Sweet Whirls of Summer

Tags: best cake ever, cake, Country House, homebaking, homemade cake, Irish food, Irish ingredients, private catering, recipes

Nothing says Summer Holidays quite like a “99” Ice Cream Cone with a Flake & some sprinkles or syrup.

These cupcakes are inspired by this iconic Summer favourite and great fun to make with the children.

My secret to a great texture is the addition of ground almonds in the cupcake batter.
Health Warning: This Buttercream Icing is seriously addictive!!!!

Seven decorated "99" cupcakes on a plate on a kitchen countertop.
Seven decorated "99" cupcakes on a plate on a kitchen countertop.
Cupcake Batter:
  • 175g softened butter or Stork “Margarine with Butter”
  • 175g caster sugar
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 3 free range eggs
  • 55g ground almonds
  • 150g self-raising flour
Buttercream Icing:
  • 225g butter, softened
  • 1tbsp cream or milk
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 350g icing sugar sifted
  • Cadbury Flakes
  • Sprinkles
  • Raspberry Jam, warmed & strained of seed 

 

  • Makes 12 cupcakes.
  • Line cupcake tin with papers & preheat oven to 180C or 170C fan oven, Gas Mark 4.
Method:

1. Beat butter & caster sugar together until light & fluffy, then beat in the vanilla extract.
2. Add eggs in one at a time, beating between each addition. Sift in the flour, add the ground almonds and gently fold to combine.
3. Spoon mixture into cases and bake in preheated oven for 20-25 mins or until golden brown. Transfer to wire rack and cool completely.
4. To make Buttercream icing, beat the butter, cream & vanilla extract together until well combined then gradually add in the sifted icing sugar. Keep beating until pale and fluffy.
5. When cupcakes are completely cold, spoon icing into a piping bag with a large star nozzle and pipe icing over the cupcakes into peaks to look like ice cream cones.
6. Stick the flake in the icing, add sprinkles and raspberry jam / syrup to taste.
7. Happy Summer Holidays!!!

"A Magical West Cork Escape"

We stayed at Dunowen House for a long weekend and genuinely didn’t want to leave. From the moment we arrived, we were blown away by the beauty of the house and its surroundings – the views, the gardens, the quiet… it’s pure magic. The house itself is full of character and history but still feels incredibly cosy and luxurious.

We loved having our morning coffee overlooking the sea and strolling down to the nearby coves. It was the perfect mix of relaxation and adventure. Clonakilty is only a few minutes away too, so we had some lovely meals out and picked up bits from the local markets.

"A Dream Wedding Come to Life"

We were blown away with the unmatched beauty of Dunowen – the set- ting, the people and all the details make it come to life. We feel so blessed to have had our wedding here and so grateful for Kela and Stephen for making this the most special day of our lives. We are leaving a piece of our hearts here so we will absolutely have to come back again. All our love

"An Unforgettable Celebration of Love"

I could not have imagined a more beautiful stay and wedding. We took a chance and put our trust in Kela and Stephen, booking Dunowen sight un- seen! What a wonderful experience to celebrate our love with the people we care about most without having to worry about the details. The flow- ers, the food and the accommodations were unforgettable. Thank you for giving us the space to create lifetime memories! Dunowen will have a piece of our heart. We hope to come back and do it again!

"A Perfect Stay"

Kela and Stephen. Thank you for our wonderful stay at Dunowen House and letting us enjoy the beauty of West Cork in your wonderful home and surroundings. We absolutely loved it.

"Another Unforgettable Stay"

Thank you Kela & Stephen for another amazing stay. When you’ve stayed in Dunowen it’s impossible to stay elsewhere. Your house is per- fection!

"A Perfect 70th Celebration"

Many thanks Kela and Stephen for a wonderful stay at Dunowen House. The house is so spacious, especially for our smallish family group who helped me celebrate my 70th birthday. Thanks for the beautiful flowers throughout and all the home baking. We loved the location.

"Surrounded by Dunowen’s Gardens and Coastal Beauty"

Thank you for a wonderful week. Everything was perfect and we loved being able to walk to the beach and sit in the beautiful gardens. Hope to come again.

"A Perfect 80th Birthday Celebration"

The end of a fabulous week celebrating my 80th birthday. It has been a brilliant stay with everything we needed. Just perfect. Thank you so much Kela & Stephen for your thought and kindness. All the best for the future and perhaps we will see you again!

The Ultimate 5-Star Escape

Bravo! You have created the perfect backdrop for a 5 star vacation. Our group of 18 could not have imagined a more comfortable and luxe week. I’ll see you on Instagram and we will all see you again in person next va- cation.

Flowers and fruits cake close up Flowers and fruits cake close up