Christmas pudding cupcakes recipe

These cute Christmas pudding cupcakes are perfect for giving out as presents or serving at a party. Dried fruit, rum, brandy, and mixed spice give the cakes all the flavour of Christmas pud, without any of the fuss.

While a classic recipe like Mary Berry’s  Christmas pudding will require two lengthy steamings, these cupcakes are in and out of the oven in 15 minutes. Marzipan and sugarpaste decorations are the finishing festive touch. For full Christmassy flavour, make sure you soak the dried fruit overnight so that it has plenty of time to plump up. A festive cupcake recipe the whole family will love.

Ingredients

• 140g currants
• 140g raisins
• 140g sultanas
• 60g glace cherries
• 100ml brandy
• 100ml ruby port
• 100g unsalted butter
• 100g golden caster sugar
• 2 medium eggs
• 120g plain flour
• Pinch of salt
• 1 tsp mixed spice
• 1 tsp baking powder
• Zest and juice of half a lemon
• 1 tsp of gravy browning (optional, to get the rich dark brown colour)

For the topping

• 150g white fondant
• 150g golden marzipan
• Holly cake decorations (available from large supermarkets in the baking aisle)

You will also need

• A flower cutter (Victoria got hers from Anne Picard Products)

Method

1. To make this cupcake recipe, the night before, soak the dried fruit (apart from the cherries) in the brandy and port.
2. Preheat the oven to 200°C/400°F/Gas Mark 6 and line a 12-hole muffin tray with paper cases.
3. To make the batter, cream the butter and sugar with an electric mixer until light and fluffy. Sift the flour with the baking powder and add half to the creamed butter and sugar along with 1 egg and beat with the electric mixer. Add the remainder of the flour and the other egg and beat again.
4. Add the salt, spices, lemon juice/zest and the browning and beat again with the electric mixer.
5. Half the cherries and add to the dried fruit. Gently fold into the cake batter with a large metal spoon and then spoon into the paper cases.
6. Bake for 15 minutes, then turn the oven down to 150°C/300°F/Gas Mark 2 and bake for another 15 minutes. When the cakes are springy to the touch, remove from the oven and leave to cool on a wire rack.
7. Roll out the white fondant to 1/8inch thickness and cut 12 flowers using your flower cutter, then roll the marzipan and cut out another 12 flowers. Stick the fondant flowers to the marzipan flowers and pop onto the cooled cupcakes. Top each flower with a holly decoration.

Top tip for making these Christmas pudding cupcakes

You could also make your own holly leaves using sugarpaste and a holly-shaped stamp cutter. A sprinkle of edible glitter can be used for a wonderfully festive finish.

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