Happy National Cupcake Week!

Hurrah! National Cupcake week starts today and runs until the 23rd. It’s a week long celebration of the cupcake, set up by British Baker magazine. From their website –

“National Cupcake Week 2012 takes place from September 17 to 23, when a range of special events, promotions and bake offs for charity take place in craft and High Street bakeries, shops, clubs and schools across the nation. Created by the journal British Baker to celebrate the vibrancy and innovation of the British baking industry, the aim of National Cupcake Week is to get the whole nation enjoying at least one cupcake a day.”

How exciting! I’m not sure you should really eat one cupcake a day every week (they’re not apples no matter how hard I might want them to be!) but during Cupcake Week, It’s definitely allowed!

Here are some of my favourite cupcake recipes – these are a mix of ones I’ve tried, tested and loved, or ones I’ve seen recently and hope to try very soon.

• Chocolate chip cookie dough cupcakes – if you love cookie dough…. stop reading this and make these cupcakes now!
• Rainbow cupcakes – perfect for parties (especially for kids) – they bring out the amazed child in everyone!
• Strawberry milkshake cupcakes – Just SO delish. Swap out strawberry for any other milkshake flavour too.
• Red velvet cupcakes – my favourite from the Hummingbird bakery. And just so impressive to look at!
• Victoria Sponge cupcakes – What could be more appropriate for an English afternoon tea than these – just so ladylike!

And I couldn’t post about my favourite cupcakes without mentioning my NEW favourite… So far in my search for the ultimate vanilla cupcake I’ve made three recipes (only one of which – the Martha Stewart recipe I’ve so far shared on the blog). Tomorrow I’ll post the recipe for my favourite vanilla cupcake (so far) so you can make them in time for National Cupcake week!

Happy baking!

x Kerry