GINGERBREAD CUPCAKES

You can't have christmas with Gingerbread and these cupcakes bring all the best elements of those spicy yuletide treats together to produce the scrummiest cupcakes.  The cake itself has ginger and mixed spice whilst the buttercream has cinnamon added for extra spice overload.

150g Self Raising Flour
1/2 tsp Baking Powder
1 tsp Ground Ginger
1 tsp Mixed Spice
75g Soft Brown Sugar
1 Egg
90g Margarine
60ml Milk
2 tbsp/100g Golden Syrup

Cream together the butter and sugar.  Add the remaining ingredients and stir till completely combined.  Divide between 12 cupcake cases and bake for 20-25 minutes.

While the cakes cool make your buttercream with 300g Icing Sugar, 150g Butter and 1 tsp Cinnamon.  Once the cakes have cooled completely, pipe a swirl of buttercream onto each one and top with a small gingerbread biscuit.

HAPPY CHRISTMAS

DOUBLE COMPETITION - ENDED

This week I'm running a competition giveaway in conjunction with the fabulous Betty Bee Vintage.  I love this blog, Betty writes about her love of everything 40's and 50's.  It's full of recipes, craft ideas, beauty tips and inspirational chat so well worth a visit.  Betty also writes for  Guardian Life and Style and for Vintage Life Magazine.

  

  

This unique retro cake stand, hand crafted by Betty herself and a must have for displaying your french fancies,  bettenburg or scones could be yours.

SIGNED 'GREAT BRITISH BAKE OFF' BOOK 

Betty is also running a competition.  You could win a copy of 'The Great British Bake Off Book' which I can highly recommend!  It's full of all the best recipes from the series and step by step master classes for the technical challenges featured on the programme.  It has also been signed by yours truly so pop over to her blog and take a look , I'll see you there x

If you fancy making the Christmas inspired Scones on the cake stand, here's the recipe.

Rub 100g Sunflower Margarine into 400g Self Raising Flour.  Stir in 50g Sugar, 1 tsp Mixed Spice, Zest of 1 Orange and 100g Dried Cranberries.  Now measure Juice of half an Orange and make it up to 200ml with milk.

Add the wet ingredients into the dry and mix well.  Turn out onto a floured surface and knead gently to form a smooth dough.  Roll out your dough to about 1" thick and cut out rounds.  Brush with an egg wash.  Bake at 200C for 15-20 minutes.