Jaffa Cupcakes

I think I'm yet to meet anyone in life who doesn't like Jaffa Cakes...and as to whether Jaffas are a biscuit or a cake...in this case they're most definitely a cake. If you're interested, apparently the difference between a biscuit and a cake is that cakes go hard when they're stale and biscuits go soft! McVities claim that Jaffa Cakes are indeed cakes...the reason they are keen to define them as such is that you don't have to pay VAT on cakes!

I used the vanilla cupcake recipe from the Hummingbird Bakery's new book 'Home Sweet Home'. It is a great recipe that I've used before and it gives a lovely soft and moist sponge. You can find the recipe here but this version is slightly different from the one in the new book. I've found previously with this recipe that the cakes actually taste better the next day after they're made.

As you can see from the pictures, the cupcakes also have a hidden centre. Once cooled, a little piece of cake was cored out from the centre of each cupcake and then filled with marmalade. I used Robertson's Golden Shredless and it really did taste like the centre of a jaffa cake!

As already mentioned the recipe for these Jaffa Cupcakes is from the new book by the Hummingbird Bakery 'Home Sweet Home'. If you'd like to know more about the book you can read my recent review here.

The icing is chocolate buttercream made with 450g icing sugar, 60g cocoa powder, 150g unsalted butter and 60ml of whole milk. All the ingredients bar the milk are mixed together until there are no large lumps of butter left and then the milk is added in gradually. This is a lovely light icing as there is comparatively less butter than usual and the milk loosens it up.

These cupcakes were easy to make and look cute with the mini Jaffa on top. They were also very tasty and I'd definitely make them again!

I'm entering my Jaffa Cupcakes into this month's Tea Time Treats challenge which is hosted alternately by Kate from at What Kate Baked and Karen at Lavender and Lovage, this month it's Kate's turn. The theme for April is Fairy Cakes, Cupcakes and Muffins.

Marmalade Loaf Cake

In case you don't already know, this week is the first ever National Marmalade Week (25th Feb- 3rd March), so what better excuse to make this gorgeous marmalade loaf cake. I am also entering this into the March AlphaBakes challenge hosted by Caroline Makes and The More Than Occasional Baker. The letter for this month is 'M', so this marmalade loaf is perfect!

"This delicious preserve was invented in Scotland, in the port of Dundee in the late 18th century when a local victualler, James Keiller discovered a cargo of oranges being sold cheaply. Thinking he could sell it for profit in his shop, he bought the whole cargo, only to discover the oranges were bitter and therefore unsellable.

In despair his wife took them home with the idea of making a jam. The resulting “jam” was hugely successful and was named Marmalade after Marmelos, a Portuguese word for a quince paste similar in texture to the orange spread. Marmalade is still produced today by the Keiller Company in Dundee" (About.com)

There was much Mmmmming from the taste testers upon receipt of their slice, and as one pointed out what's not to like about this cake! It was extremely easy to make, it's really marmaladey, very moist and extremely moreish...this is destined to be a firm favourite, especially when short on time. So in other words, it's highly recommended...delicious!

  

200g self-raising flour

1 tsp mixed spice

100g golden caster sugar

zest 1 orange

zest 1/2 lemon

100g mixed dried fruit

140g butter

5 tsp marmalade

125ml mil

1 tsp white wine vinegar

2 tbsp icing sugar

1 tbsp demerara sugar

Preheat your oven to 160c/140c fan/gas 3.

 

Prepare a loaf tin (2lb) with greaseproof paper. Then take the dry ingredients, flour, caster sugar, mixed spice, zest, dried fruit and a pinch of salt and mix well.

Put the butter and 2 tbsp of marmalade into a saucepan, melt together before adding in the milk. Add this mixture to the dry ingredients, mix well and then add the white wine vinegar and mix again. Pour the mixture into the tin and bake for 1 hour.

With about 10 minutes to go, you need to start on the marmalade glaze. This can be made using 2 tbsp of icing sugar and 2 of water and the final 3 tbsp of marmalade. Bring it to a simmer and let it bubble for a minute or two, it should become thick and syrupy. Finally, remove the cake from the oven and pour the glaze over the top and sprinkle with demerara. Leave to cool in the tin and then enjoy!

* Adapted from BBC GoodFood Magazine (March 2012)