Xmas Cupcakes

Don't fancy making a large Christmas cake? bit worried about making a large cake? Then these are the cupcakes for you...

90g butter
110g brown sugar
350g dried mixed fruit
65g cherries,chopped
100g plain flour
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp nutmeg
1/2 tsp ginger

1 large tbspn orange marmalade
2 eggs
2 tbspns brandy

Topping...
2 tbspn brandy
40g butter
1 large tbspn golden syrup
50g flaked almonds
65g cherries, chopped
1 tbspn plain flour


Cream the butter and sugar, till well blended and smooth.

Sieve the flour,baking powder,nutmeg,ginger,cinnamon

Beat the eggs with 2tbspns brandy

Take the bowl containing the butter and sugar, gradually add the contents of the flour bowl and the egg mixture, alternately.

Melt the marmalade a little and add that to the mix.

Finally add the mixed dried fruit and the chopped cherries.

Mix thoroughly.




Line a muffin tin with 12 paper cases.

Spoon in the mixture about 2/3 full.



Bake Gas mark 3-4 for approx 50 mins, or until springy. Insert a metal skewer into the middle of a cake and if it comes out clean they are done.

Take another 2 tbspns of brandy and dribble a little over each cake while still warm.

Topping....

In a small pan, melt the butter,cherries,almonds,golden syrup.

Cook through till the butter and syrup are melted and the cherries and almonds are coated

Stir in 1 tbspn of plain flour and mix well.



Spoon a little of the mix over each cake, and pop back in the oven for around 10mins, until the almonds are just starting to go golden.

turn onto a wire rack to cool.




When cool, dredge with a little icing sugar.




enjoy, possibly with a cheeky glass of mulled wine and maybe a little cheese.