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Cupcake Camp Bournemouth

I attended Cupcake Camp Bournemouth recently. The event successfully raised over £1,800 pounds for Macmillan Cancer Support. I took a lot of photos on the day, click here to see them all. A lot of hard work into organizing the event.

I donated Chocolate Pretzel Man Cakes. There aren't any cupcake shops in Bournemouth (as far as I know) but there are plenty of home businesses in the area. Nearly all of the cakes donated were from professional bakers. I really wanted to take a picture of each kind donated but it was too busy and the cupcakes dissapeared really quickly!

Here are some of my favorites from the day (if anyone knows who made these let me know and I'll update each photo).

Bournemouth Beach Hut by Lucy's Sugar Shack

Fish n' Chips also by Lucy's Sugar Shack

Mother's Day Cupcakes

This was the best tasting cupcake of the day I think! It was a nut and spice combination.

On the whole I left the event feeling a little disappointed. When I left the last cupcake camp I attended, I left on such a high (not just a sugar high). This event had a different vibe.

I felt it was over before it even started. The event was advertised to start at 2pm and run until 5pm. When I arrived at 1:40pm to set up my stand people were already taking cupcakes. I wasn't pleased when people kept trying to take them before I'd finished getting my display ready! The judging competition was also finished before the start and by 3pm all the cupcakes were gone and it was over. The good news is that people seemed to enjoy themselves and there were lots of kids having fun.

As a baker, in my opinion, I was disappointed that the businesses gave themselves a big profile and I thought the charity seemed to take second place. The event was organized with good intentions however.

I am excited for the next cupcake camp and I'm already thinking about some mind blowing creations!

· Cupcake Camp, cupcakes

Chocolate Pretzel Man Cakes

I made these for Cupcake Camp Bournemouth this weekend. The event was really successful and all the cakes were sold to benefit Macmillan Cancer Support. I was inspired to make these by some photos I'd seen recently around of man cakes. They're very simple looking but taste amazing!

These "man cakes" went down pretty well I think! I was only able to make 24 since we were coming from London but they were all sold in about 30 minutes!
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I made chocolate cupcakes filled with salted caramel and topped with salted caramel frosting and a chocolate pretzel.

The frosting tastes like caramel but there's not actually caramel in it. The brown sugar is a little grainy so it's best to make it the day before and let it mature for one day.

Chocolate Devil's Food Cupcakes with Caramel Frosting

adapted from The Complete Magnolia Bakery Cookbook (makes 24)

Cake

2 cups self rising flour

1 cup cocoa powder

1 1/2 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp salt

3/4 cup unsalted butter

1 1/2 cups light brown sugar

1/2 cup sugar

3 large eggs

1 1/2 cups buttermilk

2 tsp vanilla

1. Preheat the oven to 350 F/180 C and line muffin tray with paper liners. In a small bowl sift together the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda and salt, set aside.

2. In a large bowl on medium speed cream the butter until smooth. Add the sugars and beat on high until fluffy. Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition.

3. Add the flour mixture in three parts, alternating with the buttermilk, beating after each addition. Add in the vanilla and beat until all the ingredients are combined. Don't over beat.

4. Fill each cup three quarters full and bake for 25-30 minutes. Place on a cooling rack.

Frosting

2 cups unsalted butter at room temperature

5 cups icing sugar, sifted

1 1/2 cups light brown sugar

1/2 cup milk

2 tbs dark corn syrup (or golden syrup)

2 tsp vanilla
Fleur de sal

1. In a large bowl cream the butter on medium high speed with an electric mixer until smooth. Add the brown sugar and combine. Add in the icing sugar half a cup at a time on low speed.

2. Add the milk, syrup and vanilla. Beat until smooth and creamy about 3 minutes. I sprinkled some Fleur de sal on top after I frosted them. Store in an airtight container until ready to use.

Topping

Store bought pretzels

Dark chocolate

Fleur de Sel (I bought this at Whole Foods)

1. Melt the chocolate in a microwave safe bowl at 30 second intervals.

2. Dip each pretzel in chocolate and sprinkle with the Fleur de sel and place on a cooling rack till the chocolate is dry.

Filling

2 cans Carnation caramel

Fleur de sel

1. Stir the caramel into a medium sized bowl and stir in some Fleur de sel 1/2 tsp at a time to taste.

2. Cut a cone shape out of each cupcake once it's cool and cut off the cone bit. Spoon in about one tablespoon of caramel and place the top of the cake on top.

3. Frost and top with a chocolate covered pretzel. Enjoy!

· chocolate, Cupcake Camp, cupcakes

Cupcake Camp Bournemouth

Image made by Ellie

Cupcake Camp is coming to Bournemouth on April 2nd! I can't wait. I had such a blast at Cupcake Camp London. Money is being raised for Macmillan Cancer Support. Each cupcake donated by us bakers will be sold for £1 which will be donated to charity.

This time I'm only bringing 24 cupcakes instead of the 100 I brought last time so I hope to be able to enjoy the whole day without being at a table with my cupcakes the whole time.

It takes place from 2-5pm at The Lighthouse near Poole station. Full event and RSVP details on their facebook page.

I haven't decided what I'm making yet but I hope to see lots of people there!

· Cupcake Camp, cupcakes

Root Beer Float Cupcakes

These were the last cupcakes I made for Cupcake Camp London 2010. There aren't as many pictures since it was nearly midnight and I'd been in the kitchen for nearly 12 hours.

I thought they tasted really good but people seemed to hate them at Cupcake Camp. They were the slowest selling out of my four kinds but by the end they were all gone. They really tasted like a root beer float but I think the idea of Root Beer grossed people out since it's not that common in the UK.

Root Beer Cupcakes

adapted from Guilty Kitchen (makes 20)

Ingredients

1 cup unsalted butter at room temperature

2 cups packed brown sugar

2 eggs and 2 eggs yolks

4 tbs root beer extract

2 tsp vanilla extract

3 cups self rising flour

2 tsp baking powder

1 tsp baking soda

1 tsp salt

1 cup buttermilk

I found this at wal-mart

1. Pre heat oven to 350 F/ 180C and line muffin tin with paper liners. Cream butter and sugar on medium speed using an electric mixer. Add the eggs and the eggs yolks and beat until combined.

2. Beat in the root beer and vanilla extracts.

3. In a separate bowl, stir together the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt.

4. Add the dry ingredients in two parts alternating with the buttermilk to the butter and sugar mixture. Beat until combined.

5. Fill each liner about three-quarters full and bake for 20-25 minutes until a cake tester comes out clean. Place on a wire rack to cool.

"Ice Cream" Frosting

adapted from All Recipes

This frosting does not have to be eaten straight away or refrigerated if iced after making (ie won't melt).

Ingredients

8 ounces full fat cream cheese at room temperature

1/2 cup white sugar

1 tsp vanilla extract

2 cups whipping cream

jar of cocktail cherries for garnish

1. Combine the cream cheese, sugar and vanilla extract in a bowl and mix on medium until smooth. While the mixture is whipping slowly add the whipping cream.

2. Stop and scrape the bottom of the bowl a few times and keep mixing until the whipping cream holds a stiff peak.

· Cupcake Camp, cupcakes

Orange Velvet Halloween Cupcakes

I made these for Cupcake Camp London 2010! They also went down really well. I didn't actually get a chance to taste it but my friend Anne over at I ♥ Cupcakes said they were great. She should know. She won the best ingredient contest for her sprout cupcake!

This cupcake is basically a red velvet cupcake minus the cocoa powder but with some orange extract to give it a citrus flavor. I tried to make the frosting black but I totally underestimated the amount of food coloring needed and my frosting came out more gray purple.

A friend sent me these picks a few days before Cupcake Camp.

I only have 2 baking trays. One I brought from the US and the other from the UK. Guess which one made which shape!

Orange Velvet Cupcakes

adapted from Martha Stewart (makes 24)

Ingredients

1 1/2 cups plain flour sifted

1 cup self rising flour sifted

1 tsp salt

1 1/2 cups sugar

1 1/4 cups vegetable oil

2 large eggs at room temperature

1 tsp yellow food coloring

1/4 tsp red food coloring

1 tsp orange extract (I found some at Tesco)

1 cup buttermilk

1 1/2 tsp baking soda

2 tsp distilled white vinegar

1. Preheat the oven to 350 F/180 C. Line muffin tin with cases. Whisk together the flours and salt.

2. With an electric mixer on medium speed, whisk together the sugar and oil until combined. Add eggs, one at a time, beating until each is incorporated, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed. Mix in food coloring and orange extract.

3. Reduce speed to low. Add flour mixture in three batches, alternating with two additions of buttermilk, whisking well after each. Stir together the baking soda and vinegar in a small bowl (it will foam). Add mixture to the batter and mix on medium for 10 seconds.

4. Divide batter evenly among lined cups, filling each three quarters full (I do 2 cookie scoops). Bake, rotating tins halfway through, until a cake tester comes out clean. About 20 minutes. Transfer tins to wire rack to cool.

Cream Cheese Frosting

adapted from Martha Stewart

Ingredients

1 cup unsalted butter at room temperature

12 ounces full fat cream cheese at room temperature

1 pound icing sugar, sifted

1 tablespoon orange extract (or to taste)

1-2 bottles of black food coloring (optional)

1. With an electric mixer on medium high speed, beat the butter and cheese until fluffy, 2 to 3 minutes. Reduce speed to low.

2. Add the icing sugar 1/2 cup at a time and then the orange extract and food coloring. Mix until smooth and store in an airtight container if not using immediately.

Alternatives

Depending on orangey you want your cupcakes you can use vanilla extract in the cake and orange in the frosting or vice versa. I totally forgot to put it in the cake! Orange zest in the cake would also be a nice touch.

· Cupcake Camp, cupcakes, Halloween, holidays

Sundae Cupcakes

I made these Sundae Cupcakes for Cupcake Camp London 2010. They were my biggest seller of the day and were gone in an hour! They're just so darn cute!

These are hi-hats made to look like an ice cream sundae. I made "banana" cupcakes. I didn't use real banana. I made banana flavored milk using Nesquik in one of my favorite vanilla cake recipes (keeps the cake light and fluffy). I prefer to use real bananas in muffins since it gives a much denser cake.

Banana Nesquik Cupcakes

adapted from 52 Cupcakes

Ingredients

2 3/4 cups self-rising flour

1 cup unsalted butter at room temperature

2 cups sugar

4 large eggs at room temperature

1 cup milk

1/2 cup banana Nesquik

1. Line muffin tin with cases and pre-heat oven to 350 F/180 C. In a large bowl cream the butter using an electric mixer on medium speed until smooth. Add the sugar gradually and beat until fluffy.

2. Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Mix the milk, Nesquik and vanilla in a pitcher (taste to see how banana it is you can add more to your liking, I did!).

3. Add the dry ingredients in three parts, alternating with the banana milk. With each addition, beat until the ingredients are incorporated.

4. Spoon batter into liners about 3/4 full (I do 2 cookie scoops) and bake for 20-25 minutes. Cool for 15 minutes and remove from tins to cool on a wire rack.

Seven Minute Frosting

adapted from Martha Stewart's Cupcakes (makes enough to frost 24)
Ingredients

1 1/2 cups plus 2 tbs sugar
2/3 cup water
2 tbs light corn syrup (I used golden syrup)
6 egg whites at room temperature
1 tsp vanilla

For the Chocolate Coating
2 bags of white of sprinkled candy melts
1 bag of dark or milk chocolate
red peanut m&m's

1. Combine 1 1/2 cups sugar with the water and golden or corn syrup in a small saucepan. Clip a candy thermometer to the side. Bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring until the sugar dissolves. Boil without stirring until syrup reaches 230 F.

2. While the sugar is boiling whisk the egg whites in a large bowl on medium high speed until soft peaks form. With the mixer running, add the remaining 2 tablespoons sugar, beating to combine.

3. As soon as the syrup reaches 230 F remove from heat. With mixer on medium low speed, pour syrup down the side of bowl in a slow, steady stream. Raise speed to medium high, whisk until mixture is completely cool (touch the bottom of the bowl to feel) and stiff (not dry) about 7 minutes. It will look like marshmallow.

To Decorate

1. Put the frosting in a piping bag and pipe the highest swirls possible.

2. Place in the fridge or freezer for 10-15 minutes to allow the frosting to slightly harden. During that time place the white candy melts in a microwave safe bowl and heat for 30 seconds at a time stirring each time until melted. This is the "ice cream" part of the sundae.

These speckled candy melts look like ice cream with sprinkles

3. If the chocolate is very thick add about 6 tablespoons of vegetable oil. Don't add too much. Dip each hi-hat in the chocolate until the white frosting is coated letting the excess drip back into the bowl. Or I used a pastry brush to cover the top since the chocolate was a little thick (put bowl back into the microwave for 30 seconds if chocolate starts to harden).

4. Place in the fridge for another 10-15 minutes to allow the chocolate to set. Melt the milk or dark chocolate in a microwave safe bowl for 1 minute or until melted. This will be the hot fudge on top of the sundae. Spoon 1 tablespoon on top of the white chocolate and place an m&m (for the cherry) on top.

5. Place back in the fridge for another 10 minutes until completely set. These don't need to be stored in the fridge. If the proper chocolate is used it won't melt or come off on your fingers. Enjoy!

· Cupcake Camp, cupcakes

Bubblegum Cupcakes

I made these for Cupcake Camp London 2010 and they were my second most popular flavor on the day. The kids really loved them. They're just so fun who could resist! I was really proud they came in as a runner up in the most unique ingredient contest.

My popcorn cupcakes would make good companions to these as well

They were made with white chocolate chip cake, filled with bubblegum pudding and then topped with Bubblegum buttercream. The pudding was bubblegum flavored Snack Packs that are typically sold in any US grocery store.

They look really cute all together.

All my varieties for Cupcake Camp. Click here for round up.

White Chocolate Chip Cupcakes

adapted from Martha Stewart (makes 24)

Ingredients

3 1/4 cups self rising flour, sifted

4 1/2 tsp baking powder

1/4 tsp salt

1 tbs vanilla extract

1 cup plus 2 tbs milk

1/2 cup plus 6 tbs unsalted butter at room temperature

1 3/4 cups sugar

5 large egg whites at room temperature

2 cups white chocolate chips
bubblegum snack packs (4 filled all the cupcakes)

I got these from Bake it Pretty

1. Preheat oven to 350 F/180 C. Line muffin tin with cases (these popcorn buckets stand on their own). Whisk together the flour, baking powder and salt. Stir the vanilla into the milk to combine.

2. With an electric mixer on medium speed, cream butter until smooth. Add the sugar in a steady stream, beat until pale and fluffy. Reduce speed to low. Add flour, mixture in three batches, alternating with the two additions of milk mixture, and beating until just combined after each.

3. In another bowl, with an electric mixer on medium speed, whisk the egg whites until stiff peaks form. Fold one-third of the egg whites into the batter to lighten. Gently fold in the remaining whites until just combined. Toss the chocolate chips in one tablespoon of flour and gently fold into batter.

4. Divide batter evenly among lined cups, filling each three quarters full (I usually do 2 cookie scoops worth of batter for each cup). Bake, rotating tins halfway through, until cake tester inserted in center comes out clean about 22 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack to cool.

5. When completely cool cut out the center of the cupcake in a cone shape and scoop in two teaspoons of pudding. Place a small piece of the cut out section back on top.

Bubblegum Buttercream

Ingredients

3 cups unsalted butter at room temperature

2 pounds icing sugar, sifted

1 tsp vanilla extract

Pink food coloring
2 vials bubblegum flavoring
gumballs for decoration

I got these at the $1 Store in the US. They also have them at Cyber Candy in London

1. With an electric mixer, beat the butter on medium-high until pale and creamy, about 2 minutes.

2. Reduce speed to medium. Add the icing sugar ½ cup at a time, beating after each addition and scraping down sides of bowl as needed; after every two additions, raise speed to high and beat 10 seconds to aerate the frosting, then return to medium. This should take about 5 minutes. Frosting will be pale and fluffy.
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3. Add vanilla, and beat until frosting is smooth, add small amount of pink food coloring to achieve a pink color, and beat until color shows through. Add both vials of bubblegum flavor and beat until combined.

To Decorate

Pipe frosting in big swirls and add the sprinkles you want first before the icing becomes stiff.

Or pour some sprinkles into a bowl and roll the edges of the cupcake in. Or pipe the bottom swirl, roll in the sprinkles and then continue and pipe on the top swirl.

More details and photos about decorating and sprinkle techniques can be found here.

· Cupcake Camp, cupcakes

Archive HOT

Cupcake Camp Bournemouth

Chocolate Pretzel Man Cakes

Cupcake Camp Bournemouth

Root Beer Float Cupcakes

Orange Velvet Halloween Cupcakes

Sundae Cupcakes

Bubblegum Cupcakes

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