New to Blogging, not new to Baking!

Hello foodies! 

Come with me on this journey of baking, cooking and eating. This is my first post, egged on by my children to start blogging about  my food experiments. I live in Guwahati, Assam which is in the North East part of India. The food scene here, is slowly but surely evolving and I'm in the midst  of this new wave of culinary awareness that is taking place. Its an exciting time and I do hope to share a bit of my place, my culture and my regional cuisine along with my baking tryst.

Nothing excites me more than the sight of a new dish, I'm inspired to cook when the weather changes, when my mood stirs, when a fresh ingredient catches my eye as I open my the refrigerator, well you get the drift...I don't need a reason to cook or bake. I just cook/ bake and then there is always a reason.

On a serious note, the kitchen is my sanctuary, I seek solace from  my cooking and it is helping me get on with an exceptionally challenging phase of my life. It keeps my head on my shoulders and my sanity.

As I write my first post here to share with the big world and look outside my window, I see the sun's strong summer rays beat down the asphalt road and dust moats dancing about. But, here where I'm sitting , the warm nutty aroma of peanut butter cupcakes are assailing and wafting around. My kids love peanut butter and ever so often I catch them both with the jar and a spoon in their hand!

P.S. - They are not little kids! 

It has taken me a whole lot of courage to write this post, I'm full of self doubt finding a spot in this huge cyber world, my pictures may not be inspiring and my writing may lack style but trust me , most of my recipes will be fuss free and simple. 

Enjoy this simple easy to make cupcake with your afternoon tea!

peanut butter filled cupcakes with light swirl of  butter cream frosting

a little dusting of cocoa powder to add to the drama

Peanut butter cupcake: This will give you a dozen cupcakes in a regular size cupcake tray.

Ingredients:

      1 1/2 cup of  plain flour

2/3 cup caster sugar

1/3 cup refined oil

2 no of eggs

1 teaspoon of baking powder

2/3 teaspoon of baking soda

1/2 teaspoon of vanilla

1/3 teaspoon of salt

1 tablespoon of peanut butter

Filling

3 tablespoon of peanut butter

2 tablespoon of butter

1 tablespoon of icing sugar

Frosting

100 gm of butter at room temp

200 gm of icing sugar

Method:  

Set the oven at 150 degree temp. 

Line the baking tray with cupcake liners and keep aside.

Sieve all the  dry ingredients flour, baking powder, salt and baking soda.

 Beat together the sugar and oil for 3/4 mins with an electric beater, 

Add one egg and beat again for a minute, then add the other.

Spoon the flour into the egg ,sugar and oil mixture and fold gently, making sure that there are no lumps. Add the vanilla essence.

Fill the ready cupcake tray with the batter , do not fill to the brim, leave some space for the cakes to rise. 

Bake for 15 mins, insert a skewer in the center of the cupcake, if it comes out clean. its done.

Take it out of the tray immediately and cool on a wire rack.

when the cakes are fully cool, take a cupcake corer and scoop out the center

To make the peanut butter filling: In a medium bowl, beat the peanut butter with butter until creamy.

 Add the icing sugar and beat until light and fluffy.

 Fill a piping bag with with the peanut butter mixture.

Hold the cup cake in your hand and plunge the tip of the piping bag into the top of the cupcake,press gently and fill with the peanut butter cream, drawing the bag upward as you fill the cupcake.

Scrape any extra filling on top with a knife. Repeat with the rest of the cupcakes.

Frosting: Beat the butter until it becomes  pale and fluffy. add the icing sugar and beat for another 2mins. When the beater is help up it will hold soft peaks. do not over beat. Fit a piping bag with a star nozzle and pipe over the cupcakes. Dust with cocoa powder and serve with your tea.

If you do try, let me know about it in the comments below!