Cupcakes with Lola
On a trip to our local library recently, I got a copy of the Making Cupcakes with Lola cookbook. Before I talk about the many joys of the book, I just want to mention our local library. We love it! The staff are so helpful, even when my 7 year old asks slightly obscure questions about Pokémon. They run loads of special events - we've been to an indoor picnic, junk modelling and a record breaking attempt and there is a genuinely welcoming atmosphere. When we first moved here, joining the library was one of the first things we did and the following weekend for an added bonus, they had a DVD and CD sale where we managed to pick up lots of bargains, With cuts to all libraries over the last few years, I am so grateful for the service provided by ours - well done Downham Market library, we salute you!
Anyway, back to Cupcakes with Lola. I hadn't really thought of myself as a cupcake baker before or a cupcake buyer for that matter - I don't know what it is about them, maybe I just like the bigger cakes so there is more to eat! I got the book out after noticing a Lola's cart at King's Cross station and being intrigued as to the story behind the bakery. The first few pages tell an inspiring tale of a business that started at just the right time that has continued to go from strength to strength. The recipes are split into four sections, my favourites being 'Over the Top' and 'Let's have a Cuppa' which features the recipe for a Baileys cupcake alongside several other boozy choices. So far I have only tried two of the cupcake recipes - Chocolate and Strawberry, both from the favourites section.
I was a little sceptical that the chocolate cupcake would be as special as it appeared to be in the picture. I have tried lots of chocolate cakes in my time (chocolate was my favourite when I was younger but now I prefer a simpler, less showy cake) and given the choice, my daughter will always opt for chocolate, which is how I came to make these cupcakes before any other. I felt that the recipe was a little long with melting and cooling and beating involved but I followed the recipe carefully as I was aiming for a perfect chocolate cupcake. The buttercream was easy to make and I had some left over which I put in the freezer for future baking. The overall result was well worth the effort - super chocolatey, moist in the middle and special enough to feel more than just an average cupcake.
The strawberry cupcake was less successful. Although the cake itself was delicious - full of flavour - the buttercream was a bit too sweet and I probably put too much icing on each one. I was less accurate with this recipe and I didn't leave the icing to firm up for long enough in the fridge. You can see in the picture that it hasn't completely held it's shape (it's also a bit blurry!). The other slight issue was the size of the strawberries which were so huge, I couldn't get one to sit neatly on the top - I guess it serves me right for buying them out of season. Despite all of this, with some of the icing scraped off, the cupcakes were yummy and I would try them again, except this time, wait until the right time of year.
I would love to make all the cupcakes in the book - depending on how many times I can renew it and how much I can spend on ingredients! Next stop: Carrot cupcakes and Banana cupcakes. Finally, if none of these cupcakes appeal to you, you might be interested in the first section called 'The Lighter Side of Decadence' which contains recipes for cupcakes that sound almost healthy.
Anyway, back to Cupcakes with Lola. I hadn't really thought of myself as a cupcake baker before or a cupcake buyer for that matter - I don't know what it is about them, maybe I just like the bigger cakes so there is more to eat! I got the book out after noticing a Lola's cart at King's Cross station and being intrigued as to the story behind the bakery. The first few pages tell an inspiring tale of a business that started at just the right time that has continued to go from strength to strength. The recipes are split into four sections, my favourites being 'Over the Top' and 'Let's have a Cuppa' which features the recipe for a Baileys cupcake alongside several other boozy choices. So far I have only tried two of the cupcake recipes - Chocolate and Strawberry, both from the favourites section.
I was a little sceptical that the chocolate cupcake would be as special as it appeared to be in the picture. I have tried lots of chocolate cakes in my time (chocolate was my favourite when I was younger but now I prefer a simpler, less showy cake) and given the choice, my daughter will always opt for chocolate, which is how I came to make these cupcakes before any other. I felt that the recipe was a little long with melting and cooling and beating involved but I followed the recipe carefully as I was aiming for a perfect chocolate cupcake. The buttercream was easy to make and I had some left over which I put in the freezer for future baking. The overall result was well worth the effort - super chocolatey, moist in the middle and special enough to feel more than just an average cupcake.
The strawberry cupcake was less successful. Although the cake itself was delicious - full of flavour - the buttercream was a bit too sweet and I probably put too much icing on each one. I was less accurate with this recipe and I didn't leave the icing to firm up for long enough in the fridge. You can see in the picture that it hasn't completely held it's shape (it's also a bit blurry!). The other slight issue was the size of the strawberries which were so huge, I couldn't get one to sit neatly on the top - I guess it serves me right for buying them out of season. Despite all of this, with some of the icing scraped off, the cupcakes were yummy and I would try them again, except this time, wait until the right time of year.
I would love to make all the cupcakes in the book - depending on how many times I can renew it and how much I can spend on ingredients! Next stop: Carrot cupcakes and Banana cupcakes. Finally, if none of these cupcakes appeal to you, you might be interested in the first section called 'The Lighter Side of Decadence' which contains recipes for cupcakes that sound almost healthy.
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