Spaghetti & Meatball Cupcakes
An Original Recipe by Not Quite Nigella
For cupcake:
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125grams softened butter
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3/4 cup caster sugar
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2 eggs
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1.5 cups plain flour
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2 teaspoons baking powder
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1/2 cup milk
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1/2 cup creaming soda or vanilla Coke
Buttercream:
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1/4 cup (65grams) unsalted butter, softened
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1 to 2 cups icing sugar
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1/8 cup milk
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1 teaspoon vanilla extract
For "meatballs":
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1 cup chocolate
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3/4 cup dessicated coconut
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2 tablespoons cream
For spaghetti sauce:
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125g/4ozs strawberries halved
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2 tablespoons icing sugar
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4 tablespoons Strawberry jam
For "Spaghetti:
- Ikea Godis Gula Snoren
Step 1 - Prepare "meatballs". Melt chocolate in a microwave proof bowl on medium power in the microwave or over a double boiler. Add coconut and cream and stir. Line a plate or baking sheet with parchment paper. Using cold hands (run under a cold water if necessary and dry), scoop out small balls with a spoon or a melon baller and roll into circles and place on parchment to set at room temperature.
Step 2 - Preheat oven to 160C and line a muffin tray with cupcake liners. Cream the butter and sugar with the paddle attachment of an electric mixer until light and fluffy. Add eggs one at a time until incorporated. Mix flour and baking powder together thoroughly. Add half of the flour and baking powder mixture and milk and then combine, add the rest of the flour and baking powder mixture and then add creaming soda or Vanilla coke. Spoon into cupcake cases about 3/4 full. Bake for 15-20 minutes until a skewer inserted comes out clean. Cool.
Step 3 - Make buttercream by placing the butter in a large mixing bowl of an electric mixer and beat for 1-2 minutes. Add 1 cup icing sugar and then the milk and vanilla. On the medium speed of an electric mixer, beat on low until incorporated and then beat on medium until smooth and creamy, about 2-3 minutes. Gradually add the remaining sugar, beating well (about 1 minute), until the icing is thick enough to be of good spreading consistency.
Step 4 - Make Spaghetti sauce by placing the strawberries and icing sugar in a food processor with a metal blade and blend until smooth. Mix with strawberry jam.
Step 5 - Assemble cupcakes: Spread buttercream on top of cupcakes. Take a long string of the Ikea Godis Gula Snoren and wrap it in a small circle as shown. Spoon the strawberry sauce on this and place on top of cupcake. If any ends poke out, stick them in the buttercream underneath the spaghetti. Place two meatballs on top and spoon a little more strawberry sauce on top.
