I’ll be honest, it’s always a bit of struggle writing blog posts. Oh I’m not short on recipes for  cakes and otherwise. I love to come up with different ways of doing things, ‘gluten free-ing’ cakes and treats so that Noah can enjoy – and does enjoy (on the whole….). But how does one begin the blog? Invariably there is always a recipe but what to start with?

Noah continues to enjoy school. His recent school report suggests he is progressing well through his first year at school. The school continues to provide meals for him that he can eat. Although, as with a recent party he went to, he is missing out on the variety. I’m not convinced the recent changes as to how we have to choose the meals is working for Noah in particular, but at least the school are saving money. By not wasting food….Noah will moan at us for not choosing what he wants. Not quiet understanding the choice he has is very limited.

And so, onto our latest bake.

Everyone loves a cupcake and Noah is no exception.

Cupcakes are good for almost every occasion and we’ve had plenty of occasions over the last 2 weeks. Visitors a coming and a going from all corners of the globe(ish).

Preheat the oven to Gas 3, 140c

150g soft butter

150g Light Brown Sugar

3 eggs, lightly beaten

1/2 teaspoon orange extract

40g Food Thoughts Cocoa

110g Dove Farm Gluten Free Self Raising Flour

1/2 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda

100ml sour cream

Cream the soft butter and the sugar together (I use a free-standing mixer with a beater attachment) until soft and creamy and then beat in the eggs, slowly and bit by bit. Mix in the orange extract, then the gluten free flour, cocoa and bicarb. Add in the sour cream a little at a time as the cocoa tends to dry out the mix, which in turn makes for a dry cupcake.

Spoon into 12 cupcake cases and bake for 20 – 25 mins.

Once cooled and out of the oven, make the buttercream and pipe onto the cupcakes.

180g soft butter

80g Food Thoughts Cocoa

280g Icing sugar

100ml milk (I used semi skimmed)

1 bag of Terry’s Mini Milk Chocolate  Orange segments

Beat the soft butter until light and creamy; the butter turns a little white. Add in the cocoa and icing sugar a little at a time and continue to beat in until all the ingredients are well mixed in. Adding in the milk will allow for easier piping, as the cocoa, again, will dry the buttercream out and will help to combine the icing sugar and cocoa better. It also gives it that nice rich, shiny sheen.

Pipe onto the cupcakes and decorate (eat) with the mini chocolate orange segments.