The Big Swap

Fair Trade Fortnight starts on Monday and if you've not already embraced Fair Trade why not start with The Big Swap. The website lists a vast amount of things you can swap to Fair Trade, from baking goods and cotton to real ale and wines, making it easy to choose Fair Trade instead of your usual :)

The Fairtrade mark is the only independent consumer label that ensures farmers in developing countries receive an agreed and stable price for the crops they grow that covers the cost of sustainable production... so it deserves support. And its so easy - brands like Tate and Lyle and Green and Blacks (my chocolate of choice for baking who have just announced they're going 100% Fair Trade) feature on there, and so do a wealth of other baking ingredients so its easy to make that little change, which won't cost you much but will make a world of difference to someone else.

To celebrate Tate and Lyle have allowed me to share a couple of recipes created by Lily Vanilli for them- if you make them please let me know, and send pics! I might give the Devil's Food cupcakes a go but as readers of my blog know I do not enjoy bacon on my cupcakes!

Lily Vanilli’s Fairtrade Bacon and Banana Cupcakes

4 rashers unsmoked organic back bacon

150g ripe Fairtrade bananas (approx 2 small)

60g Fairtrade honey

100g unsalted organic butter (at room temperature)

40g Tate & Lyle Fairtrade caster sugar

140g organic plain flour (sifted)

1/2 tsp baking powder

Pinch of salt

2 large, free-range organic eggs (at room temperature)

Handful Fairtrade Brazil nuts (toasted & chopped)

1/2 tsp grated Fairtrade nutmeg

1/2 tsp Fairtrade ground cinnamon

12 paper cupcake cases

1. Lay rashers of bacon on a foil lined sheet and place in a cold oven with the temperature set to 200c for approx 20 mins or until crispy. Allow to cool

2. Turn heat down to 180c

3. Mash bananas with honey in a small bowl and set aside

4. Sift together all the dry ingredients into a large bowl - flour, sugar, baking powder, salt

5. Cut butter into small chunks and add to the dry ingredients, blend with an electric mixer on medium speed until evenly incorporated

6. Add eggs, one at a time, beating after each addition

7. Mix in the banana/honey mixture, spices and Brazil nuts to taste

8. Spoon into cupcakes cases, filling almost to the top

9. Bake in preheated oven for 15 mins or until a toothpick inserted in the centre comes out clean

10. Remove and leave to cool in the pans for approx 3 mins - then transfer to a cooling rack and leave to cool completely.

Frosting:

55g unsalted organic butter (at room temperature)

325g Tate & Lyle Fairtrade icing sugar

1/2 cup (4fl oz) organic double cream

2 tbsp Fairtrade honey

1. Beat the butter until smooth, then add half of the sugar, the double cream and the honey

2. Continue beating, slowly adding the rest of the sugar to achieve a smooth, even texture

3. Ice each cooled cupcake with a thick swirl of frosting and top with strips of cooled bacon and chopped Brazil nuts.

Fairtrade Devil's Food Ale Cupcakes

115g unsalted organic butter (at room temperature)

45g Divine Fairtrade cocoa

155g Fairtrade ale (Honey Ale)

170g organic plain flour (sifted)

Pinch of salt

2/3 tsp baking soda

225g Tate & Lyle Fairtrade caster sugar

1 large free-range, organic egg (at room temperature)

3 fl oz (3/8 cup) organic buttermilk

12 paper cupcake cases

Preheat the oven to 180c

1. Bring ale to the boil in a saucepan. Remove from the heat and stir in the cocoa. Leave to cool until it reaches room temperature

2. Sift together the flour, salt and baking soda and set aside

3. Cream the butter and sugar together with an electric mixture until very light and fluffy (about 5 mins)

4. Add the egg and beat until just incorporated

5. Beat in the cooled ale/cocoa mixture

6. Add the sifted dry mixture in three parts, alternating with the buttermilk in two parts - beginning and ending with the dry and beating after each addition

7. Spoon the batter into a baking tray lined with cupcake cases (2/3 of the way full)

8. Bake in preheated oven for 15 mins or until a toothpick inserted into the centre comes out clean

9. Cool briefly in the pans and then transfer to a wire rack until cooled completely.

Frosting:

85g/3 fl oz (3/8 cup) - Fairtrade honey ale

15g Fairtrade cocoa

115g Unsalted organic butter (at room temperature)

340g Tate & Lyle Fairtrade icing sugar

1/2 tsp Fairtrade vanilla essence

Small bar Fairtrade chocolate to decorate

Handful toasted Fairtrade Brazil nuts (optional)

1. Boil ale in a saucepan, remove from the heat and stir in the cocoa. Allow to cool completely - transfer to a bowl and place in the fridge if necessary

2. Beat the butter until smooth

3. Add the vanilla, ale/cocoa mixture and half the icing sugar and continue to beat. Gradually add all of the sugar - beating continuously until you reach a consistency you like

4. Spread onto cooled cupcakes and top with shavings of Fairtrade chocolate and Brazil nuts.