Class 67 - Cherry Bakewell Cupcakes recipe

INGREDIENTS

• 150g unsalted butter, very soft
• 150g caster sugar
• 100g self-raising flour
• 3 large eggs at room temp, beaten
• ½ teaspoon baking powder
• 60g ground almonds
• 1 tbsp milk at room temp
• 4 tbsp raspberry jam (seedless)

• 250g icing sugar
• 3 tbsp lemon juice, fresh, strained
• 12 glace cherries (rinsed and dried)

METHOD

• 1. Preheat the oven 190°C/375°F/Gas 5.
• 2. Beat the butter with an electric mixer until creamy. Add all the other ingredients for the cupcakes except the jam and beat until light and creamy.
• 3. Spoon the mixture into the cupcake cases, dividing it evenly. Level the mixture in each case using your fingertip.
• 4. Bake for 15-20 minutes or until golden brown and firm to the touch.
• 5. Remove each cupcake from the tray and place on a wire rack to cool completely.
• 6. To make the icing, sift the icing sugar into a mixing bowl and work in enough of the lemon juice to make a thick but spoonable and runny icing, set aside.
• 7. Using an apple corer, remove the centre from each cup cake, cutting only two thirds of the way down. Stir the jam with a teaspoon until it is a little runny, then carefully spoon into the holes in the cupcakes until the jam reaches almost to the top (don't over fill)
• 8. Beat the icing using a teaspoon, then spoon it over the top of each cupcake to flood the surface until the icing reaches the sides of the paper case.
• 9. Take care that the jam doesn't mix with the icing. Add a cherry to the middle of each and leave to set.