I am on a roll here, baking everything in this book. In fact I did have a plan in mind and to bake everything in this book, but then my plans hardly ever come to light! Hardly, simply because I lose the thrill of baking and go BAH lets go out and buy one. Again, I tweaked this one because the original recipe used Raspberry jam but we had run out……and only have blackcurrant conserve left. So Blackcurrant it was!
Sometimes you feel like you have to do what the book says, all the icing and galore and stuff. But really if you don’t fancy eating a buttercream/icing full on cupcake, leave it out. You are doing the baking so do it your way! Although have to admit, points to picture above, it doesn’t look as pretty in pictures but still tastes superb….. I use less sugar in all the recipes than the amount stated simply because I find it slightly healthier!
110g butter
100g caster sugar
3 small eggs OR 2 large eggs
125g self raising flour, sifted
120g plain flour, sifted
125ml semi-skimmed milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
3 tablespoon of blackcurrant conserve. (Or whatever jam-like thing you want)
- Preheat oven to 160C(fan)/180C/350F/gas mark 4
- Cream butter and sugar until pale and creamy
- Add the eggs one at a time, mixing for a few minutes after each addition.
- Combine the two flours in a separate bowl. Put the milk in a jug and add the vanilla extract to it.
- Add one-third of the flour in the creamed mixture and beat well.
- Pour in one-third of the milk and beat again.
- Repeat these steps until all flour and milk have been added.
- Gently fold in the blackcurrant conserve until most is combined. The idea is to have some streaks in the mixture rather than a evenly coloured batter.
- Fill cupcake cases two-thirds full.
- Bake in oven for 25 minutes, until golden brown and risen.
- Cool in tin for 10 minutes before gently placing on a wire rack to cool.
The original recipe, after it had cooled down, was to cut hole in middle of cake and pour in jam in the middle however I don’t like the idea of eating a whole blob of jam once I get to the middle so this step was left out of my cupcakes!
Enjoy 
