CHERRY & ALMOND EASTER CUPCAKES

facebook share image   twitter share image   pinterest share image   E-Mail share image



Cherry & almond Easter cupcakes image

These little Simnel cakes are really almondy, with pieces of marzipan in the mix - and they look gorgeous

Provided by Jane Hornby

Categories     Afternoon tea, Treat

Time 45m

Yield Makes 24 cupcakes

Number Of Ingredients 11

250g pack butter , softened, plus extra for greasing
175g golden caster sugar
5 eggs , beaten
250g self-raising flour , plus an extra 2 tbsp
1 tsp baking powder
zest 1 orange , plus 2 tbsp of the juice
250g natural marzipan , coarsely grated (easiest if chilled beforehand)
½ tsp almond essence, optional
200g glacé cherry , halved
about 100g/4oz icing sugar , sifted
mini chocolate eggs, to decorate

Steps:

  • Heat oven to 180C/fan 160C/gas 4 and place 24 cupcake cases into cupcake tins. Beat the butter and sugar together with electric beaters or a tabletop mixer until light and fluffy. Add the eggs, 250g flour, baking powder, orange zest and juice and beat well till thick, creamy and evenly mixed.
  • Toss cherries in the extra 2 tbsp flour and fold into the batter along with grated marzipan and almond essence (if using). Spoon into the cupcake cases and bake for 20-25 mins, or until well risen and golden. Leave to cool in tin for 10 mins, then place on a cooling rack to cool completely.
  • Mix the icing sugar with around 1 tbsp water to make a loose but not-too-runny icing. Ice the tops of the cupcakes and top each one with about 3 mini chocolate eggs.

There are no comments yet!