Mince Pie Cupcakes!
Okay, this recipe has taken a while for me to actually post. Forgive me, work and life gets in the way. Not of the actual baking efforts, mind! Should you come to Run Camden after the mid-week run, you're likely to find a bunch of cupcakes awaiting you!
Hope you've been well?
Here's a treat for you all!
For the Cupcakes:
140g Self-raising flour
3/4 teaspoon Baking powder
1/2 teaspoon Ground Ginger
1/2 teaspoon Ground Cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon Ground Nutmeg
a pinch of Ground cloves
150g Unsalted Butter
75g Soft Dark Brown sugar
75g Soft Light Brown sugar
1 tablespoon grated Orange Zest
3 eggs
175g good-quality traditional Mince-meat
(Optional) 150g Mixed dried fruit (I used these)
For the Cream Cheese frosting:
40g Unsalted Butter, softened
1/4 teaspoon Vanilla bean paste (I used extract)
1/4 teaspoon Ground Cinnamon
75g Icing sugar
180g Cream cheese (I used Philadelphia lightest)
Method:
1) Pre-heat the oven to 180oC/ Fan 160oC/ 350oC/ Gas Mark 4. Line a 12-holed muffin pan with muffin cases.
2) Sift the flour, baking powder and spices into a bowl and set aside. In a large mixing bowl, add the butter, sugars and orange zest together and mix until light and fluffy.
3) Add the egg, one at a time, scraping down the sides with a rubber spatula to mix well.
4) Add the mincemeat and mix until combined. Add the dry ingredients in batches until fully combined. If usnig dried fruit (I did), add them now and mix well.
5) Divide the mixture between the muffin cases, using an ice creamscoop to fill each one to almost 2/3rds full.
6) Bake in the pre-heated oven for 20-25 minutes, until risen well and an inserted skewer comes out clean. Transfer to wire rack to cool completely.
Cream Cheese frosting:
1) Place the butter in a large mixing bowl and beat until smooth. Add the vanilla bean paste (extract) and ground cinnamon before sifting in the icing sugar in batches. Mix well.
2) Add the cream cheese and mix until smooth and glossy. Do not over-mix.
3) Either sppon the cream cheese frosting into a piping bag and pipe swirls onto the top of each cupcake or spread the frosting on each using a palette knife or metal spatula.
4) Decorate each cupcake with the shortbread pieces from the previous recipe.
Phew! That was worth waiting for!
And they tasted so lovely, even if they were admittedly unseasonal in February. Let me know how you find them.
Later, ladies and gents!
*Lola*