Butternut Blondies

From Higgidy’s Clever with Veg Cookbook. Like all ‘blondies’, these are in essence a cross between a brownie and a cookie, the difference here being that there's added butternut squash purée in the mix. Once cooled, these can be cut into squares and kept in the fridge for up to a week. Great served warm as a pud with a dollop of vanilla ice cream.

Makes 12–16

Ready in 1 hour, plus cooling

Equipment:

• 20cm square baking tin, about 7cm deep

• 200g butternut squash purée

• 200g caster sugar

• 2 large free-range eggs

• 150g butter, melted, plus extra for greasing

• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

• 75g plain flour

• 1 teaspoon baking powder

• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

• Pinch of salt 100g ground almonds

• 100g white chocolate chips, plus extra for sprinkling

• 50g chopped walnuts, plus extra for sprinkling (optional)

1. Preheat the oven to 180°C/160°C fan/Gas Mark 4. Grease a 20cm square baking tin and line with non-stick baking paper.

2. Place the squash purée in a bowl, add the caster sugar, eggs, melted butter and vanilla extract and mix until fully combined.

3. Sift the flour, baking powder, cinnamon and salt into a separate bowl. Add the ground almonds and stir to combine. Add this mixture to the bowl of wet ingredients and mix until just combined. Stir in the white chocolate chips and walnuts, if using, until evenly distributed.

Pour the batter into the prepared baking tin and spread evenly. Sprinkle over a few extra white chocolate chips and chopped walnuts (if using). Bake for 30–40 minutes, until golden brown. Set aside to cool in the tin. The blondie will collapse slightly as it cools. When completely cold, remove from the tin, peel away the baking paper and cut into 12–16 squares.

Easter cupcakes

Recipe provided by delicious. magazine

Whisk up these Easter cupcakes, then get creative with the decorations. We’ve topped ours with vanilla buttercream, chocolate nests and creme eggs.

Makes 12

Hands-on time 25 min, plus cooling

Oven time 17-20 min

Ingredients

• 160g butter, softened

• 160g golden caster sugar

• 3 medium free-range eggs

• 150g self-raising flour

• 2 tbsp milk

• 1 tsp vanilla extract

For the buttercream and chocolate nests

• 160g unsalted butter, softened

• 270g icing sugar

• 1 tsp vanilla bean extract

• 1½ tbsp golden syrup

• 3 shredded wheat biscuits, roughly crumbled

• 150g dark chocolate, melted

• 6 Cadbury creme eggs, halved, or chocolate mini eggs

Method

1. Heat the oven to 160°C fan/gas 4. Put all the cupcake ingredients in a large mixing bowl. Using an electric mixer or wooden spoon, beat together to make a thick, smooth batter.

2. Line a 12-hole muffin tin with paper cases, then evenly divide the batter among the holes. Bake for 17-20 minutes, then allow to cool on a wire rack.

3. Meanwhile, make the buttercream. Put the softened butter in a large bowl and beat using an electric mixer or wooden spoon. Add half the icing sugar and beat until combined, then add the remaining icing sugar with the vanilla. Beat until smooth and light.

4. Mix the golden syrup and crumbled shredded wheat into the melted chocolate, then spoon 12 equal-sized chocolate nests onto a tray lined with non-stick paper. Make an indent in the middle of each nest and nestle in half a creme egg or chocolate mini eggs. Leave to set.

5. Spread a layer of buttercream on top of each cupcake, then top with an egg-filled nest.

Reader recipe

All our rehomers have hens, plus eggs, which equals cake! So, we thought why not introduce a reader recipe section from time to time where you can share your favourite things to make with your hens’ eggs in the hope of inspiring others?

In this issue we have a delicious-looking white chocolate and blueberry loaf cake from Mike Slatter, who told us he was very excited when his two most recent BHWT adoptees, Dorothy and Ethel, laid their first blue eggs since joining his flock!

Enjoy.

White chocolate and blueberry loaf cake

• ½ cup oil

• ½ cup milk

• 2 medium eggs

• 1 ½ teaspoon vanilla extract

• 100g sugar

• 110g brown sugar

• 312g plain flour

• 2 teaspoon baking powder

• 150g white chocolate chips •1 cup blueberries (fresh or frozen)

• 1 tbsp. flour (extra)

Instructions

1. Grease a 9"x5" loaf pan with butter or non-stick cooking spray. Add two strips of baking paper at each end with enough over-hang to be able to lift out the bread once baked.

2. Preheat the oven to 180 C (350 F).

3. Mix the oil, milk, eggs and vanilla together in a large bowl.

4. Mix through the sugar and brown sugar.

5. Fold in the flour and baking powder until just co bined.

6. In a small bowl, add the blueberries and extra flour and coat the blueberries in the flour.

7. Add the blueberries and the white chocolate chips to the dough and gently fold through.

8. Pour into the prepared loaf pan and bake for 35-45 minutes. I checked and turned mine at 30 minutes. Insert a toothpick into the centre of the bread and when it comes out clean the loaf is baked. Oven times vary.

9. Remove the pan from the oven and let bread cool in the pan for 15 minutes. Run a knife around the edges of the bread and carefully remove from the pan using the overhanging baking paper. Allow the loaf to cool completely before slicing.