Sweet & unique
Lola’s is a business with a simple aim: to handcraft the most delicious cupcakes you have ever tasted, using only the finest fresh ingredients. Lola’s is run with passion and creativity by baker Asher Budwig, who grew up watching his father Mario establish the enormously successful Millie’s Cookies. Asher’s grandmother and great-grandmother had also run a patisserie and cafe, so with such a talented family of bakers, it was almost inevitable that he would bring success to Lola’s.
In every branch of Lola’s, quality remains key. The bakers are highly trained and passionate about all things Lola. Each cupcake is created with love and skill, so that it is sure to impress.
In our new recipe book, we let you in on some of our secrets, and share recipes that have made Lola’s so successful. All the best-loved cupcakes from Lola’s Classic Collection are included, so you can create our famous Chocolate, Vanilla and Red Velvet cupcakes at home. With advice on achieving cake perfection and a guide to piping our signature swirl of frosting, you’ll be making professional-looking morsels in no time.
Although cupcakes are our fi rst and foremost passion at Lola’s, we also love to experiment with other cakes and bakes. So for this book we decided to give you some large cake recipes, as well as our much-loved traybakes and bars. They are too irresistible not to share with you all!
If you are after something diff erent, you’ll love our savoury selection. Cheese and herbs work perfectly in muffi n-style recipes, and our cooks have developed unusual combinations using pesto, cream cheese and sun-dried tomatoes.
The enduring popularity of the cupcake knows no bounds, and they remain the most stylish of bakery treats. With something for every occasion, what are you waiting for? Get baking!
Lola’s Forever: Recipes For Cupcakes, Cakes And Bars, by The Lola’s Bakers; photography by Peter Cassidy (Ryland Peters & Small, £18.99).
RED VELVET CUPCAKES
Makes 12
Ingredients
Method
Preheat the oven to 180C/350F/ gas mark 4. Place the butter, sugar and vanilla bean paste into the bowl of a stand mixer tted with a paddle attachment (or use an electric whisk and large mixing bowl), and beat the mixture at medium to high speed for 1-2 minutes, until light and u y. Occasionally stop to scrape down the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula to make sure that all the butter and sugar is incorporated.
Add the food colouring paste and the egg, and beat slowly until combined. Beat in the oil and vinegar or lemon juice, followed by the melted chocolate.
Sift the flour, baking powder, bicarbonate of soda/baking soda and unsweetened cocoa powder together into a separate bowl. Add the dry ingredients to the batter, a little at a time, alternating with the cream and milk until you have a soft batter and all the dry ingredients have been incorporated. Finally add the ground almonds and mix until smooth and a uniform colour. Scrape down the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula, and brie y beat at high speed until the mixture is smooth. Do not over-mix.
Using an ice-cream scoop, divide the mixture between the mu n cases, lling to almost two-thirds full. Bake in the preheated oven for 18-22 minutes, or until risen and a skewer inserted into the cakes comes out clean. Transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
To make the cream cheese icing, place the butter into the bowl of a stand mixer tted with a paddle attachment (or use an electric whisk and large mixing bowl), and beat until smooth and soft. Add the vanilla bean paste and sift in the icing sugar. Add the cream cheese and beat at medium to high speed for about 30 seconds, until smooth and glossy. Do not over-mix.
Spoon the icing into the piping/pastry bag, and pipe a swirl on to each cake. Alternatively, spread the cream cheese icing on to each cupcake using a palette knife or metal spatula. Sprinkle some red velvet cake crumbs on to each cupcake to decorate.
BANOFFEE CUPCAKES
Makes 12
Ingredients
Method
Preheat the oven to 180C/350F/ gas mark 4. Sift the flour, baking powder and bicarbonate of soda/baking soda in a bowl, and set aside.
Place the butter and sugar into the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment (or use an electric whisk and large mixing bowl), and beat the mixture at medium to high speed for 1-2 minutes, until light and fluffy. Occasionally stop to scrape down the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula to make sure that all the butter and sugar is incorporated.
Add the vanilla bean paste and mix. Then, at low speed, add the eggs, one at a time, until fully incorporated.
Add the mashed bananas and combine. Slowly add the sifted dry ingredients, and mix at low speed until combined. Scrape down the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula, and brie y beat at high speed until the mixture is smooth. Do not over-mix.
Using an ice-cream scoop, divide the mixture between the muffin cases, filling to almost two-thirds full. To give each cupcake a gooey caramel centre once baked, place the caramel into a disposable piping/pastry bag, and divide it evenly among the muffin cases, carefully inserting the nozzle/tip about halfway into each muffin case of batter. Alternatively, half-fill each cupcake case with batter, add some caramel, then top with the remaining batter.
Bake in the preheated oven for 25 minutes, until well risen and a skewer inserted into the cakes comes out clean. Transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
To make the icing, place the mascarpone and cream cheese into the bowl of a stand mixer tted with a paddle attachment (or use an electric whisk and large mixing bowl), and beat slowly until smooth and combined. Add the vanilla bean paste and mix to combine. Sift in half of the icing sugar and, mixing at low speed, mix until incorporated. Add the second half of the sugar, then beat slowly until all the sugar is incorporated.
Spoon the icing into the piping/pastry bag, and pipe a swirl of icing on to each cupcake. Alternatively, spread the icing on to each cupcake using a palette knife or metal spatula.
To decorate, place a slice of fresh banana in the middle of each cake and drizzle with a small amount of caramel. Finish the decoration with a sprinkle of chocolate curls.
In every branch of Lola’s, quality remains key. The bakers are highly trained and passionate about all things Lola. Each cupcake is created with love and skill, so that it is sure to impress.
In our new recipe book, we let you in on some of our secrets, and share recipes that have made Lola’s so successful. All the best-loved cupcakes from Lola’s Classic Collection are included, so you can create our famous Chocolate, Vanilla and Red Velvet cupcakes at home. With advice on achieving cake perfection and a guide to piping our signature swirl of frosting, you’ll be making professional-looking morsels in no time.
Although cupcakes are our fi rst and foremost passion at Lola’s, we also love to experiment with other cakes and bakes. So for this book we decided to give you some large cake recipes, as well as our much-loved traybakes and bars. They are too irresistible not to share with you all!
If you are after something diff erent, you’ll love our savoury selection. Cheese and herbs work perfectly in muffi n-style recipes, and our cooks have developed unusual combinations using pesto, cream cheese and sun-dried tomatoes.
The enduring popularity of the cupcake knows no bounds, and they remain the most stylish of bakery treats. With something for every occasion, what are you waiting for? Get baking!
Lola’s Forever: Recipes For Cupcakes, Cakes And Bars, by The Lola’s Bakers; photography by Peter Cassidy (Ryland Peters & Small, £18.99).
RED VELVET CUPCAKES
Makes 12Ingredients
- 110g butter
- 160g caster/granulated sugar
- 1 tsp vanilla bean paste
- ½ tsp red food colouring paste
- 1 egg
- 3 tbsp sun ower oil
- ¾ tbsp white wine vinegar or freshly squeezed lemon juice
- 35g dark/bittersweet chocolate, melted
- 190g plain/all-purpose flour
- ½ tsp baking powder
- ½ tsp bicarbonate of soda
- ¾ tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder
- 70ml single cream
- 70ml full-fat milk
- 35g ground almonds
- 60g butter
- 1 tsp vanilla bean paste
- 200g icing sugar
- 400g full-fat cream cheese
- red velvet cake crumbs (blitz an un-iced cupcake in a food processor and allow to dry out before storing in an airtight container)
- mu ffin pan lined with 12 muffin cases
- piping/pastry bag tted with a large star nozzle/tip
Method
Preheat the oven to 180C/350F/ gas mark 4. Place the butter, sugar and vanilla bean paste into the bowl of a stand mixer tted with a paddle attachment (or use an electric whisk and large mixing bowl), and beat the mixture at medium to high speed for 1-2 minutes, until light and u y. Occasionally stop to scrape down the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula to make sure that all the butter and sugar is incorporated.
Add the food colouring paste and the egg, and beat slowly until combined. Beat in the oil and vinegar or lemon juice, followed by the melted chocolate.
Sift the flour, baking powder, bicarbonate of soda/baking soda and unsweetened cocoa powder together into a separate bowl. Add the dry ingredients to the batter, a little at a time, alternating with the cream and milk until you have a soft batter and all the dry ingredients have been incorporated. Finally add the ground almonds and mix until smooth and a uniform colour. Scrape down the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula, and brie y beat at high speed until the mixture is smooth. Do not over-mix.
Using an ice-cream scoop, divide the mixture between the mu n cases, lling to almost two-thirds full. Bake in the preheated oven for 18-22 minutes, or until risen and a skewer inserted into the cakes comes out clean. Transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
To make the cream cheese icing, place the butter into the bowl of a stand mixer tted with a paddle attachment (or use an electric whisk and large mixing bowl), and beat until smooth and soft. Add the vanilla bean paste and sift in the icing sugar. Add the cream cheese and beat at medium to high speed for about 30 seconds, until smooth and glossy. Do not over-mix.
Spoon the icing into the piping/pastry bag, and pipe a swirl on to each cake. Alternatively, spread the cream cheese icing on to each cupcake using a palette knife or metal spatula. Sprinkle some red velvet cake crumbs on to each cupcake to decorate.
BANOFFEE CUPCAKES
Makes 12 Ingredients
- 225g plain/all-purpose flour
- 1 tsp baking powder
- ½ tsp bicarbonate of soda
- 115g butter, melted
- 170g caster/granulated sugar
- 1 tsp vanilla bean paste
- 2 eggs
- 3 medium ripe bananas, mashed
- 120g store-bought caramel
- 200g mascarpone cheese
- 110g full-fat cream cheese
- 1 tsp vanilla bean paste
- 125g icing sugar
- 1 ripe banana sliced into 12 pieces
- 50g store-bought caramel
- chocolate curls (optional)
- muffin pan lined with 12 muffin cases
- piping/pastry bag fi tted with a small round nozzle/tip (optional)
- piping/pastry bag fitted with a large star nozzle/tip
Method
Preheat the oven to 180C/350F/ gas mark 4. Sift the flour, baking powder and bicarbonate of soda/baking soda in a bowl, and set aside.
Place the butter and sugar into the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment (or use an electric whisk and large mixing bowl), and beat the mixture at medium to high speed for 1-2 minutes, until light and fluffy. Occasionally stop to scrape down the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula to make sure that all the butter and sugar is incorporated.
Add the vanilla bean paste and mix. Then, at low speed, add the eggs, one at a time, until fully incorporated.
Add the mashed bananas and combine. Slowly add the sifted dry ingredients, and mix at low speed until combined. Scrape down the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula, and brie y beat at high speed until the mixture is smooth. Do not over-mix.
Using an ice-cream scoop, divide the mixture between the muffin cases, filling to almost two-thirds full. To give each cupcake a gooey caramel centre once baked, place the caramel into a disposable piping/pastry bag, and divide it evenly among the muffin cases, carefully inserting the nozzle/tip about halfway into each muffin case of batter. Alternatively, half-fill each cupcake case with batter, add some caramel, then top with the remaining batter.
Bake in the preheated oven for 25 minutes, until well risen and a skewer inserted into the cakes comes out clean. Transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
To make the icing, place the mascarpone and cream cheese into the bowl of a stand mixer tted with a paddle attachment (or use an electric whisk and large mixing bowl), and beat slowly until smooth and combined. Add the vanilla bean paste and mix to combine. Sift in half of the icing sugar and, mixing at low speed, mix until incorporated. Add the second half of the sugar, then beat slowly until all the sugar is incorporated.
Spoon the icing into the piping/pastry bag, and pipe a swirl of icing on to each cupcake. Alternatively, spread the icing on to each cupcake using a palette knife or metal spatula.
To decorate, place a slice of fresh banana in the middle of each cake and drizzle with a small amount of caramel. Finish the decoration with a sprinkle of chocolate curls.