We all love cupcakes but have you ever tried making them with olive oil instead of butter? Good olive oil can really elevate a dish into something special and substituting it for the butter in these cupcakes helps to make them light and moist, as well as giving them a subtle nutty flavour which compliments the super sweet frosting. Why not give them a go? Try out this easy recipe, courtesy of Ellie's Kitchen.
Makes 12 cupcakes
Ingredients
For the cupcakes:
• 3 large eggs
• 1 ½ large egg yolk
• 165 g caster sugar
• 180 ml Classic Filippo Berio Olive Oil
• 128 g self-raising flour
• ½ tsp salt
• 2 tsp orange essence (optional but a nice addition!)
• 1 batch of Chocolate Cloud Frosting (see below)
• Sea salt flakes for garnish
For the Chocolate Cloud Frosting:
• 500 g icing sugar
• 200 g dark chocolate
• 90 ml double cream
• 455 g butter, softened
Method – to make the cupcakes:
1. Preheat the oven to 180°
2. In a large bowl, whisk together the sugar and eggs until they’re pale in colour and frothy.
3. Add the olive oil and orange essence slowly while whisking on a low speed and mix thoroughly.
4. Now sieve in the flour and add the salt. Fold gently to combine.
5. Spoon the mix into the cupcake cases.
TIP: Use a ‘trigger’ ice cream scoop to do this – one scoop is the perfect amount for each case and it’s mess free and easy too!
6. Put the mix in the oven to bake for around 18-20 minutes until golden brown and cooked through.
7. While the cupcakes are cooking, make your frosting.
Method – to make the frosting:
1. Soften the butter in a bowl until it’s light and creamy.
2. Add the cream and icing sugar and mix thoroughly until smooth and light – around 5 minutes.
3. Melt the chocolate in the microwave. Once melted, stir to cool it down a little. Once cool to the touch, add the chocolate to the buttercream mix and combine.
4. If the frosting is too soft, put it in the fridge for 5 minutes until it thickens.
To finish the cupcakes:
1. Pipe, swirl or spoon the frosting onto the cooled cupcakes and finish with a sprinkling of sea salt flakes to balance out the sweetness. This will also bring out the flavour of the olive oil.
If you give this recipe a go, share your pictures with us over on Facebook and Twitter.