First off, a confession. I don't really like cupcakes that much. I know they have taken the world by storm in recent years but I always find that the cake a bit disappointing and is often overwhelmed by the overly sweet buttercream. I do, however, like cocktails so when I saw that Divertimenti were offering a class all about making cupcakes with booze, I decided to see if some tips from the professionals (and a healthy amount of alcohol) could help me overcome my suspicions.
Absinthe cakes (with orange peel), pink champagne cupcakes, amaretto shotcake (chocolate icing), Kahlua cupcakes
The class was taught by Martha Money, a graduate of Le Cordon Bleu London and former head chef of the Cafe Divertimenti. The recipes themselves were developed by another of the tutors, Sarah Benjamin, who unfortunately was unable to teach the class. Martha, however, did a sterling job of feeling her way through some new-to-her recipes and sharing her wealth of knowledge with us.
Pink champagne cupcake
The cucpakes we made were:
Amaretto Shotcakes (recipe below)~Absinthe Cake~Pink Champagne Showgirl Cupcakes~Raspberry Sherry Trifle Cupcakes~Chocolate Kahlua Cupcakes
Pink champagne cake batter
We made each type of cupcake using a different method (by hand, with an electric whisk, with a food processor) so that we could compare the end results. With all the methods, the key to the perfect cupcake wass not to over-mix the batter once the flour had been added. I'm pretty sure that I have been a bit whisk happy on previous occasions which has led to most of my cupcakes to date having a texture and density akin to a brick.
Martha also demonstrated a couple of techniques for frosting cupcakes including my new favourite (and easiest) method using a small star-shaped nozzle as demonstrated below.
Pink champagne cupcakes with pink champagne buttercream
The only slight disappointment was the consistency of the whipped custard icing for the raspberry sherry trifle cupcakes (not pictured) which wouldn't set sufficiently for us to be able to use it properly. The cakes themselves were also a little disappointing; made in a food processor, they were significantly heavier than the other examples. I also found the pink champagne cupcakes a bit too sweet for my taste, especially the buttercream.
Chocolate Kahlua cupcake
My absolute favourite was the amaretto shotcake. We made this cake first and made it by hand. The recipe uses coconut milk and sunflower oil and doesn't contain any butter or eggs. I was a little sceptical at first but the resulting cake was fantastically moist and rich. About as far away from my usual experience with cupcakes as possible. The amaretto flavour is quite subtle even though it is in both the cake and the frosting so I might be tempted to up the quantity slightly next time I make these (and I will be making them again!).
Amaretto shotcakes
Amaretto Shotcakes (makes 12)
For the cake:225ml coconut milk80ml sunflower oil1 tsp vanilla extract150g caster sugar1 tbsp amaretto140g plain flour45g cocoa powder2 tbsp ground almonds3/4 tsp baking soda1/2 tsp baking powder1/4 tsp salt
For the frosting:125g unsalted butter, at room temperature2 tbsp cocoa powder280 - 320g icing sugar2 tbsp amaretto 2 tbsp double cream
1. Line a standard muffin tin with paper cases and pre-heat the oven to 180oC.2. Whisk together the coconut milk, sunflower oil, vanilla, sugar and amaretto.3. Sift the dry ingredients onto a piece of parchment paper and pour into a separate (large) bowl (a top tip to keep flour from going everywhere!).4. Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and mix until just combined. 5. Half fill the paper cases (we used a jug) and bake for 18-20 minutes until a toothpick comes out clean. Transfer to a wire rack to cool. 6. To make the frosting cream the butter until smooth and fluffy. Add the cocoa powder with 120g of the sugar and mix until combined. Add the amaretto and the rest of the sugar, 120g at a time. Continue to beat until you get the desired consistency (it will take a while if you're not using a mixer). Add the cream as needed to keep the mixture smooth. 7. When the cupcakes have cooled, pipe or spread the frosting onto the cupcakes.