HOT CROSS BUN CUPCAKES

Hot cross bun cupcakes image

These cakes have all the fruit and spice of the traditional bun but are quicker to make. Finish with spiced cream cheese frosting crosses

Provided by Jane Hornby

Categories Treat

Time 40m

Yield Makes 12

Number Of Ingredients 18

Ingredients

1 tbsp lemon juice
100ml whole milk
175g unsalted butter
175g self-raising flour
½ tsp baking powder
175g light soft brown sugar
2 tsp mixed spice
100g ground almond
3 large eggs , beaten, at room temperature
zest ¾ orange
100g raisin , sultanas or a mix of both
1 medium eating apple , peeled then grated
1 tbsp apricot jam , warmed with a splash of water
zest ¼ orange
50g full-fat cream cheese
50g icing sugar
25g butter , softened
¼ tsp mixed spice

Steps:

Combine the lemon juice and milk in a large jug, and set aside for 5 mins. Meanwhile, heat oven to 180C/160C fan/gas 4 and melt the butter in a saucepan. Use a little of the butter to grease a 12-hole muffin tin.
Put the flour, baking powder, sugar, spice, almonds and a pinch of salt into a large bowl, then sift through it with your fingers to squash any lumps of sugar. Beat the eggs, zest and melted butter into the thickened milk. Pour this into the dry ingredients, then beat with a balloon whisk until even. Stir in the dried fruit and apple, scoop mix into the tin (the holes will be full; see tip below), then bake for 18-20 mins until golden and well risen. Cool for 10 mins in the tin, then remove to a rack.
When the buns are cold, cut a cross from the top of each one using a serrated knife, then brush the tops with the apricot jam. For the spiced buttercream, beat everything together until creamy and pale. Pipe the buttercream into the crosses. Alternatively, simply glaze the buns and pipe crosses across the tops.

Nutrition Facts : Calories 360 calories, Fat 22 grams fat, SaturatedFat 11 grams saturated fat, Carbohydrate 36 grams carbohydrates, Sugar 26 grams sugar, Fiber 1 grams fiber, Protein 6 grams protein, Sodium 0.4 milligram of sodium