Crab cakes with caramelised vinaigrette sauce

These baked crab cakes will be a hit at beach outings and dinner parties alike.

Ingredients (serves 4):
For crab cakes:
400g cooked crab meat
1 small carrot, parboiled and finely chopped
1 onion, finely chopped
A handful of coriander leaves, finely chopped
2 tsp freshly squeezed lemon juice
1 tsp powdered mustard
1 1/2 tsp oyster sauce
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp white pepper
3 tbsp panko flakes (Japanese breadcrumbs)
1/4 cup olive oil

For the coating:
1 cup flour
1 egg, beaten
1 cup panko flakes

Vinaigrette sauce:
1/2 cup balsamic vinegar
1/2 cup fresh orange juice
2 tbsp brown sugar

Method:
1. Mash the crab meat and remove excess water. Mix with the rest of the ingredients.
2. Roll small handfuls of the mixture into balls and flatten into patties.
3. Coat the crab cakes with flour, followed by egg and panko flakes.
4. Place the crab cakes on a baking tray lined with parchment paper. Brush olive oil on crab cakes, then bake at 175 deg C for 20 minutes, until golden brown.
5. Mix all the sauce ingredients in a saucepan, then simmer on low heat until the sauce thickens. Drizzle over crab cakes just before serving.

Recipe source: Simply Her magazine (Mar 2008)

Caesar salad with chicken popcorn

Ingredients (serves 4):
2 heads Romaine lettuce, washed and cut just above the root
5 rashers bacon
2 eggs
20g Parmesan cheese, shaved
16 pieces FairPrice Chicken Popcorn
2 cups vegetable oil

Dressing:
2 small cloves garlic
25g Parmesan cheese, finely grated
3 very fresh eggs
1 tsp Dijon mustard
Juice of 1 lemon
5 anchovy fillets
500ml olive oil
Sea salt to taste

Method:
1. Lay the bacon on a piece of greaseproof paper and place on a baking tray. Place in a 180°C oven for 20 minutes, until brown and crisp.
2. Place the 2 eggs in a saucepan of tap water. Bring the water to a rolling boil and then turn it off. Let the eggs steep in the hot water for 3 minutes, remove and rinse in cold water. Set aside.
3. In a deep-fryer or a deep pan, heat the oil till it starts to smoke gently.
4. Fry the Chicken Popcorn in the oil until golden and crisp for about 6 minutes, then remove. Drain on kitchen towels.
5. To make the dressing, blend the garlic, cheese, 3 eggs, mustard, lemon juice and anchovies in a blender until smooth. Add the oil very slowly and blend as you add. Taste and season with salt — you won’t need much as the cheese and anchovies are salty.
6. Remove the bacon from the oven, pat on kitchen towels to absorb the oil and crush into bits.
7. Tear the Romaine lettuce into bitesized pieces and place in a large bowl. Sprinkle with bacon bits.
8. Toss the lettuce and bacon bits with some of the dressing (you will have some dressing left over, which you can keep for a day in the fridge).
9. Sprinkle the Parmesan shavings over the salad.
10. Peel the shells from the eggs and break the eggs into halves over the salad.
11. Serve with the Chicken Popcorn.

Tips:
Recipe uses FairPrice Chicken Popcorn ($5.60 for 500g) available at all FairPrice supermarkets.

Besides using Chicken Popcorn, you could also fry up a batch of FairPrice Chicken Fillets or Chicken Fingers to munch on alongside.

Recipe source: Today newspaper (11 Sep 2008)

Kaya swirl cupcakes

Ingredients (makes 12):
140g butter, softened
3/4 cup sugar
3 eggs, at room temperature
1/2 tsp vanilla essence
200g plain flour
1/4 tsp salt
2 tsp baking powder

Method:
1. Pre-heat oven to 180 deg C.
2. Line 12 muffin tins with paper liners.
3. Sift flour, salt and baking powder together into a bowl.
4. In another bowl, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy.
5. Add the eggs in one at a time until fully incorporated — don’t worry if the batter doesn’t look smooth. Add the vanilla essence.
6. Stir in the sifted flour, salt and baking powder until no flour remains.
7. Using an ice-cream scoop, fill the muffin liners with batter. Each should come up to three-quarters full.
8. Top each cake with a heaped teaspoon of kaya and swirl it in using a toothpick.
9. Bake for 20 minutes, then remove and leave on a wire rack to cool.

Tips:
Recipe uses FairPrice Hainanese Kaya with Honey ($2.19) available at all FairPrice supermarkets.

Recipe source: Today newspaper (3 Jul 2008)

Hot cross buns

Ingredients (makes 12):
50g caster sugar, plus 1 tsp
1 tbsp dried yeast
450g plain flour
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
75g raisins
Zest of 1 orange or lemon
50ml warmed milk
1 egg, beaten
50g butter, melted

For the glaze:
2 tbsp sugar
2 tbsp water

For the crosses:
80g plain flour
2 1/2 tbsp water

Method:
1. Heat 150ml of water until it reaches a point where you can place a finger in the water and still bear the heat comfortably. This is referred to as “hand-hot” water.
2. Stir the teaspoon of sugar into the water then sprinkle in the dried yeast. Leave until it forms a good frothy head, as with beer (about 5 to 10 minutes).
3. Meanwhile, sift the flour, salt, cinnamon and nutmeg into a mixing bowl. Then add the raisins and orange or lemon zest.
4. Heat the milk until hand-hot and set aside.
5. Make a well in the centre of the flour mixture and pour in the yeast mixture, then the milk, the egg and the butter.
6. Mix, starting by using a wooden spoon and finishing with your hands.
7. Transfer the dough onto a clean, smooth surface and knead it for about 6 to 8 minutes, until it feels smooth and elastic. After a while, it will stop sticking to the surface.
8. Place the dough back in the bowl and cover with a lightly oiled plastic bag.
9. Leave it in a warm place to rise so that it is double its original size. This should take about an hour (or faster on a very hot day or slower on a cooler day).
10. Take the dough out and knead it again so it goes back down to its original size.
11. Grease a baking sheet and divide the dough into 12 round portions. Arrange them on the greased baking sheets, leaving lots of room for expansion (You may have to do this in two batches).
12. Cover with the oiled plastic bag and leave to rise again for about 30 minutes.
13. Pre-heat your oven to 220 deg C. To make the crosses, mix the flour and the water in a bowl, then use your hands to work it into a pastry.
14. Flatten and roll it out, then cut into thin strips. Cross two strips on top of each bun.
15. Bake the buns for about 12 to 15 minutes.
16. Make the glaze by heating the sugar with the water until it has dissolved.
17. Brush the buns with the glaze as soon as they come out of the oven.
18. Serve warm, with butter.

Tips:
Recipe uses FairPrice High Cal Milk ($2.45) available at all FairPrice supermarkets.

Recipe source: Today newspaper (20 Mar 2008)

Spinach and egg souffle

Spinach - Part 3.

Fancy-sounding but a cinch to make.

Ingredients (serves 2):
3 small shallots, chopped
2 tsp butter
80g frozen minced spinach
Pinch of salt
1/4 cup light cream
3 tbsp chicken stock
1 tsp cinnamon powder
1 packet frozen filo pastry, cut into 8x8cm squares
1/2 cup cheddar cheese
1 tsp ground black pepper
2 eggs
Olive oil

Method:
1. Preheat oven to 160 deg C.
2. Fry shallots in butter until fragrant. Add spinach and salt and cook for 2 minutes.
3. Add cream, stock and cinnamon powder and simmer for 3 minutes. Remove from heat.
4. Line 2 ramekins (glazed ceramic bowls) with 8 pieces of filo pastry each to cover the inside completely.
5. Pour in the spinach mixture and sprinkle with cheese and black pepper. Crack an egg into each.
6. Drizzle some olive oil on top and bake for 25 minutes.
7. Remove from oven and serve.

Tips:
Save time by cooking the spinach mixture the night before.

Recipe source: Simply Her magazine (Nov 2007)

Lemon roulade with raspberry sauce

Make five-course christmas dinner in 2 hours - Part 4.

Ingredients (serves 4):
Lemon cream:
2 cups whipping cream
1/2 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
1 tsp custard powder (add a little water to dissolve)
2 tbsp caster sugar

Sponge cake:
3 eggs, separated
1/2 cup caster sugar
3 tsp vanilla essence
1/4 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
125g cake flour

Raspberry sauce:
200g fresh raspberries
2 tbsp raspberry jam
1/2 tsp balsamic vinegar
Snow powder, for garnishing

Method:
1. Whisk all the lemon cream ingredients together until it becomes thick and foamy. Chill.
2. To make the sponge cake, beat the egg yolks and sugar together until it becomes a pale yellow.
3. In a separate bowl, whisk the egg whites until stiff. Fold the vanilla essence and lemon juice into the egg-yolk mixture.
4. Sift the flour into the mixture and fold it in. Gently fold in egg whites.
5. Line a shallow 30cm by 20cm baking tin with baking parchment and pour in the mixture.
6. Bake in a preheated 175 deg C oven for 20 minutes. Remove from the oven, turn the cake over on a wire rack and remove the parchment. Leave to cool.
7. To make the raspberry sauce, blend all the sauce ingredients in a blender.
8. To assemble, spread the lemon cream on the sponge cake. Roll the cake and cut into 4 pieces. Dust each serving with snow powder and top with raspberry sauce.

Tips:
Snow powder is very fine powdered sugar found in speciality baking stores like Phoon Huat. It sticks better to food compared to icing sugar.

Recipe source: Simply Her magazine (Dec 2007)

Marble peach yogurt cheesecake

Yogurt - Part 3.

A simple treat your guests will love.

Ingredients (serves 6):
8 digestive biscuits
50g unsalted butter
2 tsp raw cane sugar
175g cream cheese
150g low-fat peach yogurt
75g single cream
2 tbsp castor sugar
1 egg
60g baking chocolate, melted

Method:
1. Place the biscuits, butter and cane sugar in a food processor and process until it becomes a ball.
2. Press the biscuit mixture into the base of 6 heat-resistant espresso cups.
3. In a mixing bowl, beat the cream cheese, yogurt, cream, castor sugar and egg until they form a thick pale yellow creamy mixture.
4. Spoon the cream cheese mixture into the cups. Place a spoonful of melted chocolate on top and stir gently with a toothpick to create a swirl.
5. Bake the cups in a 175 deg C oven for 15 minutes. Cool, chill then serve.

Tips:
You can also place the biscuits in a ziplock bag and bash with a rolling pin till finely crushed. Combine with butter and sugar using your hands.

Recipe source: Simply Her magazine (Feb 2008)

Cherry crumble cake

Prep: 20 minutes
Cook: 60 minutes

Ingredients (serves 8):
80g soft brown sugar
150g plain flour
2 tsp ground cinnamon
100g QBB Ghee, chilled
100g QBB Ghee, room temperature
60g butter, room temperature
230g caster sugar
2 large eggs, beaten
1 tsp vanilla essence
1 tbsp lemon juice
Zest of 2 lemons
1/4 tsp salt
300g self-raising flour, sifted
200ml light sour cream
400g fresh cherries or 300g fresh raspberries, pitted

Method:
1. Preheat oven to 180 deg C.
2. Line the base of a 20cm spring form tin with non-stick paper and grease the sides.
3. Place the first 4 ingredients in a mixing bowl. Rub in the ghee until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Keep refrigerated.
4. Cream second portion of ghee, butter and sugar in large mixing bowl until light and fluffy.
5. Add eggs, a little at a time, beating well after each addition.
6. Add the vanilla essence, lemon juice, lemon zest and salt. Beat very well.
7. Add the flour and the sour cream into the ghee mixture. Begin and end with the flour. Mix well.
8. Place the batter in the prepared tin. Sprinkle with the cherries.
9. Crumble the prepared cinnamon-mix topping on the cherries to cover it.
10. Bake for approximately 60 minutes. Cake will be done when golden brown, sides of cake pull away slightly from edge of pan and toothpick inserted in the centre comes out clean.
11. Remove pan from oven and cool thoroughly before cutting.

Tips:
For decorative purposes, dust the cake lightly with sifted icing sugar if desired.

Recipe source: Lifestyle magazine (Aug 2006)

Nutella coffee brownies

Coffee - Part 3.

This yummy mix will have your family asking for seconds.

Ingredients (makes 12):
175g unsalted butter, softened
1/2 cup unsweetened baking chocolate buttons
3 large eggs
3 tbsp brewed coffee
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/4 cup cocoa powder
1 1/4 cup castor sugar
1/2 cup Nutella hazelnut spread

Method:
1. Preheat the oven to 180 deg C, brush a 9-inch square baking pan with butter over parchment paper, with an extra 1cm on the sides.
2. In a heated bowl over simmering water, put the butter and chocolate to melt, and keep stirring until smooth. Add eggs and coffee, and mix well.
3. Combine the flour, baking powder, cocoa powder and caster sugar. Add this to the chocolate mixture.
4. Pour batter into pan, smooth the top and bake for 30 minutes. Stick a toothpick into the centre of the brownie to check that it's done.
5. Cut into 4x4cm squares and spread Nutella on each piece before serving.

Tips:
Don't fancy Nutella? Use peanut butter instead.

Recipe source: Simply Her magazine (Sep 2007)

Savoury pancake

Ingredients (makes 6 pieces):
1 cup ready-mixed savoury pancake flour (korean)
300g fresh medium prawns
150g fresh white bait
100g spring onions
1 large egg, beaten
Pinch of slivered dried chilli*
Ground pepper
Sesame oil

Dipping sauce:
1/4 cup soya sauce
1/4 cup vinegar
1 tbsp chopped pine nuts, optional

Method:
1. Combine flour and a dash of pepper with 1 cup of water and egg in a medium mixing bowl. Stir and mix gently until batter is smooth, adding more water (not more than 1/4 cup) if necessary.
2. Shell prawns completely and devein. Halve each lengthwise.
3. Trim and rinse spring onions. Cut into 8cm lengths.
4. Divide all ingredients - pancake batter, prawns, white bait and spring onions into 6 portions.
5. Grease a 20cm non-stick skillet with sesame oil and heat until moderately hot. Mix a portion of each ingredient with batter. Spread mixture on skillet and garnish top with a few chilli slivers. Cook covered for 2 minutes.
6. Carefully turn savoury pancake over to cook top side for another 1-2 minutes. Serve as a snack on its own or with a small platter of kimchi and a bowl of radish and fish soup.

Tips:
* Discard seeds of a dried chilli and use scissors to cut into needle-fine strips or into rings.

Recipe source: Lifestyle magazine

Cheesy rice balls

Cheese - Part 2.

A great way to use up leftover rice - overnight rice grains are harder and hold their shape better.

Ingredients (serves 6-8):
3 cups cooked rice
2 tsp dried coriander
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 onion, chopped
1/2 tsp sea salt
1/2 tsp ground black pepper
2 tsp sesame seeds
200g Mozzarella cheese, shredded
1 1/2 cups flour
1 egg, beaten
1 1/2 cup breadcrumbs
2 1/2 cup cooking oil

Method:
1. Mix the rice, coriander, cinnamon, onion, sea salt, black pepper and sesame seeds in a mixing bowl.
2. Grease your palms with oil, roll some rice into a ball and make a dent in the middle. Fill the dent with a heaped teaspoon of Mozzarella cheese and seal up the rice ball. Repeat with remaining rice.
3. Coat the rice balls first with flour, followed by the egg, and then the breadcrumbs.
4. Heat a wok with oil on high heat and pan fry the rice balls until golden brown, about 10 minutes. Serve immediately.

Tips:
To make a baked rice dish, place in a casserole and add more breadcrumbs.

Recipe source: Simply Her magazine (Oct 2007)

Easy chilli mussels

Spicy and simple 10 minute dish.

Ingredients (serves 6):
1kg fresh mussels, cleaned
1 pack Prima Taste Singapore Chilli Crab (containing premix, paste and extra hot chilli mix)
530ml water (30ml for the premix)
4 tbsp cooking oil
2 eggs, beaten
coriander leaves, for garnish

Method:
1. Mix chilli crab premix with 30ml water and set aside.
2. Heat oil in a wok and add chilli crab paste. Fry until fragrant.
3. Add mussels, stir and coat well with paste.
4. Pour 500ml water, cover wok for 3-5 minutes until the gravy starts to bubble. Add chilli crab premix.
5. Add the extra hot chilli mix if you want it spicy or leave it out altogether.
6. Stir in beaten egg to thicken the gravy.
7. Garnish with coriander leaves and serve hot with rice or slices of crusty French loaf.

Tips:
For a richer gravy, top it with half a cup of crushed roasted peanuts or cashew nuts.

Recipe source: Simply Her magazine (Mar 2007)

Oyster omelette lite

An almost grease-free version of this hawker favourite.

Serving size: 220g
Calories per serving: 180kcal
Fat: 11.7g

Ingredients (serves 2-3):
1/2 cup fresh oysters
5 tbsp sweet potato flour
100ml water
1 tbsp light soya sauce
1 tbsp Chinese wine
1/4 tsp salt
Dash of pepper
2 tbsp canola oil
2 spring onions, cut into 3cm lengths
2 cloves garlic, chopped
2 eggs, lightly beaten
3 sprigs coriander leaves, chopped
50g lettuce, shredded
Chilli sauce and a wedge of lime, to serve

Method:
1. Season oysters with a splash of Chinese wine and sesame oil.
2. Mix sweet potato flour, water, light soya sauce, Chinese wine, salt and pepper. Set aside.
3. Heat oil in non-stick pan over medium heat. Add garlic and saute for 5 seconds.
4. Pour in sweet potato flour mixture.
5. After 10-15 seconds, or when flour mixture becomes crisp at edges, crack eggs over.
6. When eggs are set, add oysters and spring onions.
7. After 5 seconds, stir omelette and break it up.
8. Remove from heat and scatter coriander.
9. Transfer omelette to a serving plate and top it with lettuce. Serve with chilli sauce and a wedge of lime.

Tips:
Cut down on the oil you use for frying by using a non-stick pan or well-seasoned wok.

Recipe source: Simply Her magazine (Mar 2007)

Apple pie

Ingredients (serves 8):
8 green apples, peeled, cored and sliced
140g golden caster sugar
1 tsp ground cinnamon
3 tbsp flour
2 sheets frozen shortcrust pastry
1 egg, beaten
1 tbsp water

Method:
1. Line the baking tray with paper towels. Place sliced apples on the towels and leave for about an hour so they brown naturally. This will give the filling a silky texture.
2. Mix golden caster sugar, cinnamon and flour to form a paste. Pat apple slices dry and tip them into sugar paste. Mix with hands.
3. Line the pie pan with shortcrust pastry. Trim edges and reserve trimmings for decoration. Pile filling into base.
4. Brush pastry edges with a little water and lay pastry lid over filling, pressing edges to seal. Trim and scallop the edges.
5. Cut decorations out of leftover pastry and place onto pastry lid. Make small slashes on the lid to allow steam to escape.
6. Mix beaten egg with some water and brush over the pastry lid. Preheat oven to 200 deg C and bake for 45 minutes until brown. Serve warm.

Tips:
Make the pie (until step 5) a few days in advance, store in a container and freeze. To serve, thaw for at least an hour, baste with beaten egg and bake as instructed.

Recipe source: Simply Her magazine (Dec 2006)

Roti john

Roti John, essentially an omelette sandwich, is a popular Malay breakfast and snack item in Malaysia and Singapore. This is a healthier version.

Serve size: 260g
Calories per serving: 440kcal
Fat: 16g

Ingredients (serves 8):
1 French loaf, sliced thickly
400g minced beef or chicken or sardines
2 eggs, beaten
1 large onion, minced
2 green chillies, seeded and minced
2 tsp meat curry powder
1 tsp garlic, minced
1/2 tsp ginger, minced
salt and sugar to taste
2 fresh green chillies, chopped
sweet chilli sauce & ketchup
cucumber, sliced

Method:
1. Mix beaten egg, minced onion and meat together.
2. Add curry powder, garlic, ginger, salt and sugar. Mix in the chillies.
3. Spread the mixture onto thick slices of French loaf.
4. Heat a pan and coat thinly with oil. Shallow-fry the bread slices until the egg mixture becomes brown and sizzling and the bread is crispy.
5. Serve with cucumber slices, sweet chilli sauce and ketchup.

Tips:
If you can't fund lotus leaves, use a porcelain rice bowl as a mould.

Recipe source: Simply Her magazine (Aug 2006)

Mexican flan

Ingredients:
1 can low fat evaporated milk
1 can condensed milk
1 tbsp vanilla essence
4 eggs, at room temperature
1/4 cup sugar

Method:
1. Preheat oven to 150 deg C.
2. Place a glass pie dish into a large baking pan and fill the baking pan with warm water so it comes 3/4 up the side of the pie dish.
3. In a small non-stick pan, melt the sugar until it caramelises and turns a light brown, then pour it into the pie dish.
4. Blend the eggs, milk and vanilla and pour into the dish.
5. Bake for 1 hour. Remove from the oven and let cool, then refrigerate.
6. To serve, invert the pie dish onto a serving platter. The runny caramel will serve as a sauce for the pudding.

Recipe source: Today newspaper

Chocolate nut biscuits

Ingredients (makes 45):
1 cup Milo
1/4 cup hot milk
250g butter
1/2 cup caster sugar
1 egg
2 1/2 cups plain flour
2/3 cup self-raising flour
1 cup melted dark chocolate
1 cup melted white chocolate
1/2 cup macadamia nuts, unsalted, toasted and chopped finely

Method:
1. Stir Milo into hot milk in a bowl until dissolved. Cool.
2. Beat butter, sugar and egg with an electric mixer until light and fluffy. Transfer to a large bowl. Stir in Milo mixture and the combined sifted flours in 2 batches.
3. Knead mixture on a floured surface. Roll dough between 2 sheets of baking paper until 5mm thick. Cut out rounds from dough, using a 6cm round cutter. Place rounds, about 4cm apart, onto greased trays.
4. Bake at 180 deg C for about 10 minutes or until browned. After 5 minutes, transfer biscuits to a wire rack to cool.
5. Spread half of each biscuit with melted dark chocolate. Place on baking paper to set. Spread other half with white chocolate. Return to baking paper. Sprinkle with nuts. Allow to set.

Recipe source: Women's Weekly magazine

Baked curry puffs

Ingredients (makes 16):
3 tbsp vegetable oil, for frying
1 medium onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, chopped
2 tsp ginger, chopped
1 tsp salt
2 tsp sugar
2 tbsp meat curry powder
150g chicken fillet, diced
2 large potatoes, boiled, peeled and diced
125ml water
4 sheets of frozen shortcrust pastry, thawed
2 hard-boiled eggs, cut into eighths
1 egg, beaten and mixed with 1 tbsp water

Method:
1. Heat oil and fry onion, garlic, ginger, salt, sugar, curry powder and chicken together.
2. When chicken is cooked, put diced potatoes in, adding water to prevent burning. Cool filling.
3. Use the rim of a small bowl (about 12.5cm in diameter), press and cut circles in the shortcrust pastry.
4. Place 1 heaped tbsp of filling and a piece of hard-boiled egg in each circle.
5. Twist edges shut.
6. Place on a greased baking tray, brush tops with beaten egg and bake in a pre-heated 230 deg C oven for 20 minutes until golden brown and crisp.

Tips:
If you want your curry puffs flakier and lighter, substitute shortcrust pastry with frozen puff pastry.

Recipe source: Simply Her magazine

Spiced pumpkin christmas cupcakes

Ingredients (makes 20 to 24):
200g cake flour
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp cinnamon powder
3/4 tsp ground ginger
1/4 tsp freshly grated nutmeg or nutmeg powder
1/2 tsp salt
2 eggs, at room temperature
3/4 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
3/4 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup corn oil
1 cup pumpkin puree
1/3 cup milk, at room temperature
1 tsp vanilla essence
3/4 cup chopped walnuts

Method:
1. Line a muffin tin with paper cupcake holders and pre-heat oven to 180 deg C.
2. Sift cake flour, baking soda, cinnamon powder, ground ginger, nutmeg and salt into a medium bowl.
3. In a bigger bowl, whisk the eggs and both sugars until pale.
4. Add the oil, pumpkin puree, milk and vanilla, then mix until blended.
5. Add the flour in 3 parts, mixing until just blended.
6. Stir in the walnuts.
7. Using an ice-cream scoop, portion the batter into the cupcake holders, filling them only to 3/4 of the way up. This will leave space for the cakes to rise as they bake.
8. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, or until a skewer inserted in the middle of each cake comes out clean.
9. Transfer to a cooling rack to cool completely.
10. Frost the cupcakes with Spiced cream cheese frosting. Sprinkle with decorations.

Recipe source: Today newspaper

Christmas snowman cookies

Ingredients:
3 1/2 cups plain flour
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp cinnamon powder
1/2 tsp nutmeg powder
1/2 tsp clove powder
1/2 tsp fine salt
1 1/2 cups fine sugar
1 cup softened margarine or butter (250g)
2 large eggs
2 tsp vanilla essence
red, white and green Royal Icing

Home Made Royal icing:
2 egg whites
12 tbsp icing sugar, sifted

Method:
1. Mix dry ingredients together except for the sugar.
2. Cream the softened butter or margarine with the sugar in a large bowl for about 1 to 2 minutes. Add the eggs and vanilla essence and beat well. Mix in the dry ingredients, knead well and put into a bowl. Cover the bowl with a kitchen towel and leave in the fridge for up to 4 hours.
3. Preheat the oven to 200 deg C. Line 2 baking trays with greaseproof paper and lightly grease the paper.
4. On a floured surface, roll out the dough to 1/4cm thickness. With a cookie cutter, cut into star and snowman shapes. If you do not have a cookie cutter, just cut into round shapes.
5. Bake for 15 minutes till lightly coloured and cooked. Remove to wire rack and cool before decorating with Royal Icing.

Royal icing:
1. Put the egg whites in a bowl and pour the icing sugar over, stirring well to form a homogenous mixture, not too runny and not too dry. It should be like a soft and slightly runny dough. Add more egg whites or sugar, according to the texture of the mixture.
2. Divide into 3 and colour 1 portion red, 1 portion green and leave 1 portion white. Use a thin piping nozzle and pipe patterns on to the cookies.

Recipe source: Today newspaper