In the last two years, when food is placed on the table, my family has developed a ritual of asking me ‘Is it ready for eating?’ Basically what it means is ‘Have you finished taking photos?’ I can’t appreciate this enough. I do feel guilty many times and I am sure this is something most food bloggers would relate to. I also have a little boy at home who has a major weakness for sweet food, especially cupcakes. He cannot wait for the cupcakes to cool down from the oven let alone allow me to frost them. As a result, cupcakes are not the most photographed objects in my house.
Last week the little boy was unwell and stayed back home while his brother went to school alone. Both were sad as they waved goodbye. Such occasions have been rare between them in the past and the only time they’ve been separated is possibly when either one was sick. To cheer him up, I read to him, we watched his favorite cartoons, played videos of them as babies but nothing seemed to lift up his mood. Then I gave him the option of baking with me. I was not surprised that he wanted to bake cupcakes. This 5 year old boy of mine is quite a pro with cookies and cupcakes. He taught me to make Dutch Pepernoten cookies recently after a cooking demo at school. With him around the kitchen, I don’t have to remember weights. He knows them by heart! We baked a batch of double chocolate that he frosted with nutella and these raspberry cupcakes. With the intention of making a quick frosting, I subbed buttercream with whipped cream. I infused in a little rosewater and it tasted amazing. The little boy just like his Mum, loves sprinkles, colours and piping nozzles. He chose the paper liners and colour of the frosting. Fortunately he was obsessed with the chocolate ones and that gave me time to photograph these. Not many, though!
The cupcakes are moist, not overly sweet and light from the sponge like texture and freshly whipped cream. The best thing about them is the flavour. The raspberry-rose combination rocks! I am keen on using them together in many different desserts. Overall, this is a simple recipe. Just make sure you are careful with rosewater. Too much spoils the flavor. The recipe uses frozen raspberries which should be available round the year at your local supermarket. You could use fresh as well.
Raspberry Cupcakes With Rose Infused Cream
Makes 10 regular cupcakes
100 g Butter, at room temperature, chopped
1/2 cup Caster Sugar
1 tsp Vanilla Essence
2 Eggs
1 cup Self-raising Flour (or 1 cup all-purpose flour plus 1 tsp baking powder)
1/3 cup Milk
1 cup Frozen Raspberries, thawed
Preheat oven to 170 degrees C (150 degreec C) for fan forced and line 10 medium muffin tins with paper cases. Using electric beaters, beat butter, sugar and vanilla until pale and creamy. Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition.
Fold in half the flour, then all the milk, then remaining flour, until just combined. Fold through raspberries. Spoon into prepared cases. Bake for 20 mins, or until the cakes are springy to a light touch. Leave in tin for 5 mins, then lift out onto a wire rack to cool.
Once cooled completely, fill up a piping bag and pipe rosettes of rose infused cream on the cupcakes. Decorate with sprinkles.
Rose Whipped Cream
1 cup heavy cream, cold
11/2 tsp castor sugar (or as per sweetness required)
1/2 tsp rosewater
1-2 drops food coloring (optional)
Place all the ingredients other than the food coloring together in the bowl of your electric mixer and whip up till stiff peaks form. Add the food colour and gently fold in till well blended. Store in the refrigerator till needed.
Wow what an amazing colour you’ve got here – beautiful!
These cupcakes are so pretty and you are such a good mum! I hope your boy feels better now! 🙂
What a gorgeous recipe!! I love the whip cream on these cupcakes – so stunning!
The life of a food blogger. My friends all know they can’t start eating at a restaurant until I’ve snapped their meal and they’re all okay with that. It just feels normal now.
Your cupcakes are marvelous and SO pretty.
I definitely feel bad when picture-taking gets in the way of meal time. I try to do as much as possible in advance but it’s hard and my least favorite thing about blogging. I’m glad you got a chance to capture these cupcakes to show us. Your little guy must be great inspiration. I’m sure his Nutella one was delicious but these raspberry rose ones are so gorgeous! Almost too pretty to eat.
Wow, such a striking colour combination. These looks fantastic.
This has to be the MOST BEAUTIFUL CUPCAKES ever, and I have seen a lot of cupcakes. Gorgeous Gorgeous photos, Sonali. I hope your boy is back to normal by now, being cured from the ‘power of cupcake.’ He is so adorable, and judging from his expertise, he is going to be the best baker. I am sending him a huge hug from San Francisco. xoxo
Oh yes I can totally relate…I have trained my family not to eat ANYThiNG I make unless I say “yes you can eat it”. I am the cake dictator at my house.
These cupcakes look sooooo good, love the rose whipped cream!
Aaah, yes, the question every food blogger hears from the family! My son always wants the plate that’s photographed, he likes to eat off of the dishes I have set aside as props 🙂
I hope your littl’un is feeling better. Must be hard for the boys to be separated. But at least he got to make cupcakes with mummy and share with his brother! They are very beautiful and he did an awesome job. xx
Love raspberries, the cupcake looks stunning and great icing. Hope the little one is better.
Aww..your little one melts my heart. Hope he is doing better now.
Life of a food blogger:). Happens all the time..now that I am an insta addict..the boys are hovering over food all the time..but a little wait intensifies the yumminess right?..:).
I am digging this cupcake and it’s simply gorgeous. Your pictures are simply stunning.
xx
Wow, you have such a smart boy! Well with a mom that cooks and bakes great food, that’s small wonder. Excellent job on the cupcakes, you two!
Julie & Alesah
Gourmet Getaways xx
So funny to read your post, exactly the same happens with my family.
They are always protesting that I won’t let them eat in peace cause of the pictures 🙂
These cupcakes with rose infused cream look beautiful and for sure it was worth while to wait a bit to eat them until the pics were taken.
Can I use fresh raspberries instead of frozen?