The Hummingbird Bakery Life is Sweet: 100 original recipes for happy home baking

For the frosting

75ml (2½fl oz) water

65g (2oz) caster sugar

2 good-quality chai tea bags (such as Teapigs)

3 cardamom pods

2 whole cloves

1 cinnamon stick

115g (4oz) unsalted butter, softened

250g (9oz) full-fat cream cheese, such as Philadelphia, cold

100g (3½oz) icing sugar

½ tsp vanilla extract

1 tsp honey

One 12-hole deep muffin tin and 12 paper muffin cases

1. To make the cupcakes, preheat the oven to 175°C (350°F), Gas mark 4, and line the muffin tin with the paper muffin cases.

2. In a large bowl, sift together the flour, bicarbonate of soda, salt, cinnamon, ginger and nutmeg.

3. Using a freestanding electric mixer with the paddle attachment or a hand-held electric whisk, mix together the sugars and oil on a low speed until all combined and lighter in colour. Add the eggs, one at a time, on a low speed, scraping down the sides of the bowl after each addition, then add the pumpkin purée. Now add the dry ingredients to the mixture, folding them in carefully so that the mixture remains light.

4. Spoon the mixture into the paper cases until three-quarters full. Bake for 20 minutes, or until the cupcakes bounce back when lightly touched. Leave to cool slightly before removing from the tin and placing on a wire rack to cool completely before frosting.

5. To make the frosting, mix the water, sugar, tea bags, cardamom, cloves and cinnamon together in a saucepan and bring to the boil over a medium heat until the sugar dissolves. Lower the heat and simmer gently for a further 5–8 minutes. Take off the heat, strain the syrup into a clean bowl, squeezing the tea bags to get all the flavour out, and leave to cool completely.

6. Using a freestanding electric mixer with the paddle attachment or a hand-held electric whisk, beat the butter to loosen it up, then add the cream cheese and icing sugar on a low speed until incorporated. Turn the mixer to a high speed and beat for about 3 minutes until light and fluffy. Don’t overbeat, or the cream cheese will split and become runny. Lower the speed and add the vanilla extract, honey and chai syrup until all are well combined. As soon as the frosting is combined, put into the fridge for about 2 hours so that the spicy flavours can intensify further.

7. Pipe or spoon generous amounts of the frosting onto each cupcake, gently smoothing over with a palette knife and making a nice swirl of frosting on each one.

Tomato Soup Cupcakes

For that authentic American taste, use a can of Campbell’s Cream of Tomato soup for this recipe. These cupcakes are most definitely sweet, and have a kind of carrot-cake flavour to them. Another vintage recipe that uses a non-conventional ingredient to perfection.

Makes 18 cupcakes

For the cupcakes

115g (4oz) unsalted butter, softened

285g (10oz) caster sugar

2 large eggs

270g (9½oz) plain flour

2 tsp baking powder

1 tsp bicarbonate of soda

1½ tsp ground allspice

1 tsp ground cinnamon

½ tsp ground cloves

60ml (2fl oz) water

295g (10½oz) tin condensed cream of tomato soup

For the frosting

100g (3½oz) unsalted butter, softened

240g (8½oz) full-fat cream cheese, such as Philadelphia, cold

400g (14oz) icing sugar

Ground cinnamon, to sprinkle

Two 12-hole deep muffin tins and 18 paper muffin cases

1. To make the cupcakes, preheat the oven to 175°C (350°F), Gas mark 4, and line the muffin tins with the paper muffin cases.

2. Using a freestanding electric mixer with the paddle attachment or a hand-held electric whisk, cream the butter and sugar together for around 5 minutes on a medium-high speed until light and fluffy.

3. Add the eggs, one at a time, on a lower speed, scraping down the sides of the bowl after each addition. Combine the flour, baking powder, bicarbonate of soda, allspice, cinnamon and cloves in a bowl and mix into the wet ingredients on a low speed in one slow but steady addition. Don’t overbeat. Finally, add the water and condensed soup to make a thick batter.

4. Spoon the mixture into the paper cases until three-quarters full. Using a 50ml (1¾fl oz) ice-cream scoop can make this process easier and will result in even cupcakes. Bake for 20 minutes, or until a skewer inserted into a cupcake comes out clean. Leave to cool slightly before removing from the tin and placing on a wire rack to cool completely before frosting.

5. To make the frosting, using a freestanding electric mixer with the paddle attachment or a hand-held electric whisk, beat the butter to loosen it up, then add the cream cheese and icing sugar on a low speed until incorporated. Turn the mixer to a high speed and beat for about 3 minutes until light and fluffy. Don’t overbeat or the cream cheese will split and become runny.

6. Pipe or spoon generous amounts of the frosting onto each cupcake, gently smoothing over with a palette knife and making a nice swirl of frosting on each one. Sprinkle the decorated cakes with cinnamon.

Pink Champagne Cupcakes

Now you don’t have to break the bank and use actual champagne. Any pink or plain sparkling wine will do. These have a very subtle wine taste, and the fluffy sponge and luscious custard mean that one cupcake will not be enough.

Makes 12 cupcakes

For the cupcakes

160g (5½oz) plain flour

1 tsp baking powder

½ tsp bicarbonate of soda

¼ tsp salt

2 large eggs

1 tsp vanilla extract

175g (6oz) caster sugar

115ml (4fl oz) rapeseed oil, or other flavourless vegetable oil

115ml (4fl oz) pink Champagne or pink sparkling wine

For the custard

350ml (12fl oz) single cream

4 large egg yolks

100g (3½oz) caster sugar

80ml (3fl oz) pink Champagne or pink sparkling wine

30g (1oz) cornflour

Up to ¼ tsp red food colouring gel (to make the custard the desired pink colour)

30g (1oz) unsalted butter

2 tsp vanilla extract

For the frosting

300ml (10½fl oz) double cream

40g (1½oz) caster sugar

One 12-hole deep muffin tin, 12 paper muffin cases and a piping bag

1. To make the cupcakes, preheat the oven to 175°C (350°F), Gas mark 4, and line the muffin tin with the paper muffin cases.

2. In a large bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, bicarbonate of soda and salt. Set aside.

3. Using a freestanding electric mixer with the paddle attachment or a hand-held electric whisk, beat together the eggs, vanilla and sugar for 2 minutes on a medium speed. Pour in the oil in a slow but steady stream until all is well incorporated. Add the flour mixture and Champagne in several additions, alternating between the two – flour first and last. Do not overbeat. Use a spatula to scrape down the sides of the bowl and ensure everything is combined.

4. Spoon the mixture into the paper cases until three-quarters full. Using a 50ml (1¾fl oz) ice-cream scoop can make this process easier and will result in even cupcakes. Bake for 15–20 minutes until the cupcakes bounce back when lightly touched. Leave to cool slightly before removing from the tin and placing on a wire rack to cool completely before filling and frosting.

5. To make the custard, heat the cream in a saucepan until it is hot, but don’t let it boil. Meanwhile, whisk the egg yolks and sugar together in a bowl. Mix in the Champagne, and then the cornflour.

6. Add a quarter of the hot cream to the egg mixture, whisking vigorously so that the egg doesn’t cook, but just warms up. Pour into the pan with the rest of the hot cream and cook over a medium-low heat, whisking constantly until the mixture starts to get thicker and bubbles. Once the mixture has bubbled for 1–2 minutes, take it off the heat. If necessary, you may have to strain it through a fine sieve to get any lumps out. If it splits at any stage, take it off the heat and use a hand-held blender to whizz it back together.

7. Put the custard into another bowl and mix through the red colouring, butter and vanilla until the butter melts and everything is well mixed. Cover with cling film, pressing it directly onto the surface to prevent a skin forming, and put into the fridge until cold.

8. To make the frosting, in the bowl of a freestanding electric mixer with the whisk attachment or using a hand-held electric whisk, whip the cream on medium speed. When the cream starts to thicken, but before it’s whipped, add the sugar. Increase the speed and whip until it just starts to form peaks. Don’t overwhip or it will get too hard or split.

9. Take 100g (3½oz) of the cool custard. If the custard is very stiff, beat briefly with a spatula until smooth. Then fold into the cream and put the frosting in the fridge.

10. Once the cupcakes are completely cool, use a sharp knife and remove a piece of sponge to make a hollow in the centre of each cupcake, approximately 2cm (¾in) in diameter and about 3cm (1¼in) deep. Retain the cut-out piece of sponge.

11. Spoon the custard into a piping bag and fill the hollows in the cupcakes, then pop the removed piece of sponge back on the cakes. If, once you’ve done all the cupcakes, there is custard left over, you can spread it thinly over the top of each one, making sure not to go over the edges.

12. Finally, pipe or spoon generous amounts of the frosting onto each cupcake, gently smoothing over with a palette knife and making a nice swirl of frosting on each one.

Toasted Marshmallow Cupcakes

In America sweet potatoes are known as yams, and baked in the oven with sugar, spices and marshmallows they are a typical Thanksgiving side dish. Careful when using the cook’s blowtorch!

Makes 12 cupcakes

For the cupcakes

300g (10½oz) sweet potatoes

115g (4oz) unsalted butter, softened

140g (5oz) soft light brown sugar

2 large eggs

3 tbsp maple syrup

½ tsp vanilla extract

135g (5oz) plain flour

1 tsp baking powder

¼ tsp bicarbonate of soda

Pinch of salt

½ tsp ground cinnamon

½ tsp ground nutmeg

For the frosting

70g (2½oz) caster sugar

¼ tsp cream of tartar

Pinch of salt

2 large egg whites

3 tbsp cold water

1 tsp vanilla extract

50g (1¾oz) marshmallow fluff

One 12-hole deep muffin tin, 12 paper muffin cases and a cook’s blowtorch

1. Preheat the oven to 200°C (400°F), Gas mark 6.

2. Wrap the sweet potatoes in foil and bake for about 45–60 minutes until tender. Once cooled, scoop out the flesh and mash.

3. To make the cupcakes, reduce the oven temperature to 175°C (350°F), Gas mark 4, and line the muffin tin with the paper cases.

4. Using a freestanding electric mixer with the paddle attachment or a hand-held electric whisk, cream the butter and sugar together for around 5 minutes on a medium-high speed until light and fluffy.

5. Add the eggs, one at a time, on a lower speed, scraping down the sides of the bowl after each addition. Then add the sweet potato flesh, maple syrup and vanilla and mix for a few moments until thoroughly incorporated. In a large bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, bicarbonate of soda, salt, cinnamon and nutmeg. Lower the mixer speed and mix in the dry ingredients in one slow but steady addition. Don’t overbeat.

6. Scoop the mixture into the paper cases until three-quarters full. Using a 50ml (1¾fl oz) ice-cream scoop can make this process easier and will result in even cupcakes. Bake for 15–20 minutes or until the cupcakes bounce back when lightly touched. Leave to cool slightly before removing from the tin and placing on a wire rack to cool completely before frosting.

7. To make the frosting, mix the caster sugar, cream of tartar, pinch of salt, egg whites and cold water together in a small heatproof mixing bowl. Put the bowl over a pan of simmering water and beat with an electric whisk for 5–7 minutes until the mixture is very hot to the touch and stiff peaks have formed. Remove the bowl from the heat and beat for 1 minute more. Add the vanilla extract and marshmallow fluff and beat until combined.

8. Pipe or spoon generous amounts of the frosting onto each cupcake, gently smoothing over with a palette knife or spoon and making a nice swirl of frosting on each one.

9. Using a cook’s blowtorch, carefully torch the tops to brown them, avoiding the paper cases with the flame.

Chocolate Chip ‘Cupcakes’

These are a sort of chocolate chip cookie in a cupcake case. The texture is definitely not supposed to be cake-like, so don’t worry when they come out dense and chewy. We’d suggest eating them on the day of baking or soon after.

Makes 12 cupcakes

For the cupcakes

115g (4oz) unsalted butter, softened

80g (3oz) caster sugar

75g (2½oz) soft light brown sugar

½ tsp vanilla extract

1 large egg

150g (5½oz) plain flour

½ tsp bicarbonate of soda

½ tsp salt

For the topping

100g (3½oz) soft light brown sugar

1 large egg

Pinch of salt

170g (6oz) dark chocolate chips (minimum 70% cocoa solids)

60g (2oz) chopped pecans (or walnuts)

½ tsp vanilla extract

One 12-hole deep muffin tin and 12 paper muffin cases

1. To make the cupcakes, preheat the oven to 175°C (350°F), Gas mark 4, and line the muffin tin with the paper muffin cases.

2. Using a freestanding electric mixer with the paddle attachment or a hand-held electric whisk, cream the butter, sugars and vanilla together for around 5 minutes on a medium-high speed until light and fluffy. Beat in the egg, on a lower speed, scraping down the sides of the bowl as you go. In a separate bowl, sift together the flour, bicarbonate of soda and salt and mix into the wet ingredients on a low speed in one slow but steady addition. Don’t overbeat. The cake mix will be quite stiff – more like a dough.

3. Use a tablespoon to form the mixture into twelve balls (roughly weighing 35g/1¼oz each). Place each one in a paper case and bake in the oven for 10 minutes. Meanwhile, prepare the topping.

4. Using a freestanding electric mixer with the paddle attachment or a hand-held electric whisk, beat the sugar, egg and salt for 3–4 minutes until thick and lighter in colour. Stir in the chocolate chips, pecans and vanilla extract by hand.

5. Take the cupcakes out of the oven and spoon one tablespoon of the topping over the partially baked cupcakes. Immediately put them back into the oven and cook for 12 minutes longer. These cupcakes come out as halfway between a cake and a cookie, so not as light and airy as normal cupcakes. Leave to cool slightly before removing from the tin and placing on a wire rack to cool completely.

Honey Cornbread Cupcakes

Using cornmeal to make cornbread was something the early European settlers in America learned from the Native Americans they encountered. These cupcakes are sweet, denser than our normal sponges, and have a tangy cream cheese frosting flavoured with honey.

Makes 12 cupcakes

For the cupcakes

170g (6oz) yellow cornmeal (polenta)

135g (5oz) plain flour

1 tbsp baking powder

1 tsp ground cinnamon

½ tsp ground nutmeg

110g (4oz) caster sugar

1 tsp salt

2 large eggs

235ml (8fl oz) whole milk

115g (4oz) unsalted butter, melted

60g (2oz) runny honey

For the frosting

340g (12oz) unsalted butter, softened

75g (2½oz) runny honey

285g (10oz) icing sugar

150g (5½oz) full-fat cream cheese, such as Philadelphia, cold

One 12-hole deep muffin tin and 12 paper muffin cases

1. To make the cupcakes, preheat the oven to 175°C (350°F), Gas mark 4, and line the muffin tin with the paper muffin cases.

2. In a large bowl, mix the cornmeal, flour, baking powder, cinnamon, nutmeg, sugar and salt together thoroughly.

3. Using a freestanding electric mixer with the whisk attachment or a hand-held electric whisk, whisk the eggs, milk, melted butter and honey together on a medium speed until very well combined. Add the dry ingredients on a low speed in one slow but steady addition. Mix thoroughly but don’t overbeat.

4. Carefully scoop the mixture into the paper cases until three-quarters full. Using a 50ml (1¾fl oz) ice-cream scoop can make this process easier and will result in even cupcakes. Bake for 20 minutes, or until the cupcakes bounce back when lightly touched. Leave to cool slightly before removing from the tin and placing on a wire rack to cool completely before frosting.

5. To make the frosting, in the bowl of a freestanding electric mixer with the paddle attachment or using a hand-held electric whisk, beat the butter for a minute to loosen it up, then add the honey and beat for a minute. Slowly add the icing sugar on a low speed until incorporated and beat for 2–3 minutes until light and fluffy. Add the cream cheese and mix briefly until incorporated – don’t overbeat or it will split and become runny.

6. Pipe or spoon generous amounts of the frosting onto each cupcake, gently smoothing over with a palette knife or spoon and making a nice swirl of frosting on each one.

Mint Julep Cupcakes

The mint julep is a drink that Scarlett O’Hara would have offered to one of her guests, made with sugar, mint and bourbon whiskey. As with all our recipes calling for bourbon, you can use any whiskey you have to hand.

Makes 12 cupcakes

For the crystallised mint leaf decoration (optional)

1 egg white

Bowl of caster sugar

15–30 fresh mint leaves

For the cupcakes

115g (4oz) unsalted butter, softened

200g (7oz) caster sugar

2 large eggs

½ tsp vanilla extract

¼ tsp pure mint extract

115ml (4fl oz) whole milk

85ml (3fl oz) Kentucky bourbon or whiskey

185g (6½oz) plain flour

1½ tsp baking powder

½ tsp salt

For the frosting

175g (6oz) unsalted butter, softened

375g (13oz) icing sugar

40ml (1½fl oz) whole milk

¼ tsp pure mint extract

1 tbsp Kentucky bourbon or whiskey

One 12-hole deep muffin tin and 12 paper muffin cases

1. To crystallise the mint leaves, whisk the egg white in a bowl until frothy. In a second bowl, put a generous amount of caster sugar. Dip the mint leaves gently into the frothy egg white so that they’re completely covered, then roll and press into the caster sugar. Be sure to turn and press each side so both sides are covered.

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