Gloverly Cupcakes

It’s time for our 1st batch of Christmas baking! As usual I am baking for Serpentine Running Club for the last cross country race before Christmas, so it seemed fitting to make something Christmas theme and in red and gold – the clubs colours. I love the Hummingbird Bakery Christmas cupcake recipe, it has got all the flavours of a Christmas cake, but its lovely and light and is topped with scrummy almond butter cream. Click

I have made this a few times before. This time I made them gluten free – I substituted the plain flour for gluten free self raising flour. Here is the recipe. Happy baking!

Christmas Cupcakes (from The Hummingbird Bakery Cake Days)

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

300g Mixed dried fruit

100ml Rum

200g Unsalted Butter

200g Dark brown soft sugar

4 large eggs

160g Plain flour

1/2 tsp Baking Powder

1/2 tsp Mixed spice

60g Ground almonds

280g caster sugar

Line 2 muffin trays with 16 cases. Pre-heat the oven to gas mark 5/170 Fan.

Weigh out the dried fruit in a bowl and pour over the rum, leave to soak for 30 mins.

Cream and butter and sugar together in a mixer and then add the eggs one at a time scraping down the sides of the bowl to ensure it is well mixed.

Sift together the flour, baking powder and mixed spice, then add to the creamed mixture and mix on a low speed till it is combined. Next add the almonds and then fold in the dried fruit.

Divide the mixture evenly between the 16 cases and then bake in the oven for 18-20 minutes until they are lightly browned on top and spring back when pressed (and a skewer comes out clean). I usually check them and turn them around after 15 minutes.

Take out the tins immediately and leave to cool on a wire rack. Decorate once completely cool.

Almond Buttercream (also from Hummingbird Bakery Cake Days)

500g icing sugar

160g butter

50ml milk

1/2 tsp Almond essence

Beat the icing sugar and butter together on a very slow speed until the mixture resembles coarse breadcrumbs. I always put a tea towel over the top of my KitchenAid to prevent icing sugar going everywhere! Then slowly add the milk and almond essence. Once it’s all been added increase the speed and beat on high for 5 minutes until light and fluffy.