The Easter Show, Jam and Butterfly Cakes

The Royal Easter Show is one of those events that I always though of as a huge commercial scam determined to rip off young families through show bags, carnival rides and shockingly overpriced water ($3.50 a bottle for Mount Franklin!). After staying away for a few years, I decided to give it a go again with Shaun, Ally, Chris and Vicki - it helped that Shaun got us free entry (thanks Shaun). It was a good thing I did, because it turned out to be a Super Fun Day.

The best attraction is definitely the Woolworths Fresh Food Dome. It's a huge dome containing the vegetable and fruit exhibits from each state, but also showcasing small and specialty stores selling their wares from all over NSW. We went around filling up on free samples; a sausage here, a friand there and somehow, a cup of butter lettuce which seemed like a good idea at the time. . .?

Also, on recommendation from Chris I tried the COON toasted cheese sandwiches - two slices of white bread and cheese, toasted. So delicious, yet so simple! - Isn't it funny how most things are? Then there was the iconic CHILLI sauce store, with ominous 10+++++/10 chilli sauces. However it was the homemade jam store that enchanted me and I'll admit, I was suckered into buying these tiny sample jars of jam. Which upon coming home, was told that there was plenty of jam at home and why did you buy more?





Determined to use my super cute, and not completely-useless at all jams, I decided on making Butterfly Cakes. Super easy to whip up, they are vanilla butter cupcakes with jam and cream. Based on this recipe: www.exclusivelyfood.com.au/2006/07/butterfly-cakes-recipe.html

Butterfly Cakes

Makes 12.

Ingredients
115 gm unsalted butter

125 gm white sugar
1/2 ts vanilla extract

2 large eggs

225gm self raising flour

150 ml milk

Topping:

60 g of your favourite jam!

3/4 cup thickened Cream

1 teaspoon Icing Sugar

1. Preheat oven to 180 degrees Celcius

2. Cream butter, sugar and vanilla until light and fluffy.

3. Beat in eggs until combined.

4. Add half the flour and stir in by hand. Then add half the milk and stir in again, by hand.

5. Repeat step 4, for the rest of the flour and milk.

6. Stir until smooth and combined.

7. Divide batter between 12 cupcake cases.

8. Bake for 15-18 minutes or until inserted skewer comes out clean.

9. After letting cupcakes cool completely, use a sharp knife to cut out a round from the top.

10. Cut the round in half.

11. Add a 1/2 teaspoon of jam into the hole and fill with whipped cream.

12. Arrange the two halves of the cupcake pieces like so, and add a dollop of jam in between!

Eat with love :) The jams are amazing!



Just got back from Benny's Birthday Bash. I think it's funny how some people have changed a lot and others haven't changed at all since starting uni. I've gone from struggling a lot at uni to getting some semblance of order in my life though, I think I really just have to stop trying to cram so much into everyday and take it slow sometimes. I'm home early for tutoring tomorrow. Sigh. Still the countdown is on! 4 weeks until I finally quit my job!