Orange & Raspberry Cupcakes

Makes 11-12

Ingredients

For the cupcakes

180g/6oz butter, softened

180g/6oz cater/super-fine sugar

180g/6oz self-raising flour

1/2 tsp baking powder

3-4 tbsp orange juice, freshly squeezed

2 eggs, medium size and room temperature

Zest of 1 large orange

For the filling

X amount of Raspberry coulis ( you can easily home make this by blending a 225g punnet of raspberries, press through a fine sieve to remove seeds)

For the icing

My raspberry ripple mascarpone buttercream icing click here

 

 

Method

Preheat the oven to 160C (Fan) /180C/350F/Gas 4. Line a 12-hole muffin tin with paper cases.

Sieve flour and baking powder together x 2

Cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy, add eggs one at a time along with 1 tablespoon of flour, ensuring egg1 is fully combined into the mixture before adding the second egg and flour.

Add zest, juice and flour and continue to mix until just combined, if using a wooden spoon gently fold in the figure of eight i found works the best.

Using an ice cream scoop divide the mixture into your paper cases. Bake for 15-20 minutes, or until risen and golden-brown. Remove from the oven and set aside on a wire rack to cool.

While cakes are cooling make up the raspberry ripple mascarpone buttercream icing

Fill your cupcakes with raspberry coulis (i prefer unsweetened but you can sweeten it if your prefer *use icing sugar though or you will get a gritty texture), the easiest method if you haven't got a filling tip or baking syringe is by using a small spoon or melon baller.

Pipe icing onto cupcakes using a round nozzle/tip (you can then spread carefully using a palette knife if you want like i did with some of mine) 

Decorate with sprinkles /orange zest and raspberries or for the classic decorating put a cherry (glace or fresh) on top - all these are optional extras that i can't do without!