Cupid's Honey Clouds and more Valentine Cupcakes

I have been looking for some cupcakes to keep my Sweet Cherry Lips company from my previous post. Love and Cupid came to the rescue in the form of some cute chocolate moulds. I'm not really sure if they are meant to be Cupids as they don't have 'his' official bow and arrow but they have very cheeky faces for Valentines Day.  They are lounging on a white chocolate frosting and underneath we have a honey cake with a honey and mallow fluff filling which sounds very comfortable to me!

I simply swapped 1/3 of the sugar for honey and used golden caster sugar for the cupcake. Then in the centre is a 1/2 tsp of honey and 1 tsp of marshmallow fluff topped with a white chocolate buttercream. I used half super white candy melts to half buttercream. The cupid is also made from white choc candy melt sprayed gold.

So we have Cupid's Honey Clouds, Sweet Cherry Lips and Big Banoffee Love! Did I spoil the sentiment with the last one? Well, its definitely big on banana flavour in the cupcake, and in the buttercream frosting plus a rich caramel centre. Nothing complicated just fun with decorations.

I've tried to use different flavours for the theme although I will be enjoying traditional champagne truffles and fizz in the morning ( I know this because I have located said goodies in the back of the cupboard already >< ) The Sweet Cherry Lips can be found here too which are red velvet choc style cupcake, morello cherry centre and a vanilla frosting. Another mouthwatering selection for later in the day.

Happy Valentines and watch out for those LIPS!

Honey Buns and Honey Cake

Take your taste buds back to simpler times; honey and butter for afternoon tea. Warm honey buns straight from the oven or slices of golden honey cake with butter. Sample the changes in texture and aroma, research never tasted so good!

I went back to basics and made a simple honey cake, ha! My honey buns came out a treat but since I didn’t put baking parchment around the tin, or grease and flour, the 1^st cake  is now in the ‘Outtakes Box’ and not for public show since getting it out of the tin left a lot stuck on the edges....  I don’t know why I find this bit so difficult.  It’s only preparation and cutting the greaseproof to size but there you go.  Here is how it should turn out 2^nd time around:

Text Only Printable Recipe

Ingredients:

Cake :
8oz (225g) Butter
4oz (110g) Golden caster sugar
4oz (110g) Thick set honey
4  Large eggs
8oz (225g) Self raising flour
Honey to glaze.


Method:

Preheat oven 140c/120c Fan/300F/Gas Mark 2*

Grease a loaf tin and line it with baking paper, grease with butter and dust with flour. For this recipe I made three testing muffins and put the rest in a 2 lb loaf tin.

Cream the sugar and butter together and add the honey and mix. Add the eggs one at a time and beat well. Sift and then fold in the flour. Put into cake cases/tin or both and place in oven.

Check after 15 minutes. Take muffins/small cakes out if done and keep cake in for an extra 30-35 minutes subject to your oven temperature and if you have split the mixture; you will have a smaller loaf and a shorter cooking time. Remember; cook until risen and a skewer comes cleanly out. * If you make a large cake using a loaf tin I had the oven even lower by another 20 degrees and in for another 15 minutes to stop it over browning.

Brush the top of buns and cake with more honey while still warm.



                             Hudnalls Apiaries  

A nice set honey like this one, just warm slightly before brushing on cakes. 

You should have light fluffy buns; eat whilst warm with a large cup of tea and think of summer. Let the loaf cool slightly and remove from tin. Wrap and hide in the tin until at least the next day. Cut into thin slices and spread with butter for afternoon tea.

Options

I came across a variation of this recipe which was a honey ginger cake and the main difference; chopped preserved ginger had been added and it was given a honey and ginger glaze. Very nice but I felt that the ginger overpowered the honey. However, you could have both - add pieces of finely chopped preserved ginger in some of the small cakes and have honey cake and, honey and ginger buns. Finis.

For Interest


Honeybuns

Honeybuns is the lovely name of a bakery which bakes handmade, award winning gluten- and wheat-free cakes, some of which are also dairy-free. Available by mail order from their online shop and from cafes, delis, farm shops, supermarkets and their own Bee Shack Cafe in Dorset .