Malouf - The Hummingbird Bakery cake days : recipes to make every day special

At The Hummingbird Bakery we love to celebrate throughout the year. Whether our customers are looking for an impressive cake for a special occasion, cupcakes for a childrens birthday party or a treat for themselves or a friend, we hope our cakes help make their day a little bit special.

Although many of our customers dont wait for a reason to come in and buy some cupcakes, more often than not people visit us to buy cakes for a friend or family members birthday, or to mark an event. After starting our Facebook page, we soon noticed that thousands of people were making our recipes at home and posting pictures of their results! We realised that home baking has become popular once again, bringing people together to celebrate. A cake is a wonderful, affordable way to toast good news or to cheer someone up, and Cake Days is about celebrating throughout the year, no matter how small the occasion.

At The Hummingbird Bakery we develop recipes that reflect how we feel as the year progresses and we always use seasonal ingredients. For us, the beginning of the year means preparing for Valentines Day, with lots of colourful cupcakes to chase away the cold and treats for couples to share. We sell rich, indulgent, chocolaty Daily Specials during these chilly days little luxuries to keep people happy until spring arrives.

As the days get longer, our Daily Specials and creations become more floral and fruity, taking advantage of the seasonal goodies that are readily available at this time. Last spring we launched our flower blossom and floral cupcakes range, which our customers loved and are perfect as Mothers Day presents. Our late-summer Specials let us be a little wilder with our imagination, using sweets, candies, sodas and other childhood favourites as our inspiration.

Birthdays and anniversaries often bring people into the bakeries and in this book you will find some easy cakes, cookies and whoopie pies that always create excitement at parties, plus some amazing layer cakes that many of our fans love to bake. Our three- or four-layer cakes take a little longer but are well worth the extra effort. But birthdays arent just about children and our cocktail cupcakes are delicious alcoholic indulgences for grown-ups.

When autumn arrives, we turn our attention to Halloween and Bonfire night. Since we first opened in 2002, Halloween has become a much-loved event in Britain and our themed cupcakes, cheesecakes and pumpkin goodies fly off the shelves! As Christmas approaches our offerings become more fragrant with nutmeg, cinnamon, nuts and chocolate. We enjoy decorating our cupcakes with handmade Christmas decorations, and love watching our customers buying boxes to give as festive gifts.

I hope youll enjoy baking from our brand new collection of Hummingbird recipes and take pleasure in sharing your delicious homemade cakes with friends and family.

Tarek Malouf

TIRAMISU CUPCAKES

The Italian-restaurant favourite recreated in cupcake form. The creamy mascarpone and strong coffee flavours come bursting through the middle of this heavenly delight.

Makes 1216 cupcakes

FOR THE SPONGE

80g (3oz) unsalted butter, softened

280g (10oz) caster sugar

240g (8oz) plain flour

tsp salt

1 tbsp baking powder

2 large eggs

240ml (8fl oz) whole milk

tsp vanilla essence

FOR THE SOAKING SYRUP

250ml (9fl oz) strong coffee

75ml (2fl oz) Kahla

3 tbsp caster sugar

FOR THE FILLING AND FROSTING

400g (14oz) mascarpone cheese

50ml (1fl oz) Kahla

300ml (10fl oz) double cream

30g (1oz) icing sugar

Cocoa powder, for dusting

One or two 12-hole
deep muffin tins

Preheat the oven to 190C (375F), Gas mark 5, and line a muffin tin with muffin cases.

Using a hand-held electric whisk or a freestanding electric mixer with the paddle attachment, beat together the butter, sugar, flour, salt and baking powder on a low speed until the ingredients are well incorporated and have the texture of fine breadcrumbs.

Break the eggs into a jug, then add the milk and vanilla essence and mix together by hand. With the electric whisk or mixer running on a low speed, slowly pour three-quarters of the wet ingredients into the flour and butter mixture. Once everything has been mixed together, scrape down the sides of the bowl to pick up any ingredients that were missed, then add the rest of the milk mixture and mix the batter again, now on a medium speed, until it is smooth and even.

Divide the batter between the paper cases, filling them up to two-thirds. If any batter is left over, use it to fill up to four more cases in a second tin. Place in the oven and bake for 1820 minutes or until well risen and springy to the touch. Leave to cool slightly before removing from the tin, then place on a wire rack to cool completely while you make the soaking syrup.

Pour the coffee and Kahla into a saucepan and stir in the sugar. Place the pan on the hob and bring to the boil, allowing the liquid to reduce by about half, then remove from the heat and set aside to cool.

Meanwhile, make the frosting. Using the electric whisk, beat the mascarpone and Kahla until smooth. Pour the cream into a separate bowl, add the icing sugar and whip into soft peaks. Fold the whipped cream into the mascarpone mixture, making sure it is evenly mixed in.

When the cupcakes have cooled, use a sharp knife to cut a piece out of each sponge about 2cm (in) in diameter and 3cm (1in) long and set aside. Pour approximately 1 teaspoonful of the soaking syrup over each cut-out piece of sponge and pour another teaspoonful into the hollow of each cupcake.

Fill each hollow to about halfway with the mascarpone cream, then place the cut-out pieces of sponge back on top of the hole, covering the filling and, if necessary, trimming the sponge pieces to fit. Lastly, frost the cupcakes with the remaining mascarpone cream and dust lightly with cocoa powder.

MOCHA CUPCAKES

On cold winter days customers queue up at our bakeries to order hot mochas from our baristas, so we decided to combine the espresso and hot chocolate flavours in a delicious cupcake.

Makes 1216 cupcakes

FOR THE SPONGE

240ml (8fl oz) whole milk

15g (oz) hot-chocolate powder

5g (oz) instant espresso powder

80g (3oz) unsalted butter, softened

280g (10oz) caster sugar

240g (8oz) plain flour

1 tbsp baking powder

tsp salt

2 large eggs

FOR THE FROSTING

50ml (1fl oz) whole milk

30g (1oz) hot-chocolate powder

500g (1lb 2oz) icing sugar

160g (5oz) unsalted butter, softened

1216 heart-shaped chocolates, to decorate

One or two 12-hole
deep muffin tins

Preheat the oven to 190C (375F), Gas mark 5, and line a muffin tin with muffin cases.