It’s Mother’s Day this weekend, and what better way to show Mom you love her than with some homemade baking? And if it’s not Mother’s Day where you are, we’re sure your mom will appreciate it anyway. The recipes are doubly sweet — both to taste and to look at — and they’re really easy to make. So, what are you waiting for?
1. Mini Heart Cakes
You’ll Need (for 6):
For the batter:
- 3½ fl oz milk
- 1 egg
- 2¼ oz butter, melted
- 3½ oz flour
- 1 tbsp cocoa
- 2¼ oz sugar
- 1 tsp baking powder
For the glaze:
- 3¼ oz chocolate, melted
- 1 fl oz cream
- large, silver sugar pearls
Here’s How:
1. Put the milk, egg and the butter in a bowl and beat them well. Add the rest of the ingredients and stir everything into a creamy batter.
2. Line a muffin pan with paper baking cups and divide the batter into six portions between them. Scrunch up six pieces of aluminum foil into small balls and place them between the muffin pan and each of the cake cases. This is how you create the indentation for the heart shape. To form the tip for each cake, fold two pieces of foil into strips and place them at the lower side of the muffin between the pan and the baking cup. Then bake everything for 20 minutes at 360°F with the heat coming from above and below.
3. Meanwhile, mix the melted chocolate and cream to form an even glaze. Use this to decorate the top of the cooled cakes. Place the sugar pearls along the edge before the glaze sets.
2. Cupcake Bouquet
You’ll Need:
For the dough:
- 6 eggs
- 10½ oz butter, melted
- 10½ oz sugar
- 9 tbsp lemon juice
- 13¼ oz flour
- 3 tsp baking soda
- 2 tbsp cocoa
For the buttercream:
- 10½ oz powdered sugar
- 5¼ oz soft butter
- ⅓ fl oz milk
- red food coloring
Here’s How:
1. Put the eggs, butter, sugar and lemon juice in a very large bowl and mix them all with an electric whisk. Add the flour and the baking soda and mix the ingredients into a batter. Take around a third of mixture and stand it to one side. Add the cocoa to the remaining two thirds. Pour the dark dough into a clean flower pot, which has been completely lined with baking parchment. Bake it for 20 minutes at 360°F with the heat set to above and below. Divide the light dough between 12 cupcake cases, then bake it under the same conditions.
2. Once the brownie in the flowerpot has cooled down, remove the excess baking parchment. Stick a wooden skewer into the brownie and put a cupcake on the end. Cover the entire surface of the brownie with cupcakes in this way.
3. Use an electric whisk to mix the powdered sugar, butter, and milk into a buttercream frosting. Divide the mixture in two and color one half pink. Fill two piping bags with star nozzles with the two colors. Use one to decorate half the cupcakes, working inwards from the edges. Then use the other to decorate the rest.
3. Strawberry Pie
You’ll Need:
For the pastry:
- 10½ oz flour
- 3½ oz sugar
- 1 egg
- 7 oz butter
For the filling:
- 21 oz strawberries
- 7 oz sugar
- ½ tsp cinnamon
- 3¾ fl oz water
Here’s How:
1. Knead the flour, sugar, egg and butter into a dough. Lay somewhere between a quarter and third of it to one side. Form the rest of the dough into a ball and roll it out with a rolling pin. Line a pie dish with the dough, press it firmly in place around the edge and cut away any overhanging dough.
2. Wash the strawberries and cut them into quarters. Mix them in a pan with the sugar and cinnamon, then add the water and boil the berries until they take on a syrupy consistency. Then pour them directly onto the unbaked pastry dough.
3. Roll out the rest of the pastry dough and cut different-sized hearts from it. Decide for yourself what you would most like to call your mother! Place the hearts and the assembled word on top of the fillng and paint the pastry shapes with a little milk. Finally, bake your pastry creation for 45 minutes at 350°F with the heat set to above and below.
Even the undecided can find a cute recipe here so they can make their mom a truly personal and truly delicious gift. She’s bound to appreciate it and let you know how much you mean to her in return!