Christmas!  Love it.  Well, hate that feeling when everyone unwraps their presents and has huge piles of chocolate and they pass round the ferrero rocher and you’re left without a tasty treat in the world.  So, of course, I make cupcakes.  Awesome Christmassy cupcakes full of spice and booze!  The problem with these is they’re too good, so everyone gets them.  And all that’s left is the ferrero rocher…

Next year I’m going to  make a double batch.  And hide some.  You should too.

I’ve been planning these cupcakes for months.  I’m not a fan of fruitcake(s) so the challenge was on to have something that was festive and a little bit grown up but still a cupcake.  Because cupcakes a great.  And what’s Christmas without nutmeg, orange and brandy?  Together they taste yummy and make awesome tunes.  I think the only thing that would make this cupcake better is listening to Andy, Glenn & Ritch whilst baking.  Go on…   http://www.myspace.com/andyglennandritch

Ingredients:

  • 1 cup soya milk
  • zest of 2 oranges
  • juice of 1 orange
  • 1/3 cup vegan margerine
  • 1/3 cup good quality coarse marmalade
  • 3/4 cup sugar
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla essence
  • 4 tablespoons brandy
  • 1 1/2 cups flour
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
  • 1/2 teaspooon baking powder
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt

Whisk together the orange zest, juice and soya milk.  Leave to sit until curdled (yum).  In a separate bowl, beat together the margerine, marmalade, sugar, vanilla and brandy.  It will look pretty gross.  It’s ok.  Add in the milk and beat together as best you can to break up the lumps.

Sift in the flour, baking power, baking soda and salt in 1/2 cup batches.  There shouldn’t be too many lumps but don’t over stir it or your cuppy cakes won’t be light and fluffy.  You just want to get rid of the big chunks so there are no floury surprises when you finally get to eat.

Once mixed, pour into muffin cases and bake at 180C for around 20mins.   You’ll  know when they’re done because they’ll be golden brown and if you stick a skewer in the middle it will come out clean.  Leave to cool.

For the icing:

  • 1/3 cup vegan margerine
  • 3 tablespoons brandy
  • 1 teaspoon freshly ground nutmeg
  • appx 300g icing sugar

Mush the margerine and brandy together in a bowl as best you can.  Add the nutmeg and sift in the icing sugar, again, about half a cup at a time.  300g should be enough, but if you see it started to thicken too much then stop, obviously, and if it’s a bit runny, well, heck, go add some more.  It’s Christmas afterall!

Ice and eat until you are sick.

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