For a Valentine's day treat Shannon makes these tasty cupcakes that look like burgers. Obviously, we love them. Especially when Shannon is doing all the fiddly work. This week, because of some harried domestic scheduling, the recipe was completed with some instant ingredients. The recipe below is the 'from scratch' version.

Ingredients:

• 2 1/4 cups all purpose flour
• 1 1/3 cups sugar
• 3 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup shortening
• 1 cup milk
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 2 large eggs

Icing Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup solid vegetable shortening
• 1/2 cup (1 stick) butter softened
• 1 teaspoon of clear vanilla extract, can use the other one but icing won't be as white...no big deal since you are colouring it
• 4 cups sifted confectioners' sugar (approximately 1 lb.)
• 2 tablespoons milk
• red, green, yellow and brown gel food colouring (I find the liquid thins the icing). Can find in Micheals craft store or, in Ontario, Bulk Barn

Directions:

 

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line cupcake pans with paper liners, or grease pan well. Combine flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt in a large mixing bowl. Add shortening, milk, and vanilla. Beat for 1 minute on medium speed. Scrape side of bowl with a spatula. Add eggs to the mixture. Beat for 1 minute on medium speed. Scrape bowl again. Beat on high speed for 1 minute 30 seconds until well mixed. Spoon cupcake batter into paper liners until over 2/3 full...you want to have a large 'blooming' effect so you have a big muffin top to act as the top of the burger later.

While cupcakes are baking, make the buttercream icing and colour it brown, red, yellow and green. In large bowl, cream shortening and butter with electric mixer. Add vanilla. Gradually add sugar, one cup at a time, beating well on medium speed. Scrape sides and bottom of bowl often. When all sugar has been mixed in, icing will appear dry. Add milk and beat at medium speed until light and fluffy. Keep bowl covered with a damp cloth until ready to use. Can be frozen if you don't use it all. Colour to your liking, usually need a lot of red. Use tiny amounts of food colouring to start.

Loading it in the bags: The easiest way I have found is to hold the outside corner of a plastic freezer bag in the palm of your hand, turn inside out a bit and fill. Less mess that way. Cut tiny holes in tip of bag to allow the icing to come through when you squeeze.

With the white (bun seeds) I used a very tiny hole in the plastic bag.

I spread the brown (meat) icing over the cupcake, using leaving a space in the middle (low fat version?) and building up the sides so they look... 'burgery'.

With the condiments, the messier the better!

Put "top bun" on and you're done!