minicar: I wanted to make a mini gift box selection type thing for my mum's birthday. I'm going to make mini meringues and another couple of ckes but I don't know what. Something not too hard please!!! I would like to keep it basic!!!Do you know a recipe or two for mini cakes like chocolate or spondge?that's a lovely idea, I'm sure your mum will be delighted. My favourite small cake recipe is really easy. Fairy Cakes beat together 4oz margarine and 4oz sugar until they are light and fluffy. Add 2 eggs, beating in one at a time. If the mixture curdles (sort of separates and looks slimy) add a little of the flour. then gently fold in 4 oz self raising flour. folding in is when you use a metal spoon and slowly stir, folding over the mixture so that the flour is gently mixed in. If necessary add a little milk. the mixture should be of a soft dropping consistency - ie will drop off the spoon when lifted up. Put into little cake cases and place them in a patty tin (a bakiing tin with small cups). Bake in the centre of the oven at gas No 4 (electric 180 o C) for about 20 mins. to test if done, when you press down on the top with a finger it should spring back upl then when cool, decorate with icing and sprinkly bits. you could also make butterfly cakes - which is the above recipe but when cool cut off the top of the cake, cut that in two then stick back on, on some butter icing, upside down so it looks like a butterlfy.|||Chocolate Cappuccino Cakes recipe 3 cups all-purpose flour 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar 1 1/2 cups semisweet chocolate morsels 1 cup walnuts, chopped, divided 2 teaspoons baking powder 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon 1/2 teaspoon salt 1 1/2 cups milk 2/3 cup instant coffee granules 1/2 cup (1 stick) butter or margarine, melted 2 eggs Powdered sugar and additional semi-sweet chocolate morsels, melted (optional Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Spray each well of mini Bundt pans with nonstick cooking spray. In large bowl, combine flour, sugar, chocolate morsels, 3/4 cup of the walnuts, baking powder, cinnamon and salt; mix well. In medium bowl, combine milk and coffee granules; stir until dissolved. Add melted butter and eggs; mix well. Add coffee mixture to flour mixture; mix just until dry ingredients are moistened. Place about 1 tablespoon chopped walnuts into each well of pan. Spoon about 1 cup batter over walnuts. Bake 40-45 minutes or until wooden pick inserted near center comes out clean. Cool cakes in pan 10 minutes. Carefully invert onto cooling rack. Sprinkle with powdered sugar and drizzle with melted chocolate, if desired. Yield: 6 cakes Nutrients per serving: (1/2 cake): Calories 480, Total Fat 22 g, Saturated Fat 10 g, Cholesterol 60 mg, Carbohydrate 66 g, Protein 8 g, Sodium 290 mg, Fiber 3 gDo you know a recipe or two for mini cakes like chocolate or spondge?4 by 4 4ozs self raising 4 of marg 4 of sugar and 4ozs of egg replace 1 0r 2 of the sugar with fruit or choco powder to make the flavour changes|||Mix together 2 eggs 3oz plain flour 3oz margarine 3oz sugar .Then half fill cake cases with mixture .and cook for about 10 mi nets in oven Gas mark sixDo you know a recipe or two for mini cakes like chocolate or spondge?A basic sponge recipie is: 6oz Self Raising Flour 6oz butter 6oz castor sugar 3 eggs Mix the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add eggs one at a time and then the flour. You can increase or decrease the quantities easily and can add cocoa powder, vanilla, coffee etc as you wish to change the flavour.|||Try the following mini cakes, I'm sure your mum ill love them Cup cakes 110g/4oz unsalted butter 110g/4oz caster sugar 30g/1oz flavouring: lemon zest, grated or cocoa powder or 6 drops vanilla essence 2 eggs, whisked 110g/4oz self-raising flour pale coloured icing Method 1. Preheat the oven to 180C/350F/Gas 4. 2. Cream the butter and the sugar together until light and fluffy. Add your chosen flavoring of lemon zest cocoa or vanilla. 3. Add the whisked egg to the mixture. Slowly fold in the self-raising flour and spoon the mixture into paper cases sitting in a bun tin. 4. Cook for approximately 10 minutes until risen and bouncy to touch. 5. Decorate with icing in pale colours eg white, pink, blue and yellow. orChocolate Mini Muffins with Toasted Hazelnuts 2 oz (50 g) dark chocolate (75 per cent cocoa solids), roughly chopped 5 oz (150 g) plain flour 2 level tablespoons cocoa powder 1 level dessertspoon baking powder 录 level teaspoon salt 1 large egg, lightly beaten 1陆 oz (40 g) golden caster sugar 4 fl oz (120 ml) milk 2 oz (50 g) butter, melted and cooled slightly For the topping: 2 oz (50 g) hazelnuts, roughly chopped 3 oz (75 g) dark chocolate (75 per cent cocoa solids), broken into pieces Pre-heat the oven to gas mark 6, 400掳F (200掳C). You need to begin this recipe by toasting the hazelnuts for the topping. To do this, place the chopped nuts on a baking sheet and toast them in the pre-heated oven for 5 minutes; it's important to use a timer here. Next, for the muffins, start off by sifting the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder and salt into a large bowl. Then, in a separate bowl, mix together the egg, sugar, milk and melted butter. Now return the dry ingredients to the sieve and sift them straight on to the egg mixture (this double sifting is essential because there won't be much mixing going on). What you need to do now is take a large spoon and fold the dry ingredients into the wet ones 鈥?quickly, in about 15 seconds. Don't be tempted to beat or stir, and don't be alarmed by the rather unattractive, uneven appearance of the mixture: this, in fact, is what will ensure that the muffins stay light. Now fold the chopped chocolate into the mixture 鈥?again with a minimum of stirring; just a quick folding in. Divide the mixture between the muffin cups, about 1 heaped teaspoon in each, and bake on a high shelf of the pre-heated oven for 10 minutes, until well risen. Then remove the muffins from the oven and cool in the tins for 5 minutes before transferring them to a cooling tray. While they're cooling, make the topping. To do this, place the broken-up chocolate in a small heatproof bowl, which should be sitting over a saucepan of barely simmering water, making sure the bowl doesn't touch the water. Then, keeping the heat at its lowest, allow the chocolate to melt slowly 鈥?it should take about 3 minutes to melt and become smooth and glossy. Then remove it from the heat and give it a good stir, then let the chocolate cool for 2-3 minutes. Then, when the muffins are cool enough to handle, spoon a little melted chocolate on to each one, then place it back on the cooling tray and scatter the hazelnuts over the top of each muffin. or 12 oz (350 g) plain flour 6 oz (175 g) caster sugar 6 oz (175 g) unsalted butter 3 level teaspoons cream of tartar 1陆 level teaspoons bicarbonate of soda 4陆 fl oz (110 ml) milk 3 large eggs For the topping: 7 oz (200 g) icing sugar juice of a medium lemon Pre-heat the oven to gas mark 3, 325掳F (170掳C). First, combine the flour, sugar, cream of tartar and bicarbonate of soda in a large mixing bowl. Now gently melt the butter in a small saucepan. In a smaller bowl, beat the eggs thoroughly. Pour the melted butter into the beaten eggs, then pour this mixture on to the dry ingredients, stirring to blend thoroughly. Lastly, add the milk, then pour the mixture into the prepared tin and bake on the centre shelf for about 35 minutes, or until the centre feels springy. Let the cake cool in the tin for about 10 minutes, then turn it out on to a wire cooling rack. When absolutely cool, pour the icing on, which you make by sifting the icing sugar into a bowl and mixing with the lemon juice. It should have the consistency of thin cream. Spread all over the top of the cake then sprinkle with cake decorations. Serve cut into small squares.|||Chocolate Mini Cakes 8 ounces semisweet baking chocolate 1/2 cup butter, room temperature 3 large eggs, room temperature 2/3 cup sugar 1 pinch salt 2 tablespoons flour Set oven to 350 degrees. In the microwave or a small saucepan, melt the chocolate with butter, stirring until smooth. In a bowl, whisk together egg, sugar and salt until yellow and light. Whisk in the melted chocolate batter to combine. Add in the flour until thoroughly combined. Grease or butter 8 cupcake tins. Evenly divide the batter between each tin. At this point you can refrigerate and bake later. Bake for about 12 minutes, just until the tops crack. Remove the cakes from the oven. With a tea towel or oven mitts, place foil on top of the cupcake tins and seal on all sides. Turn over onto a flat surface and bang the bottom of the cupcake tins. Remove the cupcake tins to leave the cakes upside-down on the foil. Carefully turn right-side up and place on a plate. Serve immediately. Mini Lemon Sponge Cakes Lemon Curd: 1/3 cup fresh lemon juice 3 eggs 1 egg yolk 1/2 cup granulated sugar 1/2 cup unsalted butter, cut into pieces 1 tsp. lemon zest Lemon Sponge: 3 eggs 1/2 cup granulated sugar 1/2 cup all-purpose flour 1/4 tsp. baking powder 1/4 tsp. salt 1/4 cup unsalted butter, melted 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract 1 tsp. lemon zest 2 tsp. lemon juice Confectioners' sugar, for dusting tops of cakes Instructions: For lemon curd, whisk together lemon juice, eggs and yolk, and sugar. Whisk in butter and add lemon zest. Place bowl over a pot of simmering water and whisk steadily, but gently, until curd becomes thick and pale and creamy, about 10 to 15 minutes. Remove from heat and chill until ready to use. For lemon sponge, preheat oven to 350掳F (180掳C). Grease and sugar 6 (5-ounce) ramekins, and place a disc of parchment paper at the bottom of each ramekin. Place eggs in their shells in a bowl, cover with hot tap water and let sit for a few minutes. Break eggs into a bowl and whip eggs and sugar in a mixer fitted with the whisk attachment until very pale and airy, about 10 to 15 minutes. Sift together dry ingredients into a separate bowl. Combine butter, vanilla, zest and juice and set aside. Reduce speed on mixer to medium and add dry ingredients quickly to egg mixture, but not all at once, until almost blended. Add butter mixture, and mix just until blended. Spoon cake mixture evenly among ramekins, leaving 1/2 inch at the top for expansion. Spoon a generous dollop of lemon curd into the centre of each cake. There is no need to press it in as it will sink during baking. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, until cake is golden brown and springs back when you touch it. To serve, turn warm cakes out onto dessert plates. Dust tops with confectioners' sugar and serve with a piped bit of the remaining chilled lemon curd beside it. Makes 6 servings. Mini Cherry Cheesecakes Ingredients: 1 cup vanilla wafer crumbs 3 tbsp. butter or margarine, melted 1 pkg. (8 oz.) cream cheese, softened 1-1/2 tsp. vanilla 2 tsp. lemon juice 1/3 cup sugar 1 egg Topping: 1 can (1 lb.) pitted tart cherries 1/2 cup sugar 2 tbsp. cornstarch Red food coloring (optional) Directions: In a bowl, combine crumbs and butter. Press gently into the bottom of 12 paper-lined muffin cups. In a mixing bowl, combine cream cheese, vanilla, lemon juice, sugar and egg; beat until smooth. Spoon into crusts. Bake at 375掳F for 12 to 15 minutes or until set. Cool completely. Drain cherries, reserving 1/2 cup juice in a saucepan; discard remaining juice. To juice, add cherries, sugar, cornstarch, and food coloring if desired. Bring to a boil, stirring occasionally; boil for 1 minute. Cool; spoon over cheesecakes. Chill for at least 2 hours.