Jessica Ransom
These Rachel Allen cupcakes with vanilla icing take 15 minutes to bake and are only 132 calories per cake.
If you’re looking for a simple but delicious cupcake recipe, this one from TV chef and best-selling author Rachel Allen is perfect. Rachel decorates her cakes with sugared almonds and crystallised flowers but sprinkles are also great or any edible decoration for that matter!
Ingredients
- 75ml (2½ fl oz) milk
- 25g (1oz) butter
- 75g (3oz) plain flour
- ½tsp baking powder
- Pinch of salt
- 2 medium eggs
- 1tsp vanilla extract
- 125g (5oz) caster sugar
For the icing:
- 100g (4oz) icing sugar, sifted
- 1-2tbsp single cream
- 1tsp vanilla extract
To decorate:
- Crystallised flowers, sugared almonds or any other edible decorations of your choice
WEIGHT CONVERTER
Method
- Heat the oven to 200C (180C fan, Gas 6). Put 12 paper cases in a cupcake tray.
- Heat the milk in a saucepan until it almost comes to the boil, take it off the heat, add the butter and stir to melt, then set aside.
- Sift the flour with the baking powder and add the salt. In a separate large bowl, beat the eggs and vanilla extract with an electric hand mixer until light and fluffy, for about 10 minutes. Gradually beat in the sugar until thick and mousse-like. Turn the speed down and blend in the flour, then the milk. Stop beating as soon as it's all mixed in.
- Spoon into each paper case and bake in the oven for 15 minutes or until golden and firm to the touch. Allow to cool slightly in the tin before moving to a wire rack and icing.
- To make the icing, mix the icing sugar with 1tbsp cream and the vanilla extract; if it's not a good spreading consistency, add a little more cream. To ice the cupcakes, dip a table knife into boiling water and spread the icing over each cake with the warm knife. Top with your choice of edible decoration.
Top tips for making these Rachel Allen cupcakes
It's important to have your ingredients weighed out and ready before you start making the cakes as you will need to act quickly once the eggs are whisked and the wet and dry ingredients are combined.
Also make sure the oven is at temperature before putting the cake in otherwise they may not rise. For more tips and tricks, continue reading below.
How to make light cupcakes?
Rachel explains: ‘The cakes are very light as the eggs are whisked for about 10 minutes until they are full of air and they only use a tiny quantity of butter.’ Therefore it’s very important not to under-whisk your eggs as the cupcakes will collapse and become dense.
What temperature do you bake cupcakes?
This recipe recommends an oven temperature of 200C or 180C in a fan-assisted oven which is gas mark 6. Bake the cupcakes in the middle or top third of the oven.
Can you frost frozen cupcakes?
You can freeze cupcakes before icing them. Then once the cupcakes are fully defrosted, cover with your icing and decorations as instructed above.
Once you’ve mastered this recipe, try these Rachel Allen lemon cupcakes. You might also like our classic vanilla cupcake recipe or for something more indulgent, take a look at the chocolate cupcakes recipe.
