Cupcakes and a Cadbury flake

So this week marks week 18 of being pregnant and this week is the first week that I have definitely felt baby D move.  There have been some movements before this but they have been more "was that or was that just my digestion...?"

This week, mainly in the morning before getting out of bed or just before I drop off to sleep, baby D seems to have a squirm.  It is both an odd and comforting feeling.  Odd because despite all the advice nothing quite explains what it feels like and comforting because it affirms it's actually there!!  I don't just look like I ate a few too many bars of chocolate there is actually a baby in there!

  Baby D is approx the size of a Cadbury flake this week.  Having measured one (I like to be thorough) you would technically have to nibble off one end to be exact but as I can't imagine all babies are exactly 14cm long from head to bum at this week I figured I would be ok ;o)

Having purchased 3 (they were on offer) I decided rather than scoff the lot I'd do some baking and rustled up some choco-cupcakes with chocolate cream-cheese topping.  As I am a little slim pickings on other news this week I thought I'd share my cupcake recipe in case anyone one wanted to give it a whurl.  Its actually a lemon cupcake recipe I downloaded from the net but I just adjust it to my requirements. 

You'll need 4oz of caster sugar, fat (I use stork) and s-raising flour, 2 eggs with 2 teaspoons of vanilla essence.  For chocolate ones I substitute 1 1/2 ounces of flour for cocoa powder for a fruit one then I add in the rind of one of the fruit; lemon, orange etc.

Beat the fat and the sugar together till "fluffy", I just beat till thoroughly combined, then alternate adding in the eggs and flour, I usually add in across four swaps and I sieve in the flour.  Pop in the fruit rind if using or choco chips etc.  Then add milk (you shouldn't need much) so that it falls easily from the spoon.  Fill 12 cupcake cases till about 2/3 thirds (I use 3 scoops of a pampered chef mini scoop) full then cook at 190 for about 15 mins until springy on top.

I did have plenty left over but for the butter icing I used I Primrose Bakery recipe, a small tub of chocolate philadelphia, 4 oz of unsalted butter and a 1lb of icing sugar and some orange rind and juice, blend with an electric hand whisk (cover bowl with  a tea-towel or the icing sugar goes Everywhere...).  Generously cover cupcake when cool and enjoy :)

There are various other buttercream recipes about but the lemon one is 4oz of butter, blend with 2oz icing sugar then add another 6oz, adding in 2 tablespoons of lemon curd as well.

The other exciting piece of news this week is that I have had an advance on my birthday gift (Aug 26th and yes I will turn 30) from Mum in the form of a Bentwood rocking chair! 

Happy Days!