Comfort Food

Here at PonyChops, we're all about being comfortable (read: lazy), and of course eating food. Why not combine the two?

Nikki McWilliams has cleverly done this. Her delicious cushions are based on classic English biscuits such as digestives and malted milks. And they're all really affordable too!

Take a look at these mouth watering treats.

Droooool

I have just discovered the most amazzzing edible cake decorations from Andies Speciality Sweets. I want them ALL! I especially love their toadstools, nuts that aren't nuts and their candy buttons. I definitely need to invest in some of these before baking my next batch of cupcakes.

Butternut squash honey cupcakes with cream cheese frosting!!

I figured because of the healthiness of the butternut squash in these cupcakes it's probably ok to overload them with yummy cream cheese frosting om nom nom nommm. I adapted my recipe from Tooth Fairy Recipes. They taste like little mini carrot cakes and are a great way to enjoy eating veg. If you're struggling to know how exactly to react when you try this cake, refer to 0.45 of this video.

Here's what you need for the basic cakes:

• 230g butternut squash
• 2 free range eggs
• 100g unsalted butter, melted
• 50g natural caster sugar 
• 50g brown sugar
• 80g honey
• 100g self raising flour
• 1/4 tsp nutmeg
• 1/4 tsp ginger
• 1/2 tsp cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• Orange zest (optional)

For the icing:

• 125g unsalted butter at room temperature
• 50g icing sugar
• 250g low fat cream cheese

Method: 

• Preheat the oven to 200c (gas mark 6)
• Peel the squash and cut it into chunks and place in a microwaveable bowl with boiling water. If you life your cakes a little bit more textured like carrot cake then zest a bit of the skin into the bowl too. Cook in the microwave on high power for 10 mins. Drain the excess water and mash up the squash as finely as possible.
• Whisk the eggs and then mix them with the sugar, honey and butter.
• In a separate mixing bowl, mix the flour with baking powder, baking soda, ginger, cinnamon and nutmeg (and orange zest if using it). Add the egg mixture and the butternut squash and mix together thoroughly. 
• Place some cupcake liners on a cupcake tray. Fill with the mixture and bake for 20 mins (possibly less in fan ovens).
• For the frosting mix the unsalted butter with the icing sugar until even and then add the cream cheese.
• Wait until the cupcakes are cool to add the icing you duh brain. Add a candied orange on top if desired.