Welcome to the Tree Cakes Blog…

As a Volunteer for TREE AID I blog about 'Tree Cakes' - Cakes made from tree ingredients such as nuts, fruit and chocolate. Following on from TREE AID'S Cake Taste Fundraising initiative I use this blog to share recipes and pictures of tree cakes whilst raising awareness about the importance of trees for people living in Africa's drylands.

www.treeaidcakebake.org

www.treeaid.org.uk

Friday 8 October 2010

Autumnal Apple Cupcakes

Apple Cupcakes

With the change in seasons, there are hundreds of fallen apples on the ground around Bristol. Just outside our office in fact, we have a small public open space that is planted with cherry and apple trees. In the spring the trees were laden with blossom. The birds were first to the cherries, but luckily they have not been so interested in the apples. Inspired by the abundance of fruit, we’d like to share with you our recipe for 12 cupcakes.


Ingredients

½ tsp apple cider vinegar
150ml soya milk
100ml maple syrup
75ml vegetable oil
200g plain flour
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
¾ tsp baking powder
½ tsp bicarbonate of soda
¼ tsp salt
200g grated apple


Topping
(for extra tree ingredient points)

chopped mixed nuts (almonds and walnuts)
50g chocolate chips
3tbsp soya cream


Directions
  1. Preheat oven to 175 deg C. Line muffin tray with paper cases.
  2. Mix the soya milk and apple cider vinegar in a large bowl; allow to sit for a few minutes to separate.
  3. Beat in the maple syrup and oil.
  4. Sift in the flour, baking power, bicarbonate of soda and salt. Mix until smooth and then stir in the apple
  5. Fill the cases about two-thirds full.
  6. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, remove from oven and place cakes on wire rack to cool.

For the ganache topping


  1. Gently heat the soya cream to near boiling.
  2. Remove from the heat and stir in the chocolate chips.
  3. Leave for 10 minutes to cool then decorate the cooled cupcakes.
  4. Sprinkle with chopped nuts (optional).


Tree ingredients:
apple, maple, cinnamon, chocolate, almonds and walnuts



We’d love to try your favourite tree cake recipe, please email it to info@treeaid.org.uk


Please do remember to check with landowners before foraging for fruit and nuts!