Earth Day was Lidcombe Public School's theme for the 2007 fair. The weeks leading up to this, Bryan (my baby bro) was singing "3 is a magic number, yes it is, it's a magic number... reduce, reuse, recycle...". To continue his excitement, I agreed to bake a batch of cupcakes and brownies for the food stall.

Thanks to the power of online, I hunted down these 2 fab recipes --

Hummingbird Cupcakes by Su-Yin

Cupcake
3/4 cups self raising flour
1 cup dark brown sugar
1/2 cup dessicated coconut
1 tsp bicarb of soda
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1 (440g) canned pineapple (crushed)
2 large sweet+ripe bananas (mashed)
3/4 olive oil (light preferably)
2 large eggs

Icing
1 block philly cheese
1 1/2 cup icing sugar
2 drops vanilla essence

Method

1. Sift flour & combine all dry ingredients in a large bowl


2. Make a well in the center; drop in all other ingredients and mix with a wooden spoon till well combined


3. Spoon into cupcake cases till 3/4 full and bake in preheated 180 degree oven for 35-40 minutes or until skewer comes out clean wen poked thru the center


4. Cool completely before frosting

Brownies from Taste.com.au

Ingredients
Melted butter, for greasing
150g walnut halves
200g good-quality dark cooking
chocolate (like Plaistowe Cooking Chocolate), chopped
200g (1 cup, firmly packed)
brown sugar
125mls (1/2 cup) vegetable oil
3 eggs, at room temperature
1 tsp vanilla essence
75g (1/2 cup) plain flour
30g (1/4 cup) cocoa powder
1/2 tsp baking powder

Method

1. Preheat oven to 170°C. Brush a shallow 23cm square cake pan with the melted butter to lightly grease. Line the base with non-stick baking paper.


2. Spread walnuts on a baking tray and toast in preheated oven for 5-7 minutes or until lightly browned (see microwave tip 1). Cool and chop coarsely.


3. Meanwhile: place the chocolate in a medium heat-resistant bowl over a saucepan of simmering water and stir until melted and smooth (see microwave tip 2). Remove the bowl from the heat and set aside.


4. Combine the sugar, oil, eggs and vanilla in a medium mixing bowl. Use electric beaters to beat until well combined and paler in colour. Add the melted chocolate and beat until well combined.


5. Sift together flour, cocoa powder and baking powder over chocolate mixture and use a large metal spoon to fold in until combined. Fold in the walnuts.


6. Spoon mixture into prepared pan and smooth the surface. Bake in preheated oven for 35 minutes or until moist crumbs cling to a skewer inserted into the centre. Remove from oven and cool completely in pan. Turn onto a board, remove paper and cut into pieces.

Notes & tips

1. Store for up to 1 week in an airtight container at room temperature.


2. microwave tip 1: place walnuts in oven bag and twist the opening to seal. Cook, gently shaking bag every minute, for 3-4 minutes on High/ 850watts/100% or until lightly toasted.


3. microwave tip 2: place chocolate in a clean, dry small heat-resistant, microwave-safe bowl. Heat, uncovered, stirring every minute with a metal spoon, for 3-4 minutes on Medium/ 500watts/50% or until melted.