Name: Spicy Christmas cupcakes
Prep time: 35 min
Cook time: 25 min
Total time: 60 min
Ingredients: 90 gram butter, softened; 1 egg; 1/4 cup (60ml) buttermilk; 2 tablespoon golden syrup or treacle; 1/2 cup (110g) firmly packed light brown sugar; 1/2 cup (75g) plain (all-purpose) flour; 1/2 cup (75g) self-raising flour; 1/4 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda (baking soda); 1 teaspoon ground ginger; 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon; 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg; Christmas decorations; 1/2 cup (80g) icing (confectioners’) sugar; 125 gram ready-made white icing; 12 x 5cm lengths of covered 24 gauge wire; Fruit mince filling; 1/2 cup (125g) fruit mince; 1 tablespoon icing (confectioners’) sugar

Spicy Christmas cupcakes

Get into the festive spirit with these delicious spicy Christmas cupcakes, a blend of ginger, cinnamon, nutmeg and golden syrup. Start this recipe the day before to prep the Christmas icing decorations.

Makes 12

Prep

35M

Cook

25M

Total

Ingredients

90 gram butter, softened

1 egg

1/4 cup (60ml) buttermilk

2 tablespoon golden syrup or treacle

1/2 cup (110g) firmly packed light brown sugar

1/2 cup (75g) plain (all-purpose) flour

1/2 cup (75g) self-raising flour

1/4 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda (baking soda)

1 teaspoon ground ginger

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg

Christmas decorations

1/2 cup (80g) icing (confectioners’) sugar

125 gram ready-made white icing

12 x 5cm lengths of covered 24 gauge wire

Fruit mince filling

1/2 cup (125g) fruit mince

1 tablespoon icing (confectioners’) sugar

Method

1.To make Christmas decorations; on a surface dusted with sifted sugar, knead icing until smooth; roll out until 1cm thick. Cut out shapes using cutters. Insert a length of damp wire into each shape. Stand overnight on tray lined with baking paper to dry.

2.Preheat oven to 180°C. Line a 12-hole (⅓-cup/80ml) muffin pan with paper cases.

3.Beat butter, egg, buttermilk, syrup, sugar and sifted dry ingredients in a small bowl with an electric mixer on low speed until combined. Increase speed to medium; beat until mixture is smooth and has changed to a paler colour. Divide mixture into paper cases; smooth surface.

4.Bake about 25 minutes. Stand cakes in pan 5 minutes; transfer to a wire rack.

5.Meanwhile, make fruit mince filling; warm fruit mince in a small saucepan over low heat; stir in sugar.

6.Cut a 2cm deep hole in the centre of each warm cake; discard cake rounds. Fill centres with fruit mince filling, push in decorations; dust with a little sifted icing sugar, if you like.