed.

Chocolate Cupcakes 

  • by Maree Hills-Daniels
  • •
  • 21 May, 2019
  • •

Cupcakes are a great way to introduce your little cook to the kitchen

Extracurricular baking classes - vegan and regular chocolate cupcakes
Week 3 of the summer term - STAR BAKER!
Baking is a great way to introduce kids into the kitchen, as I'm yet to meet one who doesn't like a cupcake! When I mention cake in my house, my two boys race one another into the kitchen to don their aprons and try to get the best position in the kitchen (which seems to be closest to the mixing bowl!)

Baking with my own children brings back the fondest memories of afternoons spent at my grandma's house, where there was always a bake in the oven and another ready for decorating. She was endlessly patient and didn't mind how messy we made the kitchen and ourselves, rather just enjoying the process of teaching and creating delicious treats with us. Top tip from my gran as time moved on, was to be prepared before letting us in the kitchen, so things were weighed and bowls were ready, that way she could concentrate on our participation rather than running round looking for the paddle for her kenwood; this makes baking at home or in the workplace with children a smoother and less stressful process, so by all means snag my Grans top tip for your kitchen :)
The extra curricular classes I teach in schools are 50 minutes long, so the girls have come up with some tricks of their own to make sure they get the bakes cooled in good time for their decorating. You'll see in the images below some of the girls didn't quite get theirs cool enough. So if you're tight on time at home and need to get your cupcakes out to guests, take a leaf out of this year 8 students baking book!
Week 3 of the summer term - Regular and Vegan Cupcakes, both recipes below

Chocolate Cupcakes

Will make: 12 approx

Prep time: 15 minutes

Cook time: 15-20 minutes

Ingredients:

  • 100g plain flour
  • 20g cocoa powder
  • 140g caster sugar
  • 1 ½ tsp baking powder
  • 40g unsalted butter (essential that it is at room temperature)
  • 120ml whole milk
  • 1 egg
  • ¼ tsp vanilla extract

To decorate

  • buttercream

Method

  1. Heat oven to 180C/160C fan/gas 4. Put the flour, cocoa powder, sugar, baking powder, a pinch of salt and the butter in a free-standing electric mixer with a paddle attachment (or use a handheld electric whisk). Beat on a slow speed until you get a sandy consistency and everything is combined.
  2. Whisk the milk, egg and vanilla extract together in a jug, then slowly pour about half into the flour mixture. Beat to combine and turn the mixer up to high speed, scraping any mixture from the side of the bowl with a rubber spatula. Pour in the remaining liquid and continue mixing for a couple more minutes until the mixture is smooth. Do not over mix or your cupcakes will be dense and not spongy.
  3. Spoon the mixture into the paper cases until approximately two-thirds full. Bake in a preheated oven for 15-20 minutes, or until the sponge bounces back when touched and a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean.
  4. Leave the cupcakes to cool slightly in the tray before turning out onto a wire cooling rack to cool completely. Meanwhile, make chocolate buttercream or plain buttercream and spread it over the cakes with a palette knife, or pipe using a piping bag.

Vegan Chocolate Cupcakes

Will make: 12 approx

Prep time: 15 minutes

Cook time: 15-20 minutes

Ingredients:

  • 200 g all-purpose flour
  • 2 tsp baking powder
  • a pinch of salt (optional)
  • 40 g cocoa powder (about 6 tsp)
  • 40 ml light olive oil/vegetable oil/sunflower oil
  • 110 g brown sugar
  • 200 ml water

To decorate

  • Vegan buttercream

Method

  1. Preheat oven to 180C/160C fan/gas 4 and arrange a baking rack into the middle shelf.
  2. Sift the flour and baking powder into a bowl, then add a pinch of salt if you like.
  3. Sift the cocoa powder into the bowl with the flour.
  4. Add in the brown sugar, the pour the oil into the bowl.
  5. Mix all the ingredients gently with a whisk, then slowly incorporate the water and continue to mix until all the ingredients are just combined and your have a smooth lump-free batter.
  6. Divide the batter among a cake tin greased with a little extra oil (you don't have to use paper liners, but if you do, you can skip the greasing step), filling each to 3/4 of the mould.
  7. Bake the vegan chocolate cupcakes in  the oven for about 15 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the centre comes out clean.
  8. Remove the cupcake tin from the oven, allow to cool slightly, then remove the cupcakes and top with vegan buttercream, serve at room temperature. Store leftovers into an airtight container for up to 2 days.

Happy Baking! Let us know how you and your little one got on in the comments section of our blog page.

Maz's kitchen offers school's/groups extra curricular cooking classes, school holiday cookery classes, little and big cooks cooking parties, personal chef for dinner parties, celebrations, hen's parties, gatherings, corporate events and private chef tuition in your home.

Get in touch if you'd like to get IN or OUT of your kitchen, Maz and her team will take care of the rest.

contact@mazskitchen.com | 01273 640369 | @mazskitchenltd

Cheese Scones

by Maree Hills-Daniels • 28 May, 2019
Savoury scones are the way to go!

Saussy Rolls

by a.LAD • 07 May, 2019
With picnic season upon us, it's time to brush up your baking skills with this easy sausage roll recipe for you and your little cook to make together

St George's Day Biscuits

by a.LAD • 23 Apr, 2019
So we're early! Apparently St George's Day falls on the 29th this year due to easter, who knew! These biccies are too good not to bake, so we thought why not!

Hot Cross Buns - Tear'n'Share

by Maz Hills-Daniels • 21 Apr, 2019
When Easter plans go awry, we bake! These tear'n'share hot cross buns are the perfect afternoon treat and it keeps little hands busy and happy in the kitchen with you.

The Alternative Easter Egg Hunt!

by a.LAD • 20 Apr, 2019
With easter weekend promising to be a scorcher, you know it’s best to get out and about and wear your beasts (kids or dogs!) out for a hassle free Easter evening.

10 things about Maz

by a.LAD • 19 Apr, 2019
Maz's Kitchen is new to the Brighton & Hove food scene, but Maz certainly isn't, so we asked her 10 questions to get you up to speed.
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