Coconut and Chocolate Chip Cupcakes

6oz Butter
6oz Granulated Sugar
3 Eggs
6oz Self Raising Flour
1 Tsp Baking Powder
2 Tbp Coconut Milk
3oz Desnicated Coconut

Icing
18oz Icing Sugar
5oz Butter
2 1/2 Tbp Coconut Milk
3oz Desnicated Coconut
1 Tbp Coco Powder

Cooking Time: 180c for 12 minutes / or until risen.
Serving: 18 cupcakes

1.Cream together the butter and Sugar in a bowl
2. Whisk the eggs lightly in a separate bowl.
3. Whisk the eggs into the creamed mixture.
4. Sieve the flour and baking powder into the creamed mixture and stir slowly until well combined
5. Stir in the coconut milk and coconut until mixed thoroughly and evenly
6. Spoon into the cupcake cases in the baking tray and place in the preheated oven
7. Once done, leave in the tin for 5-10 minutes then place cupcakes on wire rack to cool

Icing
1. Beat the butter until smooth
2. Sieve in the icing sugar and add 1 Tbs of the Coconut milk and whisk with the butter
3. Add the rest of the coconut milk and desnicated coconut and whisk into the mixture for a few minutes until light and fluffy
4. Divide the mixture up, too half add the the coco powder
5. Decorate the cupcakes with the icing and if desired you can add decorations, but with the coconut in the icing these are yummy just as they are.

Lemon Cheesecake

8oz Biscuits
4oz Butter
Tin of light condensed Milk
8oz Light Cream Cheese
Juice and zest of 1 Lemon

Serving: 6
Dish Size: 8inch
Chilling time: 3 hours +

1. Crush the biscuits in the food processor or with a rolling pin
2. Melt the butter in a saucepan and mix with the crushed biscuit and press into a greased proof dish and put in the fridge to set
3. Cream the cream cheese in a bowl with a fork until smooth
4. Beat in the condensed milk into the cream cheese along with the lemon juice and zest
5. Smooth onto the biscuit base and put in the fridge to set or freezer if short of time

N.B. If you have more people over this recipe is perfect for doubling.

Light Lemon Cheesecake

8oz Biscuits (Crushed)
4oz Butter
4oz Icing Sugar
284Ml Double Cream (Light Elmlea double cream)0
14oz Cream Cheese (Light)
1 Lemon Juice and Zest

Serving: 6-8
Dish Size: 9inch
Chilling time: 2 hours

1. Crush the biscuits in a food processor or with a rolling pin
2. Melt the butter in a saucepan
3. Mix the crushed biscuit with the melted butter and press into the greased proof dish and put in the fridge to set, while waiting make the filling
4. Cream the cream cheese in a bowl with a fork until smooth
5. Sieve in the Icing sugar and beat with a wooden spoon until a smooth consistency
6. Add the Lemon Juice and zest and stir well
7. In a separate bowl whisk the cream until it holds peaks and stir into the cream cheese mixture
8. Put cheesecake mixture on top of the biscuit base and smooth out, making swirls with a knife for a nice design and sprinkle some lemon zest on top for a finish.

N.B. I use light cream and cream cheese to make this a healthier dessert
N.B. You can use Vanilla or orange if you prefer a different flavour

Chocolate Chip Glace Heart

6oz Butter
6oz Granulated Sugar
3 eggs
8oz Self Raising Flour
1tsp Baking Powder

1tsp Vanilla Essence
12oz Chocolate chips

Oven Temp: Pre – heat Oven to 180c
Cooking time: Approx. 40-50 minutes in middle of oven
Tin Size: Heart Shaped (Standard)

1. Cream together the butter and sugar in a bowl
2. Whisk the eggs in a separate bowl
3. Gradually whisk the eggs into the creamed butter mixture until smooth
4. Add the vanilla essence and stir
5. Coat the chocolate chips in the flour and then sieve the flour and chocolate chips into the mixture
6. Stir the flour, baking powder and chocolate chips into the mixture slowly until it forms a smooth dropping like consistency
7. Pour into greased proof tin and bake
8. Once done leave in tin for 5-10 minutes to cool then put on wire rack
9. Once cool you can add Chocolate glace icing on the top and down the sides

Icing and Decoration

Glace Icing

14oz Icing Sugar

3 Tbs Coco powder

4 Tbs Warm Water

1. Sieve the Icing sugar and coco powder into a bowl

2. Add the warm water a Tbs at a time, beating the mixture with a fork each time to ensure it mixes well and forms a good consistency and smooth onto the cake with a wet knife.

N.B. I like the galce icing quite thick, as it gives the cake a good layer of icing, preventing it from getting dry and also makes it easier to stay onto the cake, so depending how much you like it, you may want to add more or less water.

Buttercream Decoration

2oz Butter
7oz Icing Sugar
1Tsp Milk
1 Tbs Coco Powder

1. Whisk the butter until smooth
2. Sieve in the icing sugar and whisk for a good few minutes
3. Add the milk and whisk until light and fluffy
4. Add the Coco powder
5. Using your piping set, pipe swirls around the side and top of the cake untill satisfied.

Marble Cake

6oz Butter

6oz Granulated Sugar

6oz Self Raising Flour

1Tsp Baking Powder

3 eggs

1 Tsp Vanilla Essense

2oz Coco powder

Oven Temp: Pre – heat Oven to 180c
Cooking time: Approx. 12-15 minutes in middle of oven
Tin Size: 2x7 inch

1. Cream together the butter and sugar in a bowl
2. Whisk the eggs in a separate bowl
3. Gradually whisk the eggs into the creamed butter mixture until smooth
4. Add the vanilla essence and stir
5. Sieve the flour and baking powder into the mixture and mix in slowly until it forms a smooth dropping like consistency

6. Put half of the mixture into the two greased baking tins

7. Sieve in the coco powder to the rest of the mixture and mix in thoroughly

8. Add this mixture between to the two baking tins and swirl the vanilla and chocolate mixture with a knife

9. Place into oven and bake

10. Once done leave in tin for 5-10 minutes to cool then put on wire rack
11. Once cool you can add the vanilla buttercream icing and filling.

Icing and filling
4.5oz Butter
12oz Icing Sugar
1tbs Milk
Vanilla Essence Flavouring

Chocolate Flake bar

1. Whisk the butter until smooth
2. Sieve in the icing sugar and whisk for a good few minutes
3. Add the milk and whisk until light and fluffy
4. Add the Vanilla Essence Flavouring
5. Layer icing onto each sponge cake
6. Layer cake up and decorate with the crushed by flake bar.

N.B. If your a chocoholic you can use chocolate Icing instead of Vanilla by adding Coco powder to the buttercream Or, you could be daring and do half vanilla and half chocolate.

Cream Cheese Icing with Biscuit and Chocolate Crunch

10.5oz Icing Sugar

8oz Low Fat Cream Cheese

Flavouring (Juice and zest of one lemon / 1tsp Vanilla)

1 Flake Chocolate Bar

2 Biscuits

1. Firstly make a sponge using whatever you fancy, I reccommend the basic sponge but prehaps with a tint of Lemon!

2. Cream the cream cheese into a bowl until smooth.

3. Stir in the Icing Sugar and then whisk until the mixture forms a smooth consistency

4. Add the flavouring and stir well

5. Layer the Icing onto the sponge, making swirls with a knife

6. Crush up the biscuits and chocolate and sprinkle onto the cake.

N.B. Be careful not too overwhisk otherwise the icing will become runny.

N.B. This cake will keep a few days, but less than normal buttercream as it is creamcheese.

Coconut Milk Cake

6oz Butter
6oz Granulated Sugar
6oz Self Raising Flour
1Tsp Baking Powder
3 Eggs
2 Tbs Coconut Milk
3oz Desiccated Coconut

Oven Temp: Pre – heat Oven to 180c
Cooking time: Approx. 40-50 minutes in middle of oven
Tin Size: 2 x 7 inch

1. Cream together the butter and sugar in a bowl
2. Whisk the eggs in a separate bowl
3. Gradually whisk the eggs into the creamed butter mixture until smooth
4. Sieve in the flour, baking powder and stir slowly but thoroughly
5. Coat the cherries in the flour and then sieve the flour
6. Add the coconut milk and coconut and mix well
7. Pour into greased proof tin and bake in the middle of the oven
8. Once done leave in tin for 5-10 minutes to cool then put on wire rack

Icing and Filling

12oz Icing Sugar
5oz Butter
3 Tbs Coconut Milk
3oz Desiccated Coconut

1. Cream the butter
2. Whisk in the icing sugar
3. Add the Coconut Milk and Coconut and whisk into the creamed mixture thoroughly
4. Divide the Icing in half and put half on each sponge.
5. On one sponge add strawberry jam and smooth out
6. Layer the other sponge on top of the jam and decorate if so desired or just tuck in and eat

N.B. Depending how thick you like the buttercream icing you can add more milk to make it less thick and more of a glace form of icing
N.B. If your not a major fan of Coconut, you can leave the desiccated coconut out of the icing and use just the milk, but I love the different texture the coconut gives to the icing.