'Hi, I'd like a Cheeseburger, please, a large fries and a Cosmopolitan'

Hello lovely readers! We hope you liked 'The Magic Ratio' blog post earlier this week but the weekend is finally upon us which only means one thing...get your dancing shoes on (or slippers, which ever you prefer) and embrace your days off! Whatever your plans are here is another easy recipe we know you won't be able to resist. 

Us girls decided to watch the Superbowl on Sunday. It was great fun, even though we had absolutely no idea what was going on! Although we tried to be traditional by surrounding ourselves with hot dogs, burgers, beers and of course curly fries we soon realised all we wanted was a good cocktail. Luckily we have a very well stocked bar right now and had the ingredients (all 4 of them) needed for a Cosmopolitan! Even if you've never had the pleasure of drinking this little beauty you've probably heard of this famous 'Sex and the City' drink, as Carrie Bradshaw's personal favourite. 

Don't be scared by the reputation of this classic, its honestly one of the easiest cocktails around! Give it a go and trust us, you're gonna love it. Comment below, we'd love to hear how it goes :) 

Ingredients 
1 shot of orange liqueur (Triple Sec, Cointreau or anything similar will work) 
1 and a half shots of vodka 
2 shots of cranberry juice 
Juice of half a lime 

Method
Add ice and all ingredients to a cocktail shaker then shake it like a polaroid picture (who doesn't love that song!). Serve in your chosen glass and decorate with a lime wedge if desired. 

Tips and Tricks

Too strong for you? Add more juice 
No lime? Lemon's work just as well
Confusing measurements? 1 shot = 1 measure = 30 ml = 1 ounce (roughly). All of these can be used for any cocktail recipe!

We have found a recent development where gin is used instead of vodka and raspberry syrup is added as well (sounds yummy right!), we shall keep you updated on any experiments we try out! Have fun shaking and keep your eyes (and limes) peeled for the next post! 

Love the Cup & Tail Girls xxxx

The Magic Ratio

Hello lovely readers! We thought we'd start off with a recipe absolutely anyone can conquer, even you. Yes, you! This is the easiest, most foolproof cupcake recipe EVER and it all boils down to this...

THE MAGIC RATIO: Use 2 ounce (oz) of sugar, butter and self-raising flour for every egg!

It‘s honestly that simple! 

For those who measure in grams (g) the ratio is 56g (or near enough) to every egg.

Method

Preheat oven at 180 degrees. Mix together butter and sugar (with passion). This will turn the mix a lighter colour and a fluffy consistency. Then add eggs one at a time until they disappear into the mixture. Finally add the flour but mix in slowly! It will take some time but it will keep the cakes heavenly. Fill in chosen cases 2/3 full and cook for 12 minutes. Using the smallest ratio (2 eggs) this mixture baked 12 cupcakes. 

This is our mixture but don't panic if yours doesn't look the same! Just follow our tips and tricks and trust us, it will taste positively fabulous!

Tips and Tricks

• Curdled? (Has the mixture become spotty after adding an egg?) Add a teaspoon of flour 
• Is the mix too runny? Again keep adding a tablespoon of flour until it looks beautiful
• Only have plain flour? Add a teaspoon of baking powder as well
• Is the mix extremely stiff (meaning your spoon is literally stuck)? Add a dash of milk
• Want a citrus flavour? Add the rind of a lemon, lime or orange to the mix
• Fancy chocolate? Substitute a tablespoon of flour for cocoa powder
• No butter? Margarine works just as well (and it’s a lot cheaper)
• Some recipes specify to use caster sugar but we’ve found granulated works too!
• Keep a close eye on them, all ovens cook at different rates

However no cupcake is complete without a blanket of...

Butter icing

Ratio 1:2 of butter to icing sugar (for example 200g of butter with 400g of icing sugar) plus a dash of milk. 

In a bowl combine all ingredients. Unless you have arms like Popeye, an electric hand whisk will give you the best results. We found this quantity is enough to generously top 15 cupcakes (but of course this depends on personal preference). 

WARNING-Don't decorate your cupcakes until they are completely cooled 

-Add milk when you add the icing sugar so your kitchen doesn’t turn into a winter wonderland!

So there it is! The easiest cupcake recipe EVER...what are you waiting for!? 

Love the Cup & Tail Girls xxxx