Food icon Heinz has teamed up with the award-winning Hummingbird Bakery to celebrate its 150 year anniversary with a range of five cupcakes with a difference.

Pouring a can of classic Heinz Cream of Tomato Soup into the sponge mixture brings plenty of moisture and adds the natural sugars of the tomato, but best of all it gives it the glorious orange sunset colour that we know and love from Heinz Cream of Tomato Soup. Then comes the time to let the vibrant aroma of basil make an impression by warming fresh basil leaves in double cream to gently infuse the cream with basil flavour. Whipping this up into a light and creamy frosting, each cupcake is decorated with a generous swirl of basil-scented cream cheese frosting.

Makes 14 cupcakes

INGREDIENTS

Cupcakes:

60 g     Unsalted butter, at room temperature             
150 g   Caster sugar               
220 g   Plain flour

1½ tsp Baking powder

¼ tsp   Bicarbonate of soda 

½ tsp   Salt

1 can   Heinz Cream of Tomato Soup                                   
25 g     Tomato paste

1         Large free-range egg
 

Frosting:

50 g                 Unsalted butter, cubed
600 g               Icing sugar
400 g               Full-fat cream cheese, cold

270g                Double cream

2 leaves           Basil

Equipment:

Two 12-hole cupcake trays, lined with 24 standard muffin-sized paper cases

Electric hand-mixer or electric stand mixer

Ice cream scoop or food portioner

Scale

Sieve

METHOD

Cupcakes:

1. Preheat the oven to 180°C (160°C fan)/Gas 4.
2. Using a freestanding electric mixer with the paddle attachment (or use a handheld electric whisk), beat the unsalted butter and caster sugar together until light and fluffy.
3. Crack the egg in a jug. Add the egg to the butter mixture and mix. Scrape down the sides of the bowl and mix again.
4. Add the plain flour, baking powder, bicarbonate of soda and salt to the mixture but don’t turn on the mixer.
5. Mix the Heinz Cream of Tomato Soup and the tomato paste together in a bowl. This will help the tomato paste to dissolve into the mixture and prevents lumps.
6. Turn the mixer onto a low speed and slowly add the soup mixture. Mix well on a medium speed. Turn the mixer off and scrape down the sides of the bowl. Then mix again to ensure everything is well incorporated.
7. Line your cupcake trays with cupcake cases then use an ice cream scoop or food portioner to scoop your mixture into the cases until two-thirds full.
8. Bake in a preheated oven for 25 – 28 mins, or until the sponge bounces back when touched. The top of the cupcakes should darken slightly. A skewer inserted in the centre should come out clean. Leave the cupcakes to cool in their trays for about 15 minutes before turning onto a wire cooling rack.
9. Allow the cupcakes to cool completely.

Frosting:

1. While your cupcakes are baking, it’s time to make your frosting. Wash the basil leaves and place them in a saucepan containing the cream. A milk pan or non-stick pan is ideal. Bring to a simmer on a low heat for around 1 minute.
2. Take the cream containing the basil leaves off the heat and pour the mixture through a sieve and into a bowl to remove the basil leaves. Allow the basil infused cream to cool down. This can take up to 30 minutes to cool completely.
3. While the basil infused cream is cooling put the unsalted butter, icing sugar and cream cheese into a mixing bowl and beat well until it comes together. You can use a freestanding electric mixer with the paddle attachment or a handheld electric whisk.
4. Turn the mixer up to a high speed to remove any lumps of butter or cream cheese and then turn the mixer off.
5. Change the paddle attachment on your mixer to a whisk attachment and then turn the machine on to a slow speed. Gradually pour the cold basil infused cream into the mixture and whisk on a high speed until light and fluffy.

Decorations:

1. Once your cupcakes are cool, it’s time to frost your cupcakes. Beat your frosting until fluffy.
2. Spoon out a generous scoop of frosting onto the top of your cupcakes. Using your palette knife decorate until the sponge is covered and add a swirl if you wish.
3. Optional: keep one of your unfrosted sponges and place in a food processor. Blitz for a few seconds until the sponge resembles fine crumbs. Sprinkle the crumbs over your cupcakes to decorate.

Enjoy!

Recipe by The Hummingbird Bakery, 2019

hummingbirdbakery.com