Valentines Chocolate Cupcakes!

Hello everyone and happy valentines day! I hope you are having an amazing day whether you are spending it with your boyfriend or girlfriend, husband or wife, or even if you are just spending the day with your loved ones like your family and friends!

As you may or may not know, baking is one of my favourite pastimes and so I thought that Valentines Day would be the perfect excuse to whip out all of my baking gear and whiz something together! So I decided to bake these very simple, yet cute, chocolate cupcakes which are so delicious! 

 

Ingredients

• 110g self-raising flour
• 1 tablespoon cocoa powder
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 110g softened margarine
• 110g caster sugar
• 2 eggs

Equipment

• Scales
• Sieve 
• Large Mixing Bowl
• Wooden Spoon
• Measuring Spoons
• Cupcake Cases
• Muffin Tray

Method

Firstly, pre-heat your oven to Gas mark 5 or 190 C. Then sieve the flour, cocoa powder and baking powder into a large mixing bowl. After that, mix in the margarine and caster sugar. Add the eggs into the mixture and beat well. Keep whisking until the mixture is light and fluffy. You can then just go ahead and divide the mixture into the cupcake cases. I used red cupcake cases because they make the cakes look more valentines day themed and I was able to make 10 cupcakes using the mixture. Next, you carefully place the cupcakes into the oven and leave them to bake for around 15-17 minutes. Then leave the cupcakes to cool before icing them. 

Ingredients for Icing

• 50g softened butter
• 45g cocoa powder
• 100ml milk
• 450g icing sugar
• Sprinkles for decoration

Equipment 

• Scales
• Small Mixing Bowl
• Jug
• Wooden Spoon
• Piping Bag 

Method

In your mixing bowl, beat the butter and cocoa powder together until combined. Next add the milk and continue to beat until smooth. Gradually add in the icing sugar and mix well until the desired consistency is achieved. I added another little drop of milk to my mixture because I felt like my icing was too thick. So depending on the consistency of your mixture, you may also need to add more milk or icing sugar. Then either use a piping bag or a palette knife to transfer the chocolate icing onto your cupcakes. Decorate how you wish. I just used lots of red sprinkles to make kisses and heart shapes which I think worked quite well. 

And there you have it! That is how I made these very cute and simple chocolate valentines day themed cupcakes. Let me know if you try out this recipe or tell me in the comments what treats you like to make for valentines day. Thank you guys so much for reading and stay tuned for my next blog post. X

Lucille Xox98

Family Cycle!

Hello there!

Today's post is just another random one where I let you guys know what I have been up to. My little brother, my little sister and I decided to go for a cycle on one of the most cold and miserable days ever and I am not quite sure why. I absolutely love cycling but I don't really like cold and wet weather, although you think that seeing as I live in Scotland I'd be used to it! Anyway, we cycled to one of the most lovely 'cycle routes' near where I live (University of Highlands and Islands) which I just love and I think that the view is just stunning. As you probably know, I am not really into exercising although I really do wish that I was interested in it and that I enjoyed running or going to the gym but I really don't. Cycling is probably the one type of exercise that I really enjoy and that I do for fun and not just because I feel like I have to do some form of exercise. I find that it comes naturally to me and I really enjoy just going at my own pace and exploring whilst being able to admire the different views and scenery.

 

I feel like the UHI is such a serene place where everything is so calm and I always feel happy when I am there as everything is so peaceful, people are walking their dogs, or cycling, or are having a nice family walk together and it is just so lovely to see. My brother Daniel really enjoyed going over the ramps that are there for bicycles and so many other children were so content and happy with going up and over the bicycle ramps time and time again. There are also ducks and swans there which were really nice to look at. Although, I went up close to one to try and get a good shot and it started hissing at me! I have never been so afraid nor have I ever moved so quickly! I thought it was going to attack me!

My bike currently has a puncture and I have been nagging my dad for weeks on end to fix it but he hasn't got round to it yet. He is one of those people that always says 'I'll do it tomorrow' whereas I always do things right there and then. (Although repairing a puncture is something that I haven't got the slightest clue about!) So I have been using my dad's bike for the last couple of months even though I can't touch the ground when I am on it! It is literally massive, I need help to try and get on it! Laura says it is hilarious watching me trying to clamber onto the bike.

We had such a fun little adventure, just admiring the beautiful scenery, chatting and having a laugh. I am so blessed to have such amazing siblings that really are the greatest friends that I could ever ask for. It really is the small things in life that matter the most and that is why I love taking photographs so that I can treasure these moments and memories forever. My brother is literally the cutest little thing you have ever seen! I say little but he has grown up so much in such a short time. He had a great time climbing walls and jumping off them and doing all those other things that boys do for fun!

Laura is such a cutie too! She is the one person that can make me laugh even when I am in the worst of moods. She is always so cheery and she is always smiling and I just have so much fun when I am with her. We honestly talk for hours on end and we really are the best of friends! She is so hilarious, she even did the Shakira pose out in public! Haha! 

I had such a great day doing something as small as going for a cycle with my siblings. It's my amazing family that make little outings like these so special as we always have so much fun together. I feel so blessed to have such an amazing family that are always there for me and I love them to pieces. 

I hope you enjoyed reading this post. Let me know in the comments where your favourite place is to go for a family walk or cycle as I'd love to know. Thank you so much for reading. X

Lucille Xox98