Gloverly Cupcakes

I love a bit of Christmas baking, last year I worked my way through the cupcake recipes from the Hummingbird Bakery Cake Days book. I love the fruit cake cupcakes, the recipe is light and delicious and still has that lovely boozy fruit cake flavour. I thought these snowmen were pretty cool and as my hubby is a massive marshmallow fan I knew these would be a winner!

Here’s the recipe:

Christmas Cupcakes (from The Hummingbird Bakery Cake Days)

Makes 16 (the recipe says makes 12-16 but I always get 16!)

For the sponge:

300g (10 ½ oz) mixed dried fruit

100ml (3 ½ fl oz) rum

200g (7oz) unsalted butter, softened

200g (7oz) soft dark brown sugar

4 large eggs

160g (5 ½ oz) plain flour

½ tsp baking powder

½ tsp mixed spice

60g (2oz) ground almonds

For the frosting:

500g (1lb 2oz) icing sugar

160g (5 ½ oz) unsalted butter, softened

50ml (1 ¾ fl oz) whole milk

½ tsp almond essence

First place the dried fruit in a bowl, pour in the rum and leave to soak for 30 minutes.

In the meantime, preheat the oven to 190°C/ 375°F/ Gas Mark 5, and line a tin with muffin cases.

Using a hand-held electric whisk or a freestanding electric mixer with the paddle attachment, cream together the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Break in the eggs, one at a time, scraping down the sides of the bowl after adding each egg and mixing on a medium speed.

Sift together the flour, baking powder and mixed spice, then add to the creamed mixture and whisk on a low speed until all the ingredients are incorporated. Add the ground almonds, followed by the rum-soaked dried fruit, and mix until combined.

Divide the batter between the paper cases, filling each two-thirds full. Any remaining batter can be used to fill one to four more cases in another tin. Pop in the oven and bake for 18-20 minutes or until the cupcakes have risen and spring back when you gently press them. Let them cool in the tray for a short while, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely while you make the frosting.

Using the electric whisk or freestanding mixer with the paddle attachment, whisk the icing sugar with the butter on a low speed until fully combined and the mixture is still powdery in texture. Gradually add the milk and, once this has been incorporated, increase the speed to high and whisk until light and fluffy. Add the almond essence and continue to whisk until it is well mixed in.

Decoration was quick, you just need a steady hand for the piping. Here’s how I did it:

• I started by making 3 small green balls per cupcake out of fondant (but you could use ready made coloured ball decorations)
• Next I made some tiny cones for the snowmans noses out of orange fondant
• I had the white marshmallow ready and the buttercream made and in a bag with the largest round nozzle I have. I piped tall swirls of buttercream on each cupcakes and gently placed a marshmallow on top of each.
• I pressed 3 green fondant balls into the buttercream to make the buttons on each cupcake.
• I then made up a small amount of  royal icing. Before colouring it black I used a tiny bit to stick the orange noses onto the marshmallows. Then I coloured the rest of it black and put it in a piping bag with a very small nozzle, I used Wilton No. 1. I then piped on the eyes, mouth and arms.

These are perfect with a cup of tea on a cold December afternoon!