Raspberry Cupcakes

The lovely Francesca sent me a rose shaped silicone muffin tray earlier in the month as part of my birthday present, so cute don’t you think?

I’ve been dying to use it, hunting out recipes I thought would work well and look good.  Well yesterday it leapt up from the page at me – a yogurt cake with apples and berries. 

The recipe I used is inspired by one from the December issue of Australian Delicious, kindly sent to me by Kerry. I love curling up with a good foodie magazine and cup of tea (or glass of wine later in the evening) and forgetting the outside world, it’s such a stress relieving thing to do.  When the magazine is unfamiliar or from overseas so much the better as it also allows me to go on a little culinary travel from the comfort of my sofa.

I love the texture that ground almonds give cakes, they keep them so moist and yet give them a slight denseness too which I find hugely satisfying.  That along with the addition of the yogurt and fruit puree meant incredibly moist, scrumptious muffins that would suit both breakfast and a mid morning snack.  

If made into large cake I imagine it would absolutely gorgeous served with a scoop of raspberry ripple ice cream, made using a basic vanilla ice cream recipe with a gorgeous coulis folded through.

My muffin tray only held six muffins, and the cake mix would be enough for eight. So what did I do with the remaining mix?  Well I put it in a floral cake cake instead, it took around five minutes longer to cook though.

There now, all you need is a nice espresso and that is elevenses sorted.