A weekend of Easter fun.

Like most people I am sure, our weekend was all about Easter. Both my daughters spent time baking although there was more than enough chocolate based food in the house already!  Aspen made easter egg cup cakes, she has become really great at just picking a recipe out of a book and baking things all by herself, cleaning up included (lucky me).

This weekend April decided she wanted to bake all by herself. So she spent some time going through our recipe books and decided upon marble cup cakes. She actually did amazingly well, I had to help just to show her how to melt the chocolate in a bowl over the hot water on the stove top, and watch her as she removed them safely from the oven, but otherwise she did it all herself! And they were delicious too! 

Of course there was the traditional hot cross buns, yummy!

And then there was the Easter Eggs of course! There is nothing quite as fun as watching the kids search the garden for easter eggs, the excitement on their faces is priceless! My brother came around and hid some Easter eggs for my hubby and I too, so we got to be big kids and go hunting in the great outdoors (well in the garden), although with an acre of garden there was quite a search involved, especially when one egg was so well camouflaged that we all had to search for it as even my brother couldn’t remember where he hid it! Eventually it was located. 

Sorry Dougie, none for you!

It was a lovely weekend involving too much food, plenty of gratitude, great friends and family, pets, loads of smiles and laughter, it was simply wonderful. 

I hope everyone had a wonderful Easter, may you all feel blessed, happy and be safe and loved, love Mac xx

What did you get up to this weekend? Leave me a comment below.

Easter Cupcakes: From Muffins & Bakes, Parragon Books Ltd.

Ingredients: Makes 12 or less depending on size of patty pans.

8 tbsp butter, softened, or soft margarine.

115 g/4 oz caster sugar

2 eggs, lightly beaten

85 g/3 oz Self-Raising Flour

25 g/1 oz cocoa powder

Topping:

6 tbsp butter, softened

175 g/6 oz icing sugar

1 tbsp milk

2-3 drops of vanilla essence

36 mini sugar-coated eggs (or after Easter you could use chocolate smarties/buttons)

Method.

1. Put 12 paper baking cases in a muffin pan, or place 12 double layer paper cases on a baking sheet.
2. Put butter and sugar in a bowl and beat together until light and fluffy. Gradually add the eggs beating well after each addition. Sift in flour and cocoa and, using a large metal spoon fold into the mixture. Spoon the mixture into paper cases.
3. Bake the cupcakes in a pre-heated oven 180 degrees celsius or 350 degree fahrenheit for 15 to 20 minutes or until well risen and firm to touch. Transfer to a wire rack to cool.
4. To make butter cream topping, put the butter in a bowl and beat until light and fluffy. Sift in the icing sugar and beat together until well mixed, adding the milk and vanilla essence.
5. When cupcakes are cold put the frosting in a piping bag fitted with a large star tip and pipe circle around each cupcake to form a nest. Place 3 chocolate eggs in the centre of each nest to decorate.
6. Eat and enjoy. Yummy!

Marble Chocolate Cupcakes:

Ingredients: Makes 21

175 grams or 6 oz of soft margarine

175 grams or 6 oz of caster sugar

3 eggs

175 grams or 6 oz of self-raising flour

2 tbsp milk

55 grams or 2 oz of plain chocolate melted

Method.

1. Put 21 paper baking cases in a muffin pan, or place 21 double layer baking cases on a baking sheet.
2. Put the margarine, sugar, eggs, flour and milk in a large bowl, using an electric hand mix beat together until just smooth.
3. Divide the mixture between 2 bowls. Add the melted chocolate to 1 bowl and stir together until well mixed. Using a teaspoon and alternating the chocolate mixture with the plain mixture, put 4 half teaspoons into each paper case.
4. Bake the cupcakes in a preheated oven 180 degrees celsius or 350 degrees fahrenheit for 20 minutes until well risen and springy to touch! Transfer to a wire rack to cool.
5. O my gosh too yummy, don’t share with anyone! (OK maybe share it is a nice thing to do.)

Joining Katie for #The Ordinary Moments over at Mummy daddy me