Christmas Cake Cupcakes

Christmas is only three Sundays away... I'll just let that sink in for a moment. I've been busy planning my Christmas day bakes and cupcakes will for sure be on the menu. Something that won't be on the table in my house on Christmas day is a traditional Christmas Cake. Not everyone in my family likes it and it always gets thrown away. So I have made some Christmas cake cupcakes that have all the goodness of a traditional Christmas cake just in small form. I also used some edible cupcake toppers to decorate, to give them an extra Christmasy feel.

Christmas Cake Cupcakes
(Makes 12)

175g Butter
125g Caster Sugar
40g Dark Soft Brown Sugar
175g Self Raising Flour
1/4 Tsp Bicarbonate of Soda
3 Eggs
2 Tbsp Whole Milk
1 Tsp Cinnamon
1 Tsp Mixed Spice
1/4 Tsp Nutmeg
90g Raisins
90g Glace Cherries, chopped
Juice of half an orange
Zest of half an orange

250g White Fondant Icing
Edible Icing Cupcake Toppers
Edible Glue

Preheat the oven to 170C, Gas Mark 5.

Line a cupcake tin with 12 cases.

In a large mixing bowl place the butter, sugars, flour, bicarb, eggs and milk and whisk together using an electric hand mixer until smooth. This should take around three to four minutes. Add in the cinnamon, mixed spice, nutmeg and the zest and juice of the orange and whisk together on a low speed, until well incorporated.

Fold in the cherries and the raisins until they are distributed evenly in the mixture.

Equally distribute the mixture between the cupcake cases, filling them three quarters of the way full.

Place in the oven for 18 minutes until golden brown or if a skewer comes out clean.

Leave to cool in the tin for five minutes before transferring onto a cooling rack to cool completely.

Meanwhile, roll out the fondant icing around 2mm thick. Cut out 12 circles using a cutter that is of a similar size to the cupcakes.

To get the cupcake toppers away from the backing paper, watch this handy video.

Smear a small amount of edible glue on top of the fondant circles and carefully place the cupcake topper on top and pat down. Leave to dry overnight.

Place a small amount of smooth apricot jam in the microwave for about 10 - 15 seconds. Using a pastry brush, smear a small amount on top of the cupcake and then place an icing topper on top. This will allow it to stick to the cupcake.

Repeat until all the cupcakes are complete.

If you would like to get your hands on some cupcake toppers use my discount code LITTLEHOUSE10 and you'll receive 10% of your first order.

*I was sent the cupcake toppers for review, you can find it here. All opinions are my own.