I love the simplicity of these cupcakes, I found the cake picks in the photo at BBC Bakes and Cakes but I have just ordered some slightly different ones (and less than half the price) from amazon Here .
150g Stork margarine or unsalted butter, softened
150g caster sugar
3 large eggs, beaten
zest of a large orange
80g dried cranberries
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
150g self-raising flour
3 tablespoons milk
buttercream:
200g unsalted butter, softened
400g icing sugar
1-2 tbsp boiling water
assorted christmas sprinkles and cupcake picks
You will also need 12 hole muffin tins lined with paper cases or 15 paper cupcake cups and a piping bag fitted with large star nozzle.
Preheat the oven to 170c/325f/Gas mark 3.
In the bowl of free-standing mixer cream the margarine (or butter) and sugar together until light and fluffy.
Gradually add the beaten eggs mixing well between each addition. Add the vanilla extract and zest. Sieve the flour into the bowl and mix again until the batter is smooth, fold in the cranberries
Divide the mixture between the 12 cupcake cases or 15 cupcake cups , I use an ice-cream scoop to spoon the batter into the cases so that each cake has the same amount of batter. Bake on the middle shelf of the preheated oven for 20-25 minutes or until a wooden inserted into the middle of the cakes comes out clean.
Leave to cool on a wire rack until cold before icing with buttercream.
Whip the butter for about 6 minutes in a stand mixer, this will give you lots of air and the wonderful light texture you’re after. Next add the icing sugar and grated coconut block to the bowl and rewhip for 6 mins until light and fluffy with a mousse like texture and at the last minute add a tsp of vanilla extract, and a tbsp of boiling water this will give a lovely sheen to your buttercream.
Spoon the buttercream into the piping bag and pipe nice swirls on each cold cupcake, top with cake picks and festive sprinkles. xx
* For my peel paste, whizz a pot of peel in a food processor with 2 Tbsp of boiling water until smooth.
For Lots more Festive recipes Click HERE x
* For my peel paste, whizz a pot of peel in a food processor with 2 Tbsp of boiling water until smooth.
For Lots more Festive recipes Click HERE x