Gloverly Cupcakes

It’s suddenly started feeling very autumnal! My favourite time of year, I’m definitely looking forward to making more comfort food dinners and bakes. I made these with Chloe a couple of weeks ago, she absolutely loves plums, so these went down a treat for breakfast at the weekend. Click here to see the recipe.

I saw the recipe a few years ago in the Sainsbury’s magazine and each autumn I mean to try it but I’ve only just got round to it. I’ll definitely be making it again as they were so light and yummy. The recipe can be found here. And I have written it out below.

300g plain flour
3½ tsp baking powder
200g caster sugar
50g desiccated coconut, plus extra
1 large egg
220ml buttermilk (or use natural yogurt)
125g butter, melted and cooled
zest of 1 lemon
250g plums (about 3 or 4), stoned and finely diced

For the Icing:
50g soft butter
250g full-fat soft cheese
75g icing sugar
1 tbsp lemon juice
2 plums, halved, stoned and thinly sliced

Line a 12-hole muffin tin with deep muffin cases or squares of nonstick baking paper. Preheat the oven to 200°C, fan 180°C, gas 6.

Sift the flour, baking powder and a pinch of salt into a large mixing bowl and stir in the caster sugar and coconut. Make a well in the centre of the ingredients.

Break the egg into a mixing jug, add the buttermilk, melted butter and lemon zest and whisk together lightly with a fork.

Pour the egg and buttermilk mixture into the bowl of dry ingredients, add the diced plums and stir together swiftly until only just mixed. A few lumps won’t hurt, just take care not to overmix. Divide the mixture between the muffin cases and bake for 20-23 minutes until golden brown and cooked through. Transfer to a wire rack and leave to cool.

For the frosting, beat the butter in a bowl until smooth and creamy. Add the soft cheese, sift and add the icing sugar and add 2 teaspoons of the lemon juice; beat once more until smooth. Chill until the muffins have completely cooled.

Spread the frosting over the top of each muffin. Toss the sliced plums in the remaining lemon juice, drain briefly on kitchen paper and then use to decorate the top of each muffin. Scatter with a little coconut (toasted if you wish) and eat on the day of baking or freeze.