Taylors Soups

Last month I was sent a most lovely package. One of the best packages I have received in the last year... Free soup!!! And not only was this free soup, this was free, new soup!! With free new soup flavours I had never come across before.

Taylor's soups came in the awe inspiring flavours such as sweet potato, pumpkin and pear, or spicy vegetable and red lentil and Asian style tomato and coconut. I was in love with these flavours! I couldn't wait to try every single one of them.. But this package came with a mission... To take them for a taste test at work and see what my colleagues thought.. And in one word.. Success!!!

My first soup was the sweet potato. Being an avid fan of pumpkin soup I was eager to see how these flavours pulled together. It was by far my favorite!

The spicy vegetable and lentil soup was a tad on the spicy for me, but I found that teamed with a slice or two of buttered bread I was a fan of this also.

The stand out at work was the Asian style tomato and coconut and sadly the Spinach and Asparagus didn't get much of a fan base. But all in all, these are soups I could see myself buying from the supermarket so I would say that Taylor's have out done themselves.

If you like Piña Colada... Cupcakes

Hello all,

Happy 2014!! I hope the New Year is treating you well.

New Year Fireworks Melbourne 2013-14 

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!

I decided to mark the coming of year with a good old fashioned cocktail party with a few of my closest friends.... and what is a cocktail party without the ever so awesome, boozy cupcakes. Although, I'm less interested in the booze part and more in the cake. So I needed to think up a delicious cupcake flavour that would completely satisfy with its taste and fit my cocktail party.

And while I was dancing around my living room thinking which of my most beloved cocktail mixes should I turn into a dessert, a very familiar song came on the radio....

"I was tired of my lady, we'd been together too long.
Like a worn-out recording, of a favorite song.
So while she lay there sleeping, I read the paper in bed.
And in the personals column, there was this letter I read:
If you like Piña Coladas, and getting caught in the rain..."

I love Piña Coladas... and the rain!!!! Piña Colada Cupcakes... it had been decided. Now to put it all together. 

They came out a treat. And so cute with the little pineapple lollies to decorate!! Big hit, perfect for my cocktail night, and the best part of all, if you want mock-tail cupcakes just omit the rum. No need to change anything else. Simples!!!

Piña Colada Cupcakes:

114g Butter

1 Cup Caster Sugar

3 Eggs

1/3 Cup Coconut Rum
3/4 Cup Coconut Milk
1/4 Cup Pineapple Juice
1 Teaspoon Vanilla Extract
1 1/2 Cups Plain Flour
1 Teaspoon Bi-Carb Soda
1/4 Teaspoon Salt
1 Cup Desiccated Coconut
1 Cup Crushed Pineapple Pieces

icing:
225g Cream Cheese
57g Butter
2 Cups Icing Sugar
3 Tablespoons Coconut Cream
3 Tablespoons Coconut Rum
1/2 - 1 Cup Desiccated Coconut (Add to desired consistency)

1. Preheat oven to 180 degrees Celsius.

2. Beat together the butter and sugar until light and fluffy.

3. Add the eggs, one at a time, mixing well after each addition.

4. In a separate bowl, combine the rum, coconut milk, pineapple juice and vanilla extract.

5. In another bowl combine the flour, bi-carb and salt.

6. Alternately add the liquid mixture followed by the flour mixture to the butter and mix until smooth.

7. On a low speed, add the desiccated coconut and the pineapple.

8. Divide into cupcake liners (fill about 2/3 full). Bake in oven for 20-25 mins, until a skewer comes out with slight crumbs stuck to it. Leave cupcakes to cool in the tray until the tray is at room temperature then transfer to a wire cooling rack.

9. For the icing; Mix together the butter and cream cheese until light and fluffy. Add the icing sugar gradually until combined. Add the coconut cream and the rum. On a low speed add desiccated coconut to the desired consistency. 

10. Spread icing on cupcakes and top with cute little pineapple lollies. 

Happy Baking!!!!