After the new year celebrations everyone’s back to work this week. Many of my younger friends and cousins will be going back to school as well after a 2-month long summer vacation. Reminds me of the excitement of moving on to a new semester, the anticipation of meeting new friends, the last-minute rush to get books, school uniforms and shoes.
Start of school term must also be a headache for mothers when it comes to deciding upon breakfast items as well as packing lunch for their kids. These cute Milo cupcakes, adapted from raspberri cupcakes, are the perfect treat for them to discover in the lunch box on their first day at school.
Milo is one of those things I fondly associated with my days in primary school. A glass of Milo used to be a regular component of my breakfast routine. My homemade version was never matched the free samples we got at school as part of Milo’s advertising campaign back then.
We would impatiently await the bright green Milo van and crowd around its dispensing machines the minute it appeared in our school yard. I always used to sneak back for second or third helpings of steaming hot Milo.
The chocolate flavoured beverage was developed during the depression when many children were not receiving enough nutrients from their daily diet. Its combination of malted barley, vitamins and minerals and protein provides all the nutrients one needs to kick start the day.
In 1934, Thomas Mayne created Milo using local milk knowledge and Swiss cocoa expertise. The name Milo was based on a Greek mythical character Milon, who was known for his strength.
The last time I went grocery shopping I bought a large tin of Milo on impulse. The decision to include it in my weekly baking was just as impulsive. I only frosted a couple of cupcakes for the photos but I urge you to make more of this wonderfully creamy icing ‘coz the Milo & Condensed Milk combination is one made in heaven.
MILO CUPCAKES
Ingredients:
100 g plain flour
50 g wholewheat flour
100 g caster sugar
100 g light muscovado sugar
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
100 g Milo
1 tsp vanilla extract
200 g plain yogurt
125 g unsalted butter, softened
2 large eggs, room temperature
50 g almond meal
For the Icing
30 g lightly salted butter
60 g icing sugar, sifted
1 tbs sweetened condensed milk
Method:
- Preheat oven to 180 oC. Fill muffin pan with paper liners.
- Sift flour, baking soda and baking powder in a bowl.
- Cream butter and sugars in a large bowl, then beat in eggs.
- Add yogurt, vanilla and Milo. Beat until just combined.
- Fold in flour mixture and almond meal. Do not overmix.
- Using a tablespoon, drop batter into each cup until 3/4 full.
- Bake for 15-20 mins or until skewer comes out clean from centre.
- Cool to room temperature on a wire rack.
- For the icing, remove butter from fridge 30 min before.
- Beat butter until light and fluffy and then beat in icing sugar.
- Add sweetened condensed milk and beat until combined.
- Place icing into a large piping bag with a star tip.
- Pipe over the top of cupcakes when they are cooled.
- Drizzle some extra condensed milk over the top.
- Finish with a sprinkle of Milo. Makes 12 cupcakes.
8 comments
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January 11, 2011 at 4:08 pm
dbs
loved the Milo history part. didnt know about those things..
January 11, 2011 at 6:02 pm
Nema Jhurry
Hey Prerna!
You make me have a craving for these cupcakes. Hey, how come the Milo van never came to my school: :(.
Tc!
Nema
February 11, 2011 at 1:42 pm
Cherry
Hi Dear..just to confirm,baking soda is bicarbonate rite? bicarbonate de soudre .. thank you
February 11, 2011 at 2:08 pm
prerrnamirchi
Yea, baking soda is sodium bicarbonate, a rising agent commonly used in cakes and muffins. It is available in small Rs10 sachets and in larger packages as well.
February 13, 2011 at 10:46 am
Cherry
Oh merci merci…im planning to bake these cupcakes for my nieces nxt wkend.thx take care.
March 17, 2012 at 1:06 pm
prerrnamirchi
For 24 Mini Cupcakes:
1 3/4 cups plain flour
1/2 cup light muscovado sugar
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
200 g Milo
1 tsp vanilla extract
250 ml plain yogurt
200 g unsalted butter, softened
3 large eggs, room temperature
100 g chocolate chips
September 11, 2012 at 8:57 pm
Sinead
Hi there culd u please convert ingrediants into CUPS 🙂
September 12, 2012 at 12:18 pm
prerrnamirchi
Hi Sinead I’ll do that 😉 will make life easier for me as well!