rose tea and cocoa nibs cupcakes
I do love a challenge that really gets you thinking so i’m very excited to be taking part in the second ‘ingredients swap’ challenge hosted by Ruth over at Makey-Cakey… Ruth pairs us off with other foolish individuals and we have to send them one special ingredient. My swap partner was non other than lovely Lou from Please Do Not Feed The Animals who sent me a little packet of cocoa nibs… now cocoa nibs are an odd little chocolate by-product, they are actually raw chocolate, pieces of cocoa bean that have been roasted, hulled and prepped to the point at which all there is left to do is process them into bars, grinding them finely like coffee and adding sugar, cocoa butter and milk… they do have a wonderful nutty, coffee-like feeling in the mouth and can be used in baking in place of, or alongside nuts… you can buy bars of chocolate with the nibs blended in… there’s something maturely sophisticated about them too…
this recipe makes 6 regular size cupcakes and 18 baby cupcakes
i’m using the ‘weigh the egg method’ for the basic batter so it’s easy for you to increase the ingredients to make more
for the cupcake batter
1 large free-range egg
5oz self-raising flour
5oz caster sugar
5oz soft butter
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 pint of milk
2 tablespoons loose leaf tea
1 tablespoon cocoa nibs
for the icing
5 tablespoons icing sugar
2 tablespoons single cream
– place the milk and tea in a pan and gently bring to the simmer… once hot take it off the heat and allow the tea to infuse until the milk is cold, drain and set aside.
– cream the butter and sugar until light and fluffy, then add the egg and mix, then add half the flour followed by half the milk infusion, then repeat until the flour and mil are gone and you have a nice smooth batter, throw in the cocoa nibs and mix once more
– poor batter into cupcake cases until 3/4 full and bake on 170 for 15 mins for the small ones and 20-25 mins for the big ones. – allow to cool completely
– mix the icing sugar and cream together in a bowl until you have a thick but moveable liquid and then dip each cupcake into the bowl, swirling around as you lift them away, sprinkle with cocoa nibs to finish
to find out what I sent Lou as her secret ingredient check out her blog over the next few days and then check out the round-up on Ruth’s blog on the 1st Dec.
eat and of course, enjoy!
FABULOUS! OMG, you KNOW how much I LOVE roses in cooking as well as LITTLE Fairy Cakes too! These wee cakes are PURE magic and you are a genius! XXX Karen
PS: BEAUTIFUL photos too Dom! K xxx
I think it's only fair you find time in your busy schedule to fly up to Aberdeen with a wee package of these cakes for me, Dom.
Lovely photos of beautiful cakes. Thank you for the info on cocoa nibs and showing what can be done with them. X
They are beautiful little cakes!
What a lovely recipe. I love cocoa nibs. It almost makes these cupcakes a healthy snack..! 🙂
I just bought pretty mini cupcake papers the other day—now I have something pretty to put in them!
I wonder whether cocoa nibs are anything to do with the expression “His Nibs”?
those little cupcakes are so sweet…. I kind of like the smaller ones…..
These are beautiful – LOVE the cake cases. I'm definitely of the 'weigh the eggs' school of sponge making too – it's foolproof! Thanks so much for taking part :o)
What lovely flavour combination Dom! And all the very very best at the Show- I'd love to come see you in action! But there is spirit…
mmm rose tea cupcakes sound delicious!
I am going to try this with rose petals and tea. That sounds too good. you are my pin up of the week.
These are so beautiful and such a lovely combination of flavours – really like the idea of the cocoa nibs in there.
As usual you've done yourself proud!
BTW, have linked back to your mincemeat scones recipe as I didn't think you'd mind. But not sure what the etiquette of this is – am I supposed to ask in advance? Email? Or just post a comment?! Cheers, RX
I love little mini-cupcakes … and I love that very first picture … such lovely color and the cupcakes look ready to pluck up and nibble! Busy you! Have a great week in the big city!
You will certainly be kept on your toes up until Christmas by the sound of all that. Good luck ;0)
Lovely little cupcakes too, can't beat cocoa nibs in my opinion!
Those little cupcakes are well cute and I bet they taste divine. I'm a big fan of rose and I think you described the sophistication of cocoa nibs very well. Like the idea of the gift swap as it's fun receiving surprise parcels especially foodie ones, but I haven't joined in because I can barely organise getting to work these days never mind something like that.
They look gorgeous – I love your little cupcake cases. I've bought cocoa nibs in the past but have never got round to using them.
Baby cupcakes are so cute!! Lovely flavour combination.