Prosecco & White Chocolate Cupcakes.

I woke up one Sunday morning and decided I'd love to try alcohol in a cupcake. After a few minute flicking through Pinterest I came upon the idea of Champagne, I've taken that idea and used Prosecco as a cheaper alternative.

I think I should give out a warning that these are very strong and definitely not for those under 18.

What You'll Need For 12 Cupcakes

 For the cake:

130g plain flour
140g caster sugar
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
40g softened salted butter
1 egg
100ml whole milk
40ml Prosecco 

10ml vanilla extract
50g white chocolate

For the Icing: 

300g icing sugar 

80g salted butter 

20ml whole milk 

60ml Prosecco 

50g white chocolate

How to make the cakes:

1. Pre-heat the oven to Gas Mark 3 or 170'c and line a muffin tray with cupcake wrappers.
2. Cream the butter and sugar together with an electric whisk.
3. Slowly add in the flour, baking powder, in a jug measure out the milk and Prosecco and then add the egg, whisking well until combined.
4. Add this mixture into the the butter and whisk until you get a smooth batter.
5. Melt the White Chocolate over a double boiler, allow to cool slightly and mix into the rest of the ingredients.
6. Separate into the cupcake cases, bake for about 20 minutes, or until they bounce back up after touch.
7. Cool for 10 minutes in the tray, then transfer to a wire rack to fully cool. 

To make the Icing:

1. Beat the butter until pale, then add in the icing sugar (cover the bowl with a clean cloth to stop a cloud of sugar) alternatively with the milk and prosecco.
2. Pour in the remaining chocolate and continue to whisk for about 5 minutes, til light and fluffy.
3. Cover the cupcakes with the icing, and enjoy! 

 

 

Lydia

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The Best Coffee & Walnut Cake.

Ever since she came on BBC, I have loved Nigella Lawson and her cooking, a lot! During a very busy week, I had an afternoon off and decided I would try her Coffee & Walnut Cake, and I am glad I did.

I have changed this recipe slightly so the cake is milder. 

Start by pre-heating your oven to Gas Mark 4/180°C/350°F, and greasing/lining two 8 inch tins.

Blitz 50g Walnut Pieces and 225g Caster Sugar in a food processor to a fine powder.

In a bowl, mix 225g Unsalted Butter with 200g Plain Flour, adding in 2 Teaspoons of Instant Coffee dissolved in 1 Tablespoon of Boiling Water. 

Continue mixing and slowly add in 2.5 Teaspoons of Baking Powder, 1/2 Teaspoon of Bicarbonaate of Soda, 4 Large Eggs, and 2 Tablespoons of Milk.

Mix into a smooth batter.

Divide this mixture into 2 tins and bake for 25 minutes, or until they bounce up after gently touching them.

To make the icing, whisk 175g of Unsalted Butter until smooth. Slowly add in 350g Icing Sugar, to avoid a cloud of powder add 2-3 tablespoons at a time. 

Towards the end, add in 2.5 Teaspoons of Instant Coffee in 1 Tablespoon of Boiling Water. 

Spread the Icing on the cakes, and layer, decorate with 10 Walnut Halves.

Enjoy!

Lydia

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Delicous Lemon Drizzle Sponge Cake.

It feels like forever since I last wrote on here. Though probably not. I have just finished a crazily busy weekend of work and decided to celebrate the best way I know how. Cake.

Oh yes.

All you need for the cake is:

• 6oz (170g) Self-Raising Flour
• 6oz (170g) Caster Sugar
• 6oz (170g) Butter
• 3 Large Eggs
• 1 Teaspoon Vanilla Extract
• 1 Teaspoon Baking Powder

Icing:

• 4oz (113g) Butter
• 8oz (226g) Icing Sugar
• 2 Tablespoons Milk

For the Lemon Drizzle:

• 2 Lemons Juiced
• 3 oz (75g) Caster Sugar
• Lemon Curd

 
How to make the cake:

• First things first is to light the oven up to Gas Mark 3, or 160°C. Grease and line the tins.
• Then cream together the sugar and butter.
• Add the flour, a few spoonfuls at a time and mix. After 3 spoonfuls, add the eggs, one at a time and mix.

 

 
 
 
 

• Pour in the vanilla extract and baking powder and mix. 
• Spoon the mixture into the tins and pop in the oven for 25-45 minutes (until the cake springs back when tapped).
• After a while of patiently waiting for the cake, mix together the lemon juice and caster sugar. Drizzle over the top layer of cake when cooked, and out of the oven.
  

 
 
 
 
 

• Let the cakes cool. 
• To make the icing, soften the butter and slowly add the icing sugar. Add in the milk alternatively until all mixed together. Whisk for 3-4 minutes.
• Layer the cakes up with Lemon Curd and The Icing. 
• Top the cakes with a sprinkling of caster sugar. 
  

Tilly the dog was patiently waiting to taste the cake, nice try Tills!

A simple, quick, and absolutely delicious Lemon cake, perfect for the cold winter's nights. 

Lydia

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Blog Chat.

Blog Chat

Today's #BEDN topic is 'Blog Chat' so I'd thought I'd tell you all a little about my blogging journey and my hopes for The Little Life.

First off; The Little Life is not my first blog, I started blogging over on Wordpress with 'country girl, city life' I started blogging whilst at university to keep me busy and keep my English writing skills up. The blog didn't do so well and I had a major bloggers block. 

The Little Life was born in July 2013, hen I had moved back home from uni with a broken leg and I wanted to develop my blogging skills and networks. I started using Blogger and have tried to blog at least once a week, sharing with you my baking adventures, and fun things I have done, I hope this will continue.

Over the past few months I have  begun learning how to use social media to grow the blog, and connect with other bloggers. I absolutely love reading other blogs, seeing the different genres and the lovely layouts.

The Future...

In my big dreams, I would love to have a blog with readers from around the world and thousands of readers. But, if that ever happens, it would be a long way off, for now, I am just looking to keep writing, keep sharing and engaging with the readers I have. I love blogging, how I can write whatever I want and find other people with similar opinions.

I hope this has given you a little insight into how, and why, I blog.

Lydia

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Chocolate & Vanilla Marble Cake

Hello everyone,

Recently I feel I have been neglecting the blog a little, although I have updated the layout slightly which is good!

Whilst I have been away, I have seen Adam Hills at the Hammersmith Apollo, this was such a good night out, unfortunately, I had lost my phone in the house so went without taking photos. Adam Hills is a hilarious comedian who takes his disability as an opportunity to make people laugh.

Since starting my new job, I have been working a lot, working in the care industry means I work silly shifts, like starting at 7.30am and finishing at 9.30pm. It's full on.

However all hope is not lost, I had a spare afternoon and decided to bake something quick and simple, a Chocolate and Vanilla Marble Cake.

As this recipe is on the Telegraph's website, I used my iPad to display it which worked well, although I was careful not to spill anything onto it!

The recipe is so simple to follow and the cake mix worked well even without having a mixer to use.

 

The icing is a chocolate, almost fudge icing with melted white chocolate dribbled over. 

 

 Overall, I really enjoyed making the cake, it was different to do a loaf style, almost enjoyable not having to decorate 12 tiny cupcakes. 

You can find the recipe here.

Goodbye, Lydia

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