Cupcake overload! With winter thawing out and spring attacking us I realise that baking will soon be the last thing on my over heated mind so while there are still some dregs of chill left in the air I am doing mucho baking!

Ever since we found the joy of packaged custard I have been trying to use it in every way possible. Each night before bed Kris just makes a bowl of custard, even if there is no cake or pie to go with it! To indulge him, and sate my massive almond craving, I whipped up these Bee Sting cakes. Traditionalists might hate me for this one. I realised the dough is meant to be more of a bread or brioche consistency but I just wanted nice fluffy moist sponge so :p

I served them at a do at my parents’ house and all of the feedback from the omnivores was more than positive. Plus I may have eaten more than five of these. And some extra custard. It was so worth it.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

For the cake you will need:
240g flour
280g sugar
3 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
80g butter, I use Nuttelex
1 cup rice milk
1 no-egg, I use Organ
1/3 cup almond meal
1 teaspoon vanilla essence
1 teaspoon dark agave syrup

For the icing/topping you will need:
300g icing sugar
1 cup custard
1/2 teaspoon vanilla essence
20ml dark agave syrup
20ml maple syrup
almond meal
almond slivers

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

In a mixing bowl combine the flour,

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

sugar,

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

baking powder

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

and butter.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Mix the ingredients together until it forms a bread crumb like consistency.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

While mixing the batter slowly add in the milk,

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

no-egg,

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

almond meal,

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

vanilla

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

and agave syrup.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Pour the batter into lined cupcake trays and pop them in a pre-heated oven at 160°C for 20-25 minutes or until they pass the skewer test.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Once the cupcakes are cooked remove them from the oven and leave them to cool for five minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Once the cupcakes have cooled completely cut out pyramids from the center of them with a sharp paring knife. Don’t throw out the pyramids! Wait, what am I saying, it’s cupcake. Only a crazy person would throw out perfectly good cupcake! Continue…

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Combine the agave syrup and maple syrup.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Drizzle the centre of the cupcakes with the agave/maple syrup and leave it to seep in. You can also sprinkle some almond meal in the centre of the cupcakes if you are feeling adventurous. I was. Just not in this photo.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Whip up some custard as per the instructions on the packet. Try to make a little extra because you will eat it. It’s impossible not to.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Beat together the icing sugar and 3/4 of the custard along with the vanilla essence to make the icing.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Pipe the icing into the centre of the cupcakes with a little on the edges as well. Not like that one in the corner though. That one is a guts, who also happened to end up in my guts. Yum.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Top with the cupcake pyramids and decorate with some slivered almonds and the remaining custard. If you don’t mind a little extra sweetness than dizzle a bit more of the agave/maple syrup on the top.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

If you have a cupcake stand then use it, they always make cupcakes look fancy.

These may not have been the prettiest cupcakes by my god were they delicious! Last night I was making a cake when Kris said “Why are you making that? Why would you ever make anything but those custard cupcakes???” I will take that as a compliment!