songs to make cupcakes to

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Cupcakes were on the menu.

Nothing fancy, just simple little numbers to be eaten after dinner. Mr Chocolate’s parents were coming over. A special dinner to celebrate my father-in-laws birthday and to also celebrate the fact that he and Mr Chocolate’s mother had been in the country for 40 years.  I was thinking a pavlova with a few typical Australian flavours thrown in, however Mr Chocolate seemed to think vanilla cupcakes would be better. Needing a tiny excuse to make mascarpone, I agreed.

The boys were out, and I had myself a little mama time. Time to get the oven cranked and perhaps some music to.

What songs to make cupcakes to?…

I used the Strawberry Vanilla Cake recipe, and just changed it to mini cupcakes.

Now how to make your own mascarpone?

Thanks to my trusty The Real Food Companion book, I wanted to have a go at making it. Mascarpone is soft and mild Italian cheese. It’s usually quite expensive to buy, but well worth it to be used in desserts, such as Tiramisu or my birthday meringue cake last year. I also use it diligently instead of a butter frosting for cakes. I had tried to make it late last year, but wasn’t bowled over with the results. So I wanted to redeem myself. Now where was that mascarpone love?

Mascarpone

300mls cream

2 teaspoons lemon juice

In a pot bring the cream to a simmer, adding the lemon juice and cook for about 1 and half minutes. Allow the cream to cool completely in the pot, and then pour into a muslin lined strainer and leave for 1-2 days in the fridge. For this one I popped in a vanilla bean directly after I had turned the pot off and allowed the bean to infuse with the cream for about 15 minutes. I then gently squeezed the tiny vanilla specks out, and into the fridge the whole lot went for at least 24 hours.

Result, is a speckled mascarpone, with a lovely real vanilla flavour. Just cream, lemon juice and vanilla bean.

It came out thick, smelling lovely and tasted like mascarpone.  You have to plan a little a head of time but it beats buying it.

Quickly whisked it up a little, and then adding 1/2 cup of icing sugar to the mixture. Slap it on to the cupcakes and decorate with strawberries.

Optional Australian flag.

****

…but the songs, what about the songs to make cupcakes to?…

Boy and Bear

22 thoughts on “songs to make cupcakes to”

  2. I am not very familiar with marscapone – but am fascinated at how you use it to ice cupcakes – they look very pretty with the strawberries

    am also glad to see these australian flags being used because I bought some and forgot to use them and since they have just lingered in the garlic bowl which is no way to treat the flag!

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  3. Wow. These look amazing. I will definitely give the mascapone a go. I bought some more muslin last week so I must have know this was coming.
    Now, I don’t know about cooking music but I just finished a morning of cleaning with the help of The Stone Roses.

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  5. Thatks for the marscapone recipe. It is quite cheap (and good) here in Italy, but I would definitely make this in Brisbane as some brands are not great.

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  7. Oh yum! Must try! Miss Bok just caught sight of your cupcakes and now has made me promise to make butterfly cupcakes tomorrow LOL so easily suckered in I am especially as it means I’ll get to eat them…

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  9. Thanks for the recipe. I will definitely try this. Is the cream you used, thickened or pure or unhomogenised? Does it matter? I did a cheesemaking course late last year and these things mattered.

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  10. I’m excited to try
    your recipe, as well, Brydie!
    And your cupcakes make beautiful music all by themselves.
    But I like your choice of music- thanks for sharing.

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  11. This is awesome!! I’ve never even thought to make it, but I also never buy it because of the cost!! Genius woman 🙂 … and please don’t judge me if I tell you that I love baking cupcakes to Celine Dion, turned full volume!

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  13. I must just say that I absolutely love your photographs. They are… what should I say… Edible. And soft. And beautiful. You have a very laid back and lovely way of writing – almost like you’re talking to me over the kitchen table, telling stories over coffee.

    I salute your cupcakes!

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  15. I will be giving this a go, mascapone is too expensive and I never use it all. I will however make the Tiramisu I have been promising my daughter for a while now.
    Thanks for sharing 🙂

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  16. Love the mascaphone, its gorgeous. Hmmmm… songs to make cupcakes too… I wanna say something poppy and catchy, maybe some Gaga? Avril maybe… 🙂
    I am down with your lovely cupcakes, they look good enough for me to chomp on now… Yummo!

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  17. Brydie, this is brilliant! I didn’t know that you could make mascarpone at home and I never thought about using it in cake frosting, but I’ll bet it is just creamy and divine. I suppose that any leftover iced cakes (I know, what a ludicrous idea!) would need to be refrigerated?

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  18. Yum, Brydie! I haven’t tried making mascarpone at home yet – it’s on The List. How much do you end up with after the draining? We love mascarpone simply with icing sugar stirred through alongside fresh berries – delish. Nice touch there with the Aussie flag – I bet your recipients were touched! 🙂

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