RECIPE:Tarek Malouf's famous vanilla cupcakes (From Berrows Journal)

RECIPE:Tarek Malouf's famous vanilla cupcakes

2:00pm Friday 13th March 2009

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THE cupcakes at London’s Hummingbird Bakery are legendary. More than 20,000 of them are sold each week and the firm’s new cookbook has become the most requested pre-ordered title online at amazon.co.uk, outstripping authors like James Patterson and Wilbur Smith.

The bakery’s owner, former journalist Tarek Malouf, developed a taste for American-style cupcakes and desserts while attending the American School in London as a child. His love of all things cake developed to such an extent that he decided to leave journalism in 2004 and start the first bakery in Notting Hill, north London.

Here, in time for Mother’s Day on March 22 is one of his cupcake recipes from The Hummingbird Bakery Cookbook (Ryland Peters & Small, £16.99).While the cakes themselves are the height of decadence, the recipes are simple and unfussy.

Once you’ve finished drooling over the cupcakes there is plenty more baking inspiration in the form of muffins, brownies and bars, ring, layer and loaf cakes, cookies, pies and cheesecakes.

RECIPE: Tarek Malouf's famous vanilla cupcakes

Makes 12

Ingredients

120g/4oz plain flour
140g 5oz caster sugar
1½ tsp baking powder
A pinch of salt
40g/1½ oz unsalted butter, at room temperature
120ml/4fl oz whole milk
1 egg
¼ tsp vanilla extract
Vanilla frosting (see below)
Hundreds and thousands or other edible sprinkles, to decorate
A 12-hole cupcake tray, lined with paper cases

Method

Preheat the oven to 170C/325F/ Gas 3.
Put the flour, sugar, baking powder, salt and butter in a freestanding electric mixer with a paddle attachment (or use a handheld electric whisk) and beat on slow speed until you get a sandy consistency and everything is combined.
Gradually pour in half the milk and beat until the milk is just incorporated.
Whisk the egg, vanilla extract and remaining milk together in a separate bowl for a few seconds, then pour into the flour mixture and continue beating until just incorporated (scrape any unmixed ingredients from the side of the bowl with a rubber spatula).
Continue mixing for a couple more minutes until the mixture is smooth.

Do not overmix.
Spoon the mixture into the paper cases until two-thirds full and bake in the preheated oven for 20-25 minutes, or until light golden and the sponge bounces back when touched.
A skewer inserted in the centre should come out clean.
Leave the cupcakes to cool slightly in the tray before turning out onto a wire cooling rack to cool completely.
When the cupcakes are cold, spoon the vanilla frosting on top and decorate with hundreds and thousands.

VANILLA FROSTING

Ingedients

250g/9oz icing sugar, sifted
80g/30z unsalted butter, at room temperature
25ml/0.8fl oz whole milk
A couple of drops of vanilla extract

Method

Beat the icing sugar and butter together in a freestanding electric mixer with a paddle attachment (or use a handheld electric whisk) on medium-slow speed until the mixture comes together and is well mixed.
Turn the mixer down to slow speed and then, in a separate bowl, begin to combine the milk and vanilla extract. When you have done this add it to the butter mixture a couple of tablespoons at a time.
Once all the milk has been incorporated, turn the mixer up to high speed.
Continue beating until the frosting is light and fluffy, at least five minutes.

The longer the frosting is beaten, the fluffier and lighter it wil become.

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