my 'Jane Asher Home Baker of the Year' award winning tipsy blackberry and apple cupcakes

see behind the scenes picks of Jane Asher comp.............. here

Here's the recipe for my award winning cupcakes.   It's quite a 'faffy' recipe but well worth a try if like me you love to bake cupcakes. 

tipsy blackberry and apple cupcakes

ingredients for cupcakes


225 grams unsalted butter
215 grams golden caster sugar
225 grams self raising flour
4 large free range eggs
1 teaspoon Madagascar vanilla extract
1 – 2 tablespoons milk
2 crisp large granny smith apples
large shot of ‘sour apple liqueur’ (Luxardo do a great one)
10-20 grams golden caster sugar (to taste)

filling & topping

500 ml fresh double cream
300 grams fresh blackberries (reserve 12 to top cupcakes)
splosh of ‘sour apple liqueur’
10-20 grams caster sugar (to taste, depending on tartness of berries)

You will need a 12 bun muffin tin lined with 12 muffin cases and a large piping bag with a 15ml plain round nozzle. Or you can make 24 fairy cake sized ones (adjust the cooking time accordingly and you will need 12 extra fresh blackberries to top them).

For best results make sure the baking ingredients are at room temperature and try not over beat mixture once eggs and flour are added.

method

1.         preheat oven to 170-180, gas mark 4 (fan assist 150-170)

2.         peel, chop then gently cook apples, sugar and ‘sour apple liqueur’ in a small covered pan, until very slightly soft. Strain apple and put to one side to cool. Reserve all the lovely apple liquid, as this will be added to whipped cream when cooled.

3.         using the same pan put the fresh blackberries, sugar (to taste) and a splosh of ‘sour apple liqueur and cook until ‘jammy’. Leave to cool.

4.         in a separate bowl cream butter with wooden spoon adding sugar and vanilla extract, beat until light and fluffy.

5.         gently mix in the beaten egg and fold sifted flour with a wooden spoon.

6.         fold cooled apple pieces into cake mixture and add a tablespoon or so of milk if required to ‘almost dropping consistency’ but not too much or apples won’t ‘hold’.

7.         using a metal ice cream scoop, spoon mixture into the 12 muffin cases & fill until three quarters full & make a dip in the centre of each cake.

8.         cook on the middle shelf for 15-20 minutes or until golden. Test with skewer. Remove tray from oven and leave for a few minutes. Transfer cupcakes onto wire tray to cool completely.

9.         cut out a teaspoon sized piece from top centre of cooled cupcake using a serrated knife. Add a teaspoon of ‘fresh blackberry jam’ into the centre.

10.       start to whip the cream and add the reserved ‘apple liquid’ as just as cream begins to thicken. Whisk into soft peaks and just firm enough to pipe. Fill piping bag with cream mixture. Pipe the cupcake with the cream and top with a fresh blackberry.

The cupcakes are best eaten fresh soon after baking.   Otherwise they will need to be refrigerated as they have a fresh cream topping.  Once they've been in the fridge the sponge will become quite 'dense' in texture but will still be tasty.

©Linda Edmonds Aug 2007

I added some pink sprinkles & chocolate hearts in top photo.