Surprise Cupcakes

Ingredients for Surprise Cupcakes:

Ingredients for Vanilla Cake:
Flour 1-1/2 cups
Baking powder 1 tsp
Salt 1/2 tsp
Milk 1 cup
Oil 1/2 cup
Eggs 4
Vanilla essence 1 tsp
Sugar 1-1/2 cups

Ingredients for Red Velvet Cupcake:
Flour 1-1/4 cups
Sugar 1 cup
Cocoa powder 1 tsp
Salt 1/2 tsp
Baking powder 1/2 tsp
Baking soda 1/2 tsp
Egg 1
Oil 3/4 cups
Buttermilk 1/2 cup
Vinegar 1 tsp
Vanilla essence 1/2 tsp
Milk 1/2 cup
Red food colour a pinch
Orange food colour a pinch
To make Buttermilk:
White vinegar 2-1/4 tsp
Milk 1/2 cup

Method:
To make vanilla cakes:
Sift flour, baking powder, and salt together for 2 to 3 times. 
In a bowl, beat eggs, sugar, and vanilla essence until fluffy. 
Add dry ingredients. 
Add milk and oil. 
Pour the batter in greased baking tin and bake it for 20 to 30 minutes at 180 degree C in a pre-heated oven. 
When the cake is done, let it cool on a wire rack for 10 minutes before removing from the tin to cool completely. 
With a butterfly cutter, cut butterflies and put aside.

For red velvet cupcakes:
Lightly stir eggs in a bowl, add remaining liquid ingredients and stir until well mixed. Place all the sifted dry ingredients in a mixing bowl and stir together well. 
Add wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and mix on medium-high speed or until well combined. 

In a cupcake tray lined with liners, pour a little red velvet batter and place butterflies in the centre. 
Pour more red velvet over the butterfly. 
Bake the cupcakes for 10 to 15 minutes at 180 degree C in a pre-heated oven.

To prepare buttermilk:
Add 2-1/4 tsp vinegar in a cup and fill with lukewarm milk to make 1/2 cup.

Surprise Cupcakes by Alishba and Nida (Nish & Maa)

The guests Alishba and Nida are the owner of Nish & Maa.

Orange Cupcakes

Ingredients for Orange Cupcakes:
Unsalted butter 1/2 cup
Caster sugar 2/3 cup
Eggs 3
Vanilla essence 1-1/2 tsp
Orange essence 1/2 tsp
Orange zest of 1 orange
Flour 1-1/2 cups
Baking powder 1-1/2 tsp
Salt ¼ tsp
Milk 1/4 cup

For Cream Cheese Frosting:
Cream cheese 8 ounces
Butter 3 tbsp
Vanilla essence 1 tsp
Icing sugar sifted 1-1/2 cup

Method:
Place the sugar and orange zest into the bowl of your mixer and blend until moist and fragrant. 
Add in butter and beat until light and fluffy. 
Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. 
Beat in the vanilla and orange essences. 
In a separate bowl whisk together the flour, baking powder and salt. 
Alternately add the flour mixture and milk, Evenly fill the cupcakes cases with the batter and bake for about 18-20 minutes at 180 degrees C or until nicely browned and a toothpick inserted into a cupcake comes out clean. 
Remove from oven and place on a wire rack to cool. 
Once the cupcakes have completely cooled, frost with icing.

For Cream Cheese icing:
Beat cream cheese and butter until smooth, creamy and well blended. 
Blend in the vanilla essence. 
Gradually add the icing sugar until you reach the desired consistency.

Banana Cupcakes

Ingredients for Banana Cupcakes:
Unsalted butter 8 oz
Caster sugar 8 oz
Flour 8 oz
Baking powder 1 tbsp
Eggs 4
Nutmeg ¼ tsp
Mashed ripe bananas icing 8 oz

For the cream cheese icing:
Cream cheese 7 oz
Icing sugar 6 oz
Lemon juice 1 tbsp
Vanilla essence 1 tsp
Banana (thinly sliced) 1

Method:
Beat butter and sugar till creamy. 
Add in eggs one at a time. 
Fold in flour and nutmeg. 
Add in the mashed bananas. 
Spoon batter in cupcake cases. 
Bake at 175 degrees C for 20 minutes. Cool well and then ice. 

For the icing,
Beat cream cheese, add in sieved icing sugar, vanilla essence, lemon juice, till smooth, pipe over cupcakes and then top with a thinly sliced banana.

Banana Cupcakes by Zarnak Sidhwa

Mint Chocolate Cupcakes

Mint Chocolate Cupcakes by Zarnak Sidhwa

2014 cupcakes

Ingredients for 2014 Cupcakes:
Flour 8 oz
Baking powder 1 tbsp
Brown sugar 8 oz
Unsalted butter 8 oz
Eggs (separated) 2
Chocolate 100 gm
Vanilla essence 1 tsp
Milk 4 fl oz or 1/2 cup

For Icing:
Unsalted butter 4 oz
Milk 1 tbsp
Melted chocolate 4 oz
Vanilla essence 1 tsp
Icing sugar, sieved 4 oz

Method:
Beat butter and brown sugar, add egg yolks, melted chocolate and vanilla essence. Add flour and baking powder and milk alternately, beat egg whites separately and fold in batter. 
Pour batter in the cupcake cases and bake at 180 degrees C for 15-20 minutes. Remove and cool. 
For icing, beat butter add melted chocolate, milk, icing sugar, essence till smooth. Pipe or spread over the cupcakes. 
Decorate with fondant or any sprinkles.

2014 cupcakes by Zarnak Sidhwa

Coffee Walnut Cupcakes

24+ cupcakes can be made with this recipe.

Coffee Walnut Cupcakes by Zarnak Sidhwa

Zarnak's wardrobe for this episode was sponsored by Mingle Mangle.

Coffee Walnut Cupcakes

24+ cupcakes can be made with this recipe.

Coffee Walnut Cupcakes by Zarnak Sidhwa

Zarnak's wardrobe for this episode was sponsored by Mingle Mangle.

Eggless Chocolate Cupcakes

Ingredients For Eggless Chocolate Cupcakes:
Flour (Maida) 1- 1/2 cups
Cocoa powder 2 1/2 Tbsp
Baking soda 1 tsp
Salt a pinch
Sugar 1 cup
Oil 5 Tbsp
White vinegar 1 tbsp
Milk 1 cup
Vanilla/chocolate essence 1 tsp

Method:
In a bowl, add 5 Tbsp oil, 1 Tbsp white vinegar, 1 cup sugar, 1tsp vanilla or chocolate essence, 1 cup lukewarm milk and beat until sugar dissolves.
Add the dry ingredients (1 1/2 cup maida, 2 1/2 Tbsp Cocoa powder,1 tsp Baking soda and a pinch of salt and fold it gently.
Spoon cupcake batter into cupcake tin.
Bake at 180 C in a pre heated oven until a toothpick inserted in the center of the cupcake comes out clean.
Cool on a wire rack.

Note
- You can use imported loose cocoa powder from Asghar n Sons, Empress Market or Paradise Clifton, Karachi.
- Recommended Chocolates: Italiano or Lindt chocolate or if you want to spend a little more try imported dark cocoa powder available on all major stores If you cant find it you can try Cadbury's cocoa.
- For Fudge Use Cooking chocolate.
- Also highly recommended is a small investment in a weighing scale it is most accurate to use, rather than measure in tablespoons as all of them differ.

Eggless Chocolate Cupcakes by Zarnak Sidhwa

Red Velvet Cupcakes

Ingredients for Red Velvet Cupcakes:
Flour 2 ½ cup
Caster sugar 1 ½ cup
Oil 1 ½ cup
Buttermilk 1 cup
Eggs 2
Vanilla essence 1 tsp
Cocoa powder 2 tsp
Salt 1 tsp
Baking soda 1 tsp
Vinegar 1 tsp
Red food coloring 2oz

For the Icing
Icing sugar sifted 2 cup
Butter, softened ½ cup
Cream cheese 8oz
Vanilla essence 1 tsp

Method

In a bowl, mix all ingredients together and pour in cupcake cases lined in a cupcake tin and bake at 180 degrees C for about 20 minutes or till a skewer inserted in centre comes out clean. 

For the icing, combine the icing sugar, butter, cream cheese and vanilla. 

Spread or pipe over the cupcakes and serve.

Note:
Instructions for making Buttermilk.
Combine 1 cup milk with 1 tablespoon of lemon juice or white vinegar.
Let the mixture stand at room temperature for 5-10 minutes. 
When it is ready, the milk will be slightly thickened and you will see small curdled bits.
Use this including curdled bits as buttermilk in your recipe.

Red Velvet Cupcakes by Zarnak Sidhwa

Triple Chocolate Cupcakes

Ingredients for the Cupcakes
Flour cup
Cocoa powder 4 tsp
Baking soda ¼ tsp
Baking powder ¼ tsp
Coffee powder ¼ tsp
Oil 4 tsp
Vanilla essence ¼ tsp
Dark brown sugar ¼ cup
Buttermilk cup

For the Filling & Frosting
Nutella 2 tbsp
Sour cream 1 tbsp
Cream ¼ cup
Coffee powder tsp
Cocoa powder 1 tbsp
Icing sugar 1 – 2 tbsp

Method
In a bowl, sift together the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder and coffee powder. 
In another bowl, whisk together the oil, vanilla essence and brown sugar. Using a spatula, add the dry ingredients to the wet in two batches, alternating with the buttermilk. 
Divide the batter between the muffin cups and bake 15-17 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean. 
Let cool completely on a wire rack. 
Stir together the Nutella and sour cream and set aside.
Gently poke a hole in the top of each cupcake and pipe in the mixture. 
If you don’t want to pipe the filling in, simply spread the mixture on top of each cupcake evenly. 
Let it firm up for a few minutes in the fridge before frosting. 
Beat cream with coffee powder until soft peaks form. 
Add the cocoa powder and icing sugar. 
Frost the cupcakes with the whipped cream mixture.

Triple Chocolate Cupcakes by Zarnak Sidhwa

Lava Cake

Ing :

5 oz chocolate
100gm butter
4 eggs
¾ cups sugar
¾ cups flour

Method :
Grease ramekins or cupcake liners very well with butter and dust with flour or cocoa powder. 

Melt chocolate with butter in a bowl set over a pan of simmering water.

Beat eggs and sugar and fold in the flour and slowly fold in butter and chocolate mixture. 

Bake at 180 degrees for only 10-12 minutes, the outer part of the cake should be cooked and middle should look liquidy. 

Serve overturned dusted with cocoa powder and cream or icecream on the side.

Lava Cake by Zarnak Sidhwa

Big Top Snicker Cup Cake

Ingredients for Big Top Snicker Cup Cake:

Ingredients for sponge Cake:
Flour 100 gm
Cocoa powder 2 tbsp
Eggs 4
Butter 3 tbsp
Peanut butter 1 tbsp
Carmel syrup 2 tbsp
Peanuts 2 tbsp
Sugar 100 gm
Vanilla essence 1 tsp

Ingredients for Chocolate Ganache:
Chocolate 1/2 cup
Cream 1 cup
Butter 2 tbsp

Ingredients for Caramel:
Sugar 1 cup
Butter 2 tbsp
Cream 1 packet
Peanuts 1/2 cup
Liquid Glucose 1 tsp
Caramel syrup 2 tbsp
Ingredients for Icing:
Cream 1 pack
Sugar 2 tsp

Method:

For Sponge Cake: Preheat the oven and grese the baking pan.
Mix coco powder and flour together.
In a separate bowl add in the eggs and sugar, beat until batter doubles in size.
Add in vanilla essence, caramel syrup and fold in the flour.
Add the peanuts and butter.
Pour the batter in the baking pan and put it in the oven for 20-25 minutes.

For Chocolate Ganache: Heat the cream for a while.
After taking it off from the heat, add in chocolate and heat it again in order for the chocolate to melt.
Then add in butter.
Take off from the heat and let it cool.

For Caramel: Mix the sugar and butter until its melted.
Add in cream and glucose as well as caramel syrup and roasted crushed peanuts.
Set aside for cooling.

For Icing: Mix cream and sugar and whip it.
Put it in the fridge then again beat it and apply on cake.

Big Top Snicker Cup Cake by Alishba Khan (Ash)

Eggless Cake

Ingredients
Flour 1 - ½ cups
Khoya, crumbled 1 - ½ tbsp
Butter, softened 3/4 cup
Caster sugar 3/4 cup
Milk powder 5 tbsp
Corn flour 2 tbsp
Baking powder 1 tsp
Soda bicarbonate 1 tsp
Green cardamom powder ¼ tsp
Buttermilk ¼ cup
Milk 2 tbsp

Method
Preheat oven to 180C. 
Beat butter and caster sugar. 
Sieve milk powder into the bowl and continue to mix. 
Add khoya and mix again. 
Sieve flour, corn flour, baking powder, soda bicarbonate and green cardamom powder into the bowl and mix. 
Add buttermilk to correct the consistency. 
If the batter is still thick add a little milk and mix. 
Pour into the greased moulds or paper cups. 
Tap the moulds lightly to even the batter. 
Bake till skewer inserted in centre comes out clean.

Eggless Cake by Zarnak Sidhwa

Chocolate Hazelnut Cupcakes

Ingredients
Flour 1 cup
Baking powder 1 tsp
Salt ¼ tsp
Cocoa powder ½ cup
Butter ½ cup
Sugar 1 cup
Nutella spread ½ cup
Eggs 2
Milk ½ cup
Vanilla essence 2 tsp

Method
In a bowl, whisk the dry ingredients to combine; set aside. 
Beat the butter until it is soft, then add sugar. 
Add hazelnut spread and mix until smooth. 
Add the eggs, one at a time beating until they are well combined. 
Combine vanilla essence and milk. 
Add dry ingredients alternately with the milk. 
Beat just to combine. 
Divide batter among the cupcake tins. 
Bake at 180 degrees C for 20-22 minutes, until a skewer inserted in the center comes out clean. 
Allow to cool completely before frosting. 
Swirl frosting on top. 
Decorate with hazelnut chocolates.

Chocolate Hazelnut Cupcakes by Zarnak Sidhwa

Chocolate Butterfly Cupcakes

Ingredients for Chocolate Butterfly Cupcakes:
4 oz butter
4 oz caster sugar
2 eggs
3oz self raising flour
2 tbsp cocoa powder
1 tsp baking powder

For Icing:
2 tbsp cocoa
3 tbsp hot water
6 oz butter
12 oz icing sugar, sifted

Chocolate Butterfly cupcakes by Zarnak Sidhwa

Banana Cupcakes With Cream Cheese Frosting

Banana Cupcakes With Cream Cheese Frosting by Zarnak Sidhwa

Chocolate cupcakes

Chocolate cupcakes by Zarnak Sidhwa