M&S ready to bake cakes

[annaje]

Whilst in M&S food hall, I found their new range of ready to bake cakes and (feel lazy) decided to buy the chocolate cakes and chocolate buttercream - and they are blooming lovely - taste homemade!

Now I know you can make them cheaper at home (I am normally good and make my own) - but they were on offer and had lots to choose from (Chocolate brownies, marble cake, banana loaf & several types of cookie dough).

So I just thought I share in case anyone else was feeling lazy!

Recipe
125ml milk
85ml corn or other vegetable oil, plus more for greasing
1 large egg
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
200g self raising flour
100g caster sugar
12 tsps strawberry jam
100g unsalted butter
150g granulated sugar

Preheat the oven to 190C/Gas mark 5. Grease a 12-bun cake tin.
With a fork, beat together the milk, oil, egg and vanilla extract. Stir this into the flour and caster sugar to just combine: the lumps don?t matter and overbeating leads to tough muffins. Spoon the mixture into each muffin cup so that it?s just under a third full. Then with a teaspoon add a dollop of strawberry jam and top wth more muffin mix so that the cases are just about full.

Put them in the preheated oven and cook for about 20 minutes or until the tops feel springy and resistant and the muffins have puffed up into little toadstools..
Meanwhile, melt the butter slowly in a thick-bottomed pan, and pour the sugar into a wide, shallow bowl. As soon as the muffins are ready, remove them from their moulds, dip them in the butter and roll in the granulated sugar. Best served warm, and this recipe makes 12.

Ooh lovely, a miffin recipe

Thank you seeker, you little love

Jam Donut Miffins (makes 12)
(They are muffin-sized cases - not to be confused with fairy cake cases)

280g plain flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
pinch salt
115g caster sugar
2 eggs
200ml milk
6 tablespoons sunflower oil
1 teaspoon vanilla essence
strawberry/raspberry jam

-Sift flour, baking powder and salt
-Beat 2 eggs then add milk, oil and vanilla
-Make a well in the flour and pour in egg mixture - stir until combined (don't over-mix)
-Spoon half of the mixture into the 12 cases
-Add a spoonful of jam on top of each
-Pour over the rest of the mixture
-Pop into oven (200/400/Gas 6) for about 20 mins until golden and firm to touch.
+++

Topping (not necessary)
Melt 115g butter
-dip muffins (when cool) into butter and sprinkle sugar over them
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You can use greased muffin tins instead of muffin cases.

I have found that when the jam is close to the edge of the muffin is 'breaks out' and makes a 'domed' muffin shape (you can see the jam poking through the 'crack'). If the jam is quite well hidden, then tend to come up flat (and look a bit like scones). i

Forgot to add... best eaten on day of baking and 2 or more at a time

Thanks georgie. Definitely on my list to make tomorrow night. Hope they're as gorgeous as they sound!