Cherry Bakewell Cupcakes.

Sorry about quality of lighting in photos but it is getting dark so early now.  And, in fact, it is quite dark all day when it rains solidly like today and yesterday.

These are Cherry Bakewell Cupcakes and are inspired by those made by Holly in the second series of The Great British Bake Off.  Yes, my favourite programme at the moment.  It is even beating Strictly Come Dancing... maybe?  Anyway, it is the final on Tuesday.  I know it was filmed ages ago but I still want to say "Good Luck" to Holly, Jo and Mary-Anne.  May the best baker win.

The new GBBO book was reviewed by Kelly-Jane here just the other day and after reading it, Steve arrived home with a copy for me.  He had wanted to buy it for my Christmas but was scared I would buy it myself before then so just gave it to me early.

I made these for a girly night with friends watching 'Julie and Julia'.  The first time I had ever seen it!  I give the recipe below as it is slightly different to Holly's one which is here.  Brilliant idea for cupcakes and I really enjoyed them.  Very easy to make too and I love the simple and retro decoration.

Recipe - Cherry Bakewell Cupcakes inspired by Holly's Recipe from 'The Great British Bake Off - How To Bake'.

(Makes 18 cupcakes)

Ingredients - 

For the cupcakes - 

150g Stork margarine

150g caster sugar

80g SR flour

80g ground almonds

3 large eggs

1/2 tsp baking powder

1 tsp almond essence

For the decoration - 

6 tbsp seedless raspberry jam

250g icing sugar

about 3 tbsp lemon juice

18 non-dyed Glace cherries

Method - 

1. Preheat oven to 190C/375F/GM 5.

2. Line muffin trays with paper muffin cases.

3. Put all cupcake ingredients into large bowl and mix at high speed with electric mixer until light and fluffy (about 4 mins).

4. Spoon the mixture into the paper cases and level the tops with the back of a spoon.

5. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes until golden and the top will spring back when pressed lightly with a finger tip.

6. Remove each cupcake from the trays and leave to cool completely.

7. With a small, sharp knife, cut a circle out of the top of each cake.  Fill the hole with a teaspoon of jam then replace the cake lid.

8. Sift the icing sugar into a bowl and work in the lemon juice a tiny bit at a time until you have a thick but spoonable icing.  Spoon over the top of each cake and level with the back of a spoon.

9. Finish each cake with a Glace cherry.