Christmas Cupcakes
These festive Christmas cupcakes are bursting with rich and fruity flavors. The luxurious mix of dried fruits, nuts, and spices perfectly complement the boozy undertones and citrusy notes. Topped with a layer of soft marzipan and sweet fondant icing, these indulgent treats are sure to add a touch of magic to your holiday celebrations.
— Constant Cookbook
Ingredients
- 200g dark muscovado sugar
- 175g butter , chopped
- 700g luxury mixed dried fruits
- 50g glacé cherries
- 2 tsp grated fresh root ginger
- zest and juice 1 orange
- 100ml dark rum , brandy or orange juice
- 85g/3oz pecan nuts, roughly chopped
- 3 large eggs , beaten
- 85g ground almonds
- 200g plain flour
- ½ tsp baking powder
- 1 tsp mixed spice
- 1 tsp cinnamon
- 400g pack ready-rolled marzipan (we used Dr Oetker)
- 4 tbsp warm apricot jam or shredless marmalade
- 500g pack fondant icing sugar
- icing sugar , for dusting
- 6 gold and 6 silver muffin cases
- 6 gold and 6 silver sugared almonds
- snowflake sprinkles
Instructions
- Tip the sugar, butter, dried fruit, whole cherries, ginger, orange zest and juice into a large pan. Pour over the rum, brandy or juice, then put on the heat and slowly bring to the boil, stirring frequently to melt the butter. Reduce the heat and bubble gently, uncovered for 10 mins, stirring every now and again to make sure the mixture doesn’t catch on the bottom of the pan. Set aside for 30 mins to cool.
- Stir the nuts, eggs and ground almonds into the fruit, then sift in the flour, baking powder and spices. Stir everything together gently but thoroughly. Your batter is ready.
- Heat oven to 150C/130C fan/gas 2. Scoop the cake mix into 12 deep muffin cases (an ice-cream scoop works well), then level tops with a spoon dipped in hot water. Bake for 35-45 mins until golden and just firm to touch. A skewer inserted should come out clean. Cool on a wire rack.
- Unravel the marzipan onto a work surface lightly dusted with icing sugar. Stamp out 12 rounds, 6cm across. Brush the cake tops with apricot jam, top with a marzipan round and press down lightly.
- Make up the fondant icing to a spreading consistency, then swirl on top of each cupcake. Decorate with sugared almonds and snowflakes, then leave to set. Will keep in a tin for 3 weeks.
Cook Time
45M
Prep Time
PT40M
Yield
Makes 12
Nutrition
- Calories: 833 calories
- Fat Content: 29 grams fat
- Saturated Fat Content: 9 grams saturated fat
- Carbohydrate Content: 139 grams carbohydrates
- Sugar Content: 125 grams sugar
- Fiber Content: 3 grams fiber
- Protein Content: 9 grams protein
- Sodium Content: 0.44 milligram of sodium
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