Spongedrop Cakery - opening soon!

This week instead of sharing a recipe I’m sharing some exciting news. For the past twelve months (that's no exaggeration!) I’ve been working on opening a shop - somewhere that I can share with you my passion for baking, beautiful things and great coffee. I can now say that after all these months, years even, of planning and preparation it is finally happening!

In a few weeks time (Weds 3rd Dec) I’ll be opening the doors to Spongedrop Cakery. Located at 10 Salisbury Avenue, Mount Maunganui, in the site of the old Information Centre on the edge of Coronation Park, we’ll be offering cake, cupcakes, french macarons, coffee and tea amongst other delicious items that are currently in development.

Being located on the edge of a park we’ve opened up one side to let in the sunlight and the pretty tree-studded view, creating a space that I’m picking is going to be a great spot for mid-morning coffee and cake. Or you can pop in and pick up a box of cupcakes to takeaway and share with friends. There will be parking available out back and Coronation Park provides a huge play area for kids so I’m hoping everyone will be able to find something they love about it.

There is still so much to do between now and opening (can you see the fear on Rick's face?) and I know that even when the doors are open we will be a ‘work in progress’ but I’d love for you to come along for the ride! I’ve never undertaken anything like this before so it has been and will continue to be a huge learning curve for me, thankfully I’ve got amazing people alongside me.

This has been a dream since I first started this blog nearly five years ago. I feel absolutely privileged and humbled that somehow this opportunity has come my way. It has been a journey alright, with highs and lows, but I know that once I open my doors and get to greet all of my wonderful supporters it will be a dream come true! We can't wait. x

Rick's 'there is so much to do' face.

Passionfruit Magic Custard Cake

This cake has been popping up on baking blogs and Pinterest pages like nobody's business lately. So of course I had to jump on the band wagon and try it. It's not possible for me to be taunted by a magical cake that somehow (i.e. magically) turns one batter into two layers of custard and cake without attempting to make it myself.

And of course the result had to be shared with you. It's a gem. And actually is a little magical. I don't know the science behind it but you literally do end up with two defined layers of custard and cake. It's pretty impressive. 

Given that this is a 'custard' cake, be warned that it is eggy. If you don't like set custard or egg desserts this probably won't be for you. For me, I love them (witness the joy of Clafoutis) so I could happily munch through a few squares of this beauty. Especially doused in extra passionfruit. Is there much better than passionfruit and custard? Yes, there is - it's magical passionfruit custard cake. 

Passionfruit Custard Cake

120g unsalted butter 
4 eggs, separated
1⁄4 tsp white vinegar 
165g icing sugar
1⁄4 cup passionfruit syrup/pulp
Zest of 1 lemon
120g plain flour
2 cups (480ml) whole milk 
Icing sugar for dusting 

Preheat oven to 160°C (320F) and grease an 8-inch square tin (or similar sized rectangular tin). Melt the butter and set aside. In a clean metal bowl beat the egg whites and vinegar until stiff peaks form. In another bowl use a hand whisk to combine the yolks, icing sugar, passionfruit and zest – it will be stiff to start with but will soften up. Whisk in the melted butter. Add the flour, mix, then add the milk and whisk again. The batter will be very wet. Using the whisk, gently fold in the egg whites, a third at a time, stirring until there are no large lumps of egg white remaining. Pour the batter into your tin and bake for 45-55mins. The top will be golden and the centre will wobble a little. Cool for a few hours, dust with icing sugar and cut into squares. Serve with extra passionfruit for a super tangy hit. Store in the fridge. 

V is for Vanilla Cake...

Photo: Greta Kenyon Photography. Location: Post Bank Restaurant.

It’s time to spoil your significant other. Or treat a friend. Every once in awhile it’s nice to put in a little extra effort to celebrate someone or something special in your life. I’m not one to overtly embrace that Valentine’s Day but I’m also not so opposed that I’m going to ignore it! No harm ever came from showing someone a little extra love and if your loved one has a sweet tooth this cake is a perfect way to do just that.

Vanilla and raspberry are one of the best couples I know. They never fight. Always compliment each other and look damn fine side by side too. I think it's the contrast. As Paula Abdul said...opposites attract.

Look at this cake – it’s so pretty and actually does taste as good it looks. Cutting into the lush white cake to reveal the layers of vanilla and raspberry inside is so indulgent. Can you tell I love this cake? I really do. And, I'm pretty sure, so will your better half or best buddy or neighbour or anyone. 

A couple of tips... 

• Make the effort to make the three layer cake. I can't tell you how many times I've heard people say 'ooooh look at the layers!' when they see a three layer cake (two is just standard, four sends them into a frenzy).   
• Don't scrimp on the vanilla. Buy the good stuff (I use Heilala). It's worth it.

For the raspberry coulis and vanilla buttercream recipes click here and here.

Photo: Greta Kenyon Photography. Location: Post Bank Restaurant.

Vanilla Cake

Makes an 8-inch round 3 layer cake

300g unsalted butter

300g caster sugar

1 teaspoon Heilala Vanilla Extract

6 eggs

300g self-raising flour*

Preheat oven to 160°C (fan bake). Grease and line two 8-inch (23cm) round tins. Cream butter, sugar and vanilla together until pale and fluffy. Add the eggs a little at a time, mixing well between additions. Sift the flour over the mix and stir to form a smooth batter. Divide the batter into thirds. Place a third each in the two tins - you will have one third remaining. Bake the first two cakes for 30mins or until the centre springs back when gently pressed. Once cool enough turn out the cakes and bake the third layer. Sandwich together with raspberry coulis and vanilla bean buttercream.

*Weekly Tip: If you don’t have self-raising flour make your own by simply adding 2 teaspoons of baking powder to 300g of plain flour. Sift to combine.

Blueberry Lemon Pan Cake

Wedding season is in full swing so much of my time lately has been spent working on complex and decorative cakes. Whipping up anything from chocolate fudge cakes with dark chocolate peppermint ganache to genoise sponge with fresh raspberry filling. Then decorating them with all kinds of gorgeous finishes, from delicious buttercream to hand-painted fondant. Creating a cake for one of the most important days in a couple’s lives can be a lot of pressure so when I can I like to take it back to basics - which leads me to this lovely cake.

This cake isn’t flashy but it is beautiful. Simply whack the batter into a pan, bake, slice and enjoy. No icing required. No faff. Most ingredients, if not all, will already be in your kitchen – and if blueberries aren’t, they should be! Blueberries are in abundance right now, are delicious and inexpensive.

Thanks to Post Bank Restaurant for the shoot location (they've just opened a cute outdoor courtyard area), to Paper Plane and On My Hand for the pretty props and to Greta Kenyon Photography for the gorgeous pics!

Blueberry Lemon Pan Cake

250g butter

220g caster sugar

1 tsp vanilla extract

Zest of 2 lemons

3 eggs

180ml yoghurt

250g flour

1.5 tsp baking powder

1 punnet blueberries

Preheat oven to 170°C (fan bake). Grease and line a pan (any standard sized pan will do but I used a 18x28cm rectangular one). Cream butter, sugar, vanilla and lemon zest together then add eggs one at a time, mixing well between each. Whisk the dry ingredients together then fold into the creamed mix alternating with the yoghurt. Gently fold in almost all of the blueberries. Spoon batter into the pan and dot with the remaining blueberries. Sprinkle the top with a little caster sugar then bake for 50minutes or until a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean. Cool and serve wedges cut straight out of the pan. If you do want to fancy it up a little, serve with a dollop of thick yoghurt on the side. 

Weekly Tip: Sometimes berries can sink to the bottom of a cake when baked. Although not necessary for this recipe, to avoid this happening toss them in a little flour before adding them to your batter. 

Royal Icing

The is officially my shortest blog post ever. A recipe for royal icing, used for piping decorative effects onto cookies, cupcakes and cakes. This icing is great for piping delicate, fine lines and details and sets hard. A little goes a long way - you should be able to decorate at least a dozen cookies with this quantity if not two!

Royal Icing
One egg white
300g icing sugar
Lemon juice

In a bowl beat egg white and icing sugar together on a slow speed. You aren't aiming to create air bubbles in this icing, you simply want to gently combine. Keep beating for 5 minutes then add lemon juice a few drops at a time to create a suitable consistency - for piping thin lines (like on these Halloween cookies) you don't want it to be too runny but if you were 'flooding' cookies - which means to fill the area between lines you want the mix to be runnier so add a little more juice. Practice is the best way to get the consistency right. Keep unused royal icing in the fridge covered with cling-wrap pressed directly onto the surface of the icing to keep it from drying out.

The most delicious buttercream

When it comes to cupcakes, frosting can make or break. There are three frostings that I use for the cakes and cupcakes I create for Spongedrop – Classic Buttercream, Cream Cheese Frosting and Meringue Buttercream. Each with their own unique flavour and texture.

Classic Buttercream is traditionally used on American style cupcakes. It’s sweet, buttery and provides a classic cupcake ‘experience’ – the perfect combination of light sponge and sweet creamy frosting.

Cream Cheese Frosting is Carrot Cake’s accomplice, the two go hand-in-hand and it’s a Kiwi favourite but it also pairs well with other cakes too. It’s creamy and sweet with a mellow tang.

Meringue Buttercream is the most luxurious and one of my all time favourites. Light, velvety smooth and not too sweet, it’s easily flavoured with fruit, chocolate or essence. I love it. Here’s my recipe for this beautiful frosting. It does take more effort but it’s well worth it.

Meringue Buttercream

170g egg whites

375g caster sugar

500g unsalted butter, room temp

Flavouring (vanilla, melted chocolate, lemon juice etc)

Whisk egg whites and caster sugar in a large metal bowl to combine. Place over a pot filled with a small amount of boiling water (creating a double-boiler) and gently heat until the sugar is melted. Whisk often to make sure the egg whites don’t start to cook. It’s an odd theory to heat egg whites without cooking them but it works, trust me. Make sure all sugar granules are melted by rubbing some of the mix between your fingers. Once ready, beat on high speed until the meringue has cooled close to room temperature – it will take at least 10mins. Add the butter a little at a time and keep beating, continuing until all the butter is incorporated. If it’s runny it means your meringue was a little warm when you added the butter – persist with beating and it will soon turn into a beautiful, creamy bowl of the most delicious frosting ever. Add flavouring of your choice.

Weekly Tip: Try using leftover egg yolks to make French Buttercream, this is similar to Meringue Buttercream but has a creamier, richer finish. 

Flavours Column: Apricot Cake

Writing this week's column I found it hard to keep within my 350 word limit. If you haven't realised yet, I'm a very wordy writer. I can't really help it. And I kinda like it. It gives me a voice and lets you get to know me...or maybe it's just me being really self-indulgent.

Sorry.

There were so many little stories I wanted to tell. Reasons why this cake was important. Funny little anecdotes. Like the time my brother and I creamed butter and sugar together and ate it straight from the bowl. (We only did that once I swear). But I couldn't fit it all into 350 words.

What I wanted to do, but didn't achieve, was acknowledge how cool it is that I have a brother who can not only bake a cake but invent his own cake flavours. Like the Apricot Cake he baked when we were young. I'm pretty sure it was just a Madiera cake with apricots added. But that's still invention.

I like that my brother bakes.

Last year he hand-made, and by hand-made I mean beating butter and sugar together with a wooden spoon - no easy feat, two dozen strawberry cupcakes for my nephew's 4th birthday. No electric beater in sight. Our Dad baked too. But that is another story.

Thanks Sam for inventing an Apricot Cake when we were little and giving me a great food memory!

This week I've included a little baking tip at the end of my column. Do you think I should make it a weekly thing? And I would like to thank the very lovely and talented Quinn & Katie Photography for the beautiful photo. x

Memories of an Apricot Tea Cake

Hello again. I hope you’ve been enjoying my column since Flavours launched. If you have questions or feedback you can email me at hello@spongedrop.co.nz. Please don’t be shy, I’d love to hear from you. (This applies to blog readers too!)

This week I’m sharing a recipe inspired by my brother Sam, who is a great cook and can make a mighty fine cake too. 

This Apricot Tea Cake is an ode to one Sam once made when I would have been around nine years old. The memory of that cake has stayed with me all this time and, until now, I’ve been unable to recreate it. But, after making some tweaks to a plum cake recently, that incredible cake from my childhood came back to me!

This cake is simple to make but impressive. There’s tang from the fruit, warmth from the spice and creaminess from the almonds. It’s amazing on its own or with cream and would make a spectacular tea accompaniment. It also keeps very well so you can enjoy it day after day.

Feel free to experiment with other stone fruit if you’d prefer. I think peaches would go down a treat.

Apricot Tea Cake
Recipe adapted by one from Carolyn Beth Weil, Bon Appetit July 2006.

70g ground almonds
185g plain flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon cardamom
225g unsalted butter, room temperature
225g sugar (plus 25g extra)
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
¼ cup apricot jam
About 10 - 12 apricots (or other stone fruit), stones removed and cut into quarters
1 teaspoon cinnamon

Preheat the oven to 175˚C. Grease and line a 23cm cake tin. Whisk together the ground almonds, flour, baking powder, salt and cardamom. Cream the butter and first measure of sugar together until pale and fluffy. Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Mix in the vanilla then add the flour mixture until just combined.

Spread the batter evenly into the pan and smooth the top with a spatula. Dollop and spread the apricot jam gently over the batter. Press the apricot slices, flesh side down, onto the jammy batter in a circular pattern around the edge and centre of the cake. Mix the cinnamon and remaining sugar and sprinkle over the apricots.

Bake for approx 50 minutes or until a skewer comes out clean.

Weekly Tip: Different sized eggs will yield different results. I like to use large eggs (size 7). Eggs keep baking moist and provide structure so that your cakes have a nice even crumb and texture. 

I'm back. I know, it's been a very, very long time. Thanks for not giving up on me. I didn't give up on you, I've just been a little distracted. With this...

That's right, I've been busy getting my business off the ground! Businesses are really hard work...who would've thought?!

At the start of this year I wrote a post about my 2012 resolutions. Clearly I failed miserably at keeping them, particularly the one about writing a blog post every week... and the one about doing yoga every week... and, well, most of them. I did however, sort of, achieve my first goal - to write a business plan. I say sort of because I may have skipped that step and just gone straight into starting the business. Plan in my head. Not on paper.

I still plan on writing a business plan (I am making a plan to plan) so no doubt I will update you in another few months most likely saying I have created a cover and contents page. Let's be real here.

Anyway, since Spongedrop officially launched in July I have been busy. Being a small business owner is a real challenge - I have been eating, sleeping, dreaming, living cake almost constantly for the last few months. I've discovered that I have chosen a path that requires ME to do almost everything, given that I am not just the business 'owner' but also the baker, designer, planner, tester, marketer, financial controller, cleaner, shopper, social media manager, networker...I think you get the picture. I'm not going to sugar coat it, it is REALLY hard and there have been times when I have wanted to throw down my spatula and the frosting against the wall. Luckily I have people around who stop that from happening.

I put a lot of pressure on myself. I am a wee bit of a perfectionist and control freak (my mum and sister are nodding right now) but that is what happens when you put your name to something. You want it to be the best you can offer and it's hard to make compromises. Even sometimes when they make sense. Each week I am getting better at managing all this though, I'm learning new tricks, I'm getting faster, I'm finding a rhythm. And I am loving it. As hard as it is and as much of a lifestyle change it's been (going from ad agencies to kitchens, cleaning and market days in the rain) every time I finish a cake or have a great day at the markets I am happy that I do this. I've also met some very talented, inspirational people and made some great new friends.

So, here's to starting a new business! I am hoping to be back here a lot more often but won't risk making any brash promises I can't keep ;) Thank you a thousand times over to all my supporters and I hope to bring you mucho cake in the future!!!

xx

My new mascots! Noah's Ark Cake

On my last two days of work at Cakes 4 Fun in London, I had the chance to do a course with the very talented, cake decorator extraodinaire Debbie Brown - she of sugarpaste modelling fame.

Bear in mind this was my last two days of work. This meant, last chance to farewell my favourite customers, last chance to be overly diligent with the gorgeous Zoe and last chance to be one half of the control freak duo that we were, tidying corners of the shop in silence until we realised that we were taking it way too seriously, fell into fits of giggles and stopped to contemplate what we were doing with our lives over a cup of tea (and cake).

I was torn, do I spend my last two days of work officially 'working' with my pals or do I spend it playing with sugarpaste? After much umming and ahhing (which Zoe can attest to) I chose sugarpaste and even though I missed all the fun with Zoe and the gang I'm glad (sorry guys) I did because I got to make this!

Hello little Noah's Ark animals.

Debbie Brown is the equivalent of a rock star in the cake world. She is seriously talented and over the past two decades has built up a successful career publishing over 20 cake decorating books and teaching students worldwide. The Noah's Ark Cake comes from her latest 'Baby Cakes' book. 

Debbie is naturally artistic and has some crazy skills when it comes to sugarpaste modelling. She started her career at home, where her natural ingenuity led her to find ways of using common household items to help shape and create her cute characters. This skill became clear during the two day class - very few actual modelling tools were used and we relied heavily on our hands and other common items like toothpicks, knives and brushes to create affects.

It was a full on two days. At times I tormented myself with fears of half created animals and a solo bear on a boat filled with animal couples (how awful would that be!?) but in the end it all worked out.

Even though modelling isn't my passion when it comes to cake this class really helped me to appreciate the skill involved. It was tough! Fingers get in the way! The tiniest change in angle can make a cute face look angry. I have a new found respect for sugarpaste modellers. They are a patient, persistent, dexterous lot.

Here are some work in progress shots - on the left are some blind hippo's, they look so weird without pupils! He's blind but toothy. And on the right is me hard at work adding the finishing touches, wearing an odd brown top. What colour is that...? Terracotta?

 

And here are my new mascots. My giraffes. They flew all the way home with me via Hong Kong, safely tucked into a Laduree macaron box. Their ears and little antlers have broken off but I have all the parts so will fix them up good as new! These guys make me happy so when I am feeling doubt, when I am freaking out about how to finish a cake, I will look to them and know it's going to be okay.

Thanks Debbie for bringing these little guys to my life.

It's been awhile

Hello. I'm back. And a lot has changed, hence why I haven't been posting although that's only a half excuse. For the most part I am too scared and sadly too lazy to post. Which I am so embarrassed to admit but it's very true. I wish I wasn't lazy. Or so easily distracted. I'm making a promise to myself to try and stop. But that's enough of all the 'woe is me'. Things have changed. Over the past 12 months I've moved my little life between three beautiful cities in three different countries. Melbourne, Australia. Wellington, New Zealand. And finally (for now) London, England.

I've left people whom I love dearly behind (just for a wee while) and come to meet new people who I now also get the honour of loving dearly. People around the world never cease to amaze me. There are such great, kind, generous and caring people everywhere. Sometimes, just as you're feeling down, someone, a complete stranger maybe, will pop up and do something kind to remind you that the world is a good place full of mostly lovely characters who find joy and satisfaction in doing nice things just because they can, and because it comes naturally to them. I think that's what makes 'us' as people so special.

As well as a change in world location, I've also had a change in career. Up until August this year I had been working in the advertising industry. Along the way I met some of my favourite people and got to work on some great campaigns but when I got to London and started interviewing something just didn't feel right. I knew that it was time for me to do what I'd been dreaming and talking about for years. Work with cake! And so...I now work at the busy cake supplies and novelty cake store, Cakes 4 Fun, in Putney as a shop assistant. And I am really proud of myself.

I love that people have dreams and more than loving that people dream, I love people who try and make those dreams become a reality. I wanted to be one of those people. Dreams can be scary sometimes and I am still freaking out a little about all the change that is happening in my life but in trying these things surely I can only learn more about myself and hopefully in doing that become a better, more interesting, wiser and more compassionate person? And if not...at least I would have enjoyed eating a lot of cake! I know it's cliche but if you have a dream, go for it! In baby steps or big leaps...just try because you never know what will come from just trying.

D x

P.S. Here's a photo of a rose buttercream cupcake I made the other day. It makes me happy.

Cake Class - Me versus Frosting

It's Wednesday night and I'm sitting on the carpet in my PJs after having finished week three of a four week Cake Decorating class that I'm taking at Wellington High School. Here are some photos from last week when I made my first attempt at 'properly' icing a cake with buttercream frosting. We had to split the cake into three even layers and frost each layer with a nice uniform amount of frosting. I was so happy when I cut my cake to see that the layers were even! Cutting a cake in three is actually a little harder than I expected and icing it evenly and smoothly was a tricky process too. Who would have thought that buttercream could be so sensitive? It's just buttercream! But that's why I'm doing this course, to learn the little secrets of the cake trade that will make whipping up a beautiful cake that much easier.

Yes, that's my Almond Cream KitchenAid in the background. Thanks family! You are the best!

The cake I made was a plain chocolate cake (using cocoa and not actual chocolate) from a recipe given to us by our lovely tutor Maria. It's a cake recipe she relies on a lot and is part of her repertoire of 'go to' cakes for the work she does - including managing the baking side of treats at the sweet and charming Martha's Pantry (who are well known in Wellington for their cute, classic high tea). I haven't asked Maria if I can share the recipe here yet but I will do. Watch this space. It's easy and turns out a cake that's perfect for layering as it's quite dense but not overly moist (hate that word but couldn't think of an appropriate alternative!). The flavour is also simple enough to work well with the rich buttercream.

I frosted my cake with lavender buttercream. I had never worked with lavender in baking before but after some online research I decided to just pick the flower buds from the garden, pull off the petals, cover them with a little bit of milk, boil it in the microwave to get rid of any little plant bugs that may have been hanging out in the tiny blossoms, and add the lavender to my frosting mix. Voila - lavender buttercream. The flavour was subtle but really nice, just a little perfumey. It didn't taste at all like you were eating potpourri (some people thought it was an odd choice of flavouring). I would make it again but only for the right girly type of crowd.

Tonight's class was all about prep for our epic grand finale cake that we'll be making for our last class next week. We spent two hours playing with Flower Paste, making the decorations. I have great plans...whether or not they work out is another thing! Just know that there's going to be pineapple, coconut and possibly some white rum involved. Until next time...

It's Cake Day - Lemon Cake

I’m not the type of girl who finds it difficult to justify cake, or desserts of any kind for that matter. Any day can be a cake day. Sometimes I feel like people think I’m a little odd when I celebrate normal day-to-day events with food. That might have something to do with the weird almost fearful looks they give me, like there is a chance I could be slightly on the crazy side. But these people don’t cake (ha! I meant to write care but cake came out which is kind of funny so I left it…), they don’t share my joy of baking so they don’t count. Once they have cake in their hand they’re happy.

This week I successfully managed to disguise my cake baking needs with a more obvious cake-requiring occasion - a farewell to a girl at work who is leaving to have her first baby. This gave me the perfect excuse to bake. So bake I did. Cupcakes (being the obvious choice when it comes to baby themed events. Babies are little therefore require little cakes).

I am on a mission to find the perfect cupcake recipe. One that’s light and airy, has a nice rise and shape to it when baked and keeps well for at least a day (as I usually bake the night before and then ice in the morning).

This time I tried two recipes – one based on a Lemon Cake by Donna Hay and the other, a Raspberry Cupcake with White Chocolate Ganache from Nigella Lawson (who I think is great. Why not make food even better with sultry sauciness?).

The Nigella recipe was not only easy but it turned out beautiful, light and fluffy wee cakes. It has officially been added to my keep list. You can find the recipe here (oh no! stop press! Nigella has taken the recipe from her site and I can't find it elsewhere online! Foolish me for not writing it down - you learn a new lesson everyday. I'll see if I can find it elsewhere for you). If you need an impressive fail-safe cupcake recipe this is (was?) it. It’s foolproof! Although I do have a long running battle with ganache and somehow managed to completely ruin this one as well. Possibly because I tried to colour it pink…I need to research colouring ganache. I semi-salvaged the ganache by adding a tonne of icing sugar to thicken it up but for most of the cakes I used a cream cheese and passionfruit icing to decorate (just a basic cream cheese icing with passionfruit added which takes it to a whole new level of delicious goodness).


The Donna Hay recipe was actually meant for a cake, which after trying it as cupcakes, it’s probably more suited for (I should trust Donna more). The cupcakes were a little heavy and doughie but still really tasty. It would make a delish afternoon tea or dessert cake – something you eat with a fork and a dollop of cream or greek yoghurt. Go forth and eat cake!

Lemon Cake with Passionfruit Syrup (from Donna Hay Magazine, Issue 50)
125g butter
1 cup (220g) caster sugar
2 eggs
1 cup (240g) sour cream
¼ cup (60ml) lemon juice
1 tablespoon finely grated lemon rind
2 ½ cups (375g) self-raising flour
½ teaspoon baking powder

Preheat oven to 180°C (350°F). Place butter and sugar in a bowl and beat with an electric mixer until light and creamy. Add the eggs one at a time and beat well. Mix in the sour cream, lemon juice and rind, flour and baking powder (I sifted the flour and baking powder together first). Spoon the mixture into a 23cm round cake tin lined with non-stick baking paper. Bake for 40 minutes or until cooked when tested with a skewer (poke a skewer into the centre of the cake – if it comes out clean the cake is done). If using the passionfruit syrup, turn the warm cake out onto a rack and pour over half the syrup (reserving the rest for serving) – allow to stand for a few minutes so the syrup can sink in then serve.

Passionfruit Syrup
I didn’t use this for my cupcakes but wanted to include it here for those who’d like to follow the original Donna Hay recipe.

⅔ cup (150g) sugar
1 cup (250ml) water
⅔ cup (160ml) passionfruit pulp (if you don’t have fresh, use canned and reduce the sugar slightly)

Place the sugar, water and passionfruit in a saucepan. Cook over low heat, stirring, until the sugar is dissolved. Simmer for 4-5 minutes or until thickened slightly. See above for ‘pour over’ instructions.

If you try these recipes let me know what you think! And if you have a go-to cupcake recipe I would love to try it.