patrícia furtado

I never got to know my grandmother Isabel very well, as I was only five when she died. And as a kid I always felt I was missing out. Having one grandmother was wonderful, having two would have been even better.

This cupcake recipe was one of my first adventures into baking. I remember doing taking a batch to school, I remember sharing the recipe with friends and teachers, and I remember being proud of it, because it was my grandmother’s recipe and had a little story attached to it.

Gran Isabel had once decided to redecorate her living room, but couldn’t afford it. So, she started baking daily batches of these little sugar bombs and selling them in the local café, with great success, until she had saved enough for that new furniture she had her eyes set upon.

She used to gladly give the recipe away to anyone who would ask, but because it’s so simple, people always assumed she was holding something back. Maybe the secret was in the little tin moulds, that I still treasure today.

Every time I bake them, I save one for my dad to taste. And I always ask “Are these just like granny’s cup cakes?” The answer is invariably the same: “Almost there, but not quite…” Crispy outside, moist inside, they’re still delicious, nonetheless.

Gran Isabel’s cup cakes (makes 24)

2 eggs
500g sugar (yes, that much!…)
115g plain flour
50g melted butter
250ml milk

Preheat the oven to 180º. In a bowl, beat the eggs with the melted butter and half the sugar until light and frothy. Stir in the remaining sugar and the milk. Finally fold in the flour.

Pour into 24 very well buttered and lightly floured muffin tins and bake for about 30 minutes, or until the top is golden and the edges are crispy brown.