Christmas Cupcakes

Preparation 30 Minutes

Cook 30 Minutes

Serves 12

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Method

Preheat oven to 180°C (160°C fan-forced).

Line a 12-hole muffin pan with paper patty cases. In a bowl, using an electric mixer, cream butter, mixed spice and sugar together until light and fluffy. Beat in the vanilla extract. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition.

Fold in flour alternately with milk, beginning and ending with flour. Fold in Sunbeam sultanas.

Spoon mixture into paper cases until two-thirds full.

Bake for 25-30 minutes or until cooked when tested with a skewer.

Cool in pan for 5 minutes, before turning onto a wire rack to cool completely.

To make the icing: beat cream cheese with icing mixture. Slowly fold melted and cooled chocolate.

Ice the cupcakes and decorate with mini gingerbread houses.

Ingredients

Cupcakes

160g Caster Sugar

125 grams butter softened

3 Eggs

1 teaspoons Mixed spice

1 teaspoon cinnamon

100g Sunbeam Sultanas

200g Self Raising flour

65g Milk

Icing

250 gram cream cheese

1/2 cup icing mixture

100 gram white chocolate

Recipe Collection

Chocolate, Christmas, Gifting, Recipes, Sweet Treats

In slow 160 degree oven roast almonds on small tray for approx 10 min. Leave to cool then dice.

Roughly chop dates & apricots fairly fine. Place in small saucepan add water and heat on a low temperature till starting to soften.

Take off heat and stir in bi-carb till it starts to foam. Then set aside to cool.

Place biscuits in food processor and blitz to form fine bread crumbs. Add all the ingredients (except chocolate) and mix together, saving 10g of diced almonds to garnish.

Place in refrigerator for 1/2hr to cool and firm.

Melt Chocolate in a narrow deep jug for 1 minute in microwave, then 10-20sec intervals until fully melted.

Roll small balls of mixture and dip into melted chocolate. Use a fork to remove out of chocolate and tap excess off.

Place on tray covered in baking paper, garnish with almonds and refrigerate until set.

Boiled Fruit Cake

  1. Soak fruit overnight in sherry or brandy
  2. Place soaked fruit, water, butter, golden syrup and sugar in a saucepan. Slowly bring to the boil then remove from heat and add bicarbonate of soda mixed with one tablespoon boiling water. Cool for 15 minutes.
  3. Add lightly beaten eggs mixing thoroughly. Fold in sifted flours, spices and vanilla essence.
  4. Place in a 20cm round or square cake tin. Decorate with almonds. Bake at 160°C for 75 to 90 minutes. Cool in tin.

Thermo cooker method:

  1. Soak fruit overnight in sherry or brandy.
  2. Place soaked fruit, water, butter, golden syrup and sugar into TM bowl and heat 7 min/100°C/Reverse/speed 1.
  3. Add bicarb soda mixed with one tablespoon boiling water and gently stir through with the spatula – the mix will froth up but should not spill over.
  4. Cool for 15 minutes in TM bowl.
  5. Carefully add all remaining ingredients apart from the blanched almonds in the order listed and mix 10 sec/Reverse/speed 4.
  6. Scrape down sides of the bowl and mix 5 sec/Reverse/speed 4.
  7. Place in a lined 20cm round or square cake tin. Decorate with almonds. Bake at 160ºC for 1¼ to 1½ hours. Cool in tin.

Apricot & Sunmuscat Sultana Bread & Butter Pudding

Cut bread into 3 cm cubes. Layer bread and sultanas over base of a 2 litre baking dish, drizzle with 2 Tbsp of the melted butter, and toss gently.

In a bowl or large jug, whisk eggs until smooth. Add jam, milk, 1/3 cup sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, salt, and vanilla to the jug. Whisk again until all ingredients are well incorporated.

Pour egg mixture over bread cubes. Gently press with a spoon to submerge the bread in the liquid. Set aside for 15 mins while oven preheats.

Preheat oven to 200°C. Drizzle pudding with remaining 1 Tbsp butter and extra 1 Tbsp sugar.

Bake for 35 – 40 minutes, or until top is golden and puffed, but still just-wobbly in the centre. Cover loosely with foil in the last 15 minutes, if browning too quickly.

Cool 10 mins before cutting. Serve warm or at room temperature, with custard and fresh berries.

Tips

Milk and butter can be substituted with diary free versions if preferred.

Apricot jam can be substituted with orange marmalade.

If bread is fresh, leave on bench for an hour or two once diced, to dry out slightly.

Bircher Muesli

  1. Combine oats, water, lemon juice and sultanas in a bowl. Cover and refrigerate overnight.
  2. Stir in yoghurt, apple and honey.
  3. Top with almonds and hazelnuts.

Stuffed Baked Apples

  1. Pre-heat oven to 180°C (160°C fan-forced).
  2. Cut a 2cm slice off the top of each apple and set aside. Using a spoon or melon scoop, scoop out the core of the apple. Place apples into a baking dish.
  3. Combine the raisins, walnuts, sugar, butter and spice. Using finger tips, mix it all together until a rough mixture has formed. Spoon into the cavity of each apple and bake for approx 25 minutes until apples are tender. If using the tops of the apples, add to the oven half way through cooking time and serve these with the baked apples.

Orange & Olive Oil Almond Cakes (Gluten Free)

  1. Pre-heat oven to 180°C (160°C fan-forced). Line 12 x ⅓ cup capacity muffin moulds with paper cases.
  2. Combine flour, almond meal, sugar and baking powder in a large mixing bowl.
  3. In a separate bowl, whisk together the oil, milk, eggs and orange rind until well combined. Add to flour mixture and mix until smooth. Pour between paper cases and sprinkle with flaked almonds. Bake for 20 minutes.Tip:
    For those avoiding dairy, simply substitute the cows milk with your milk of choice.
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