Christmas cupcakes

Ingredients

• 200 g t brown sugar dark
• 175 g butter chopped
• 700 g fruit mixed dried
• 50 g candied cherries 
• 2 tsp ginger fresh grated
• 1  orange zest 
• 100 ml orange juice dark
• 85 g pecans roughly chopped
• 3 large eggs beaten
• 85 g almond flour 
• 200 g flour plain
• 0.5 tsp double-acting baking powder 
• 1 tsp spice mixed
• 1 tsp cinnamon 
• 400 g marzipan (we used Dr Oetker)
• 4 tbsp apricot preserves 
• 500 g powdered sugar 
• 6  yukon gold potatoes 
• 6  candied almonds 
• 12 servings sprinkles 

Equipment

• frying pan
• oven
• wire rack
• skewers

Directions

1. Tip the sugar, butter, dried fruit, whole cherries, ginger, orange zest and juice into a large pan.
2. Pour over the rum, brandy or juice, then put on the heat and slowly bring to the boil, stirring frequently to melt the butter. Reduce the heat and bubble gently, uncovered for 10 mins, stirring every now and again to make sure the mixture doesnt catch on the bottom of the pan. Set aside for 30 mins to cool.
3. Stir the nuts, eggs and ground almonds into the fruit, then sift in the flour, baking powder and spices. Stir everything together gently but thoroughly. Your batter is ready.
4. Heat oven to 150C/130C fan/gas
5. Scoop the cake mix into 12 deep muffin cases (an ice-cream scoop works well), then level tops with a spoon dipped in hot water.
6. Bake for 35-45 mins until golden and just firm to touch. A skewer inserted should come out clean. Cool on a wire rack.
7. Unravel the marzipan onto a work surface lightly dusted with icing sugar. Stamp out 12 rounds, 6cm across.
8. Brush the cake tops with apricot jam, top with a marzipan round and press down lightly.
9. Make up the fondant icing to a spreading consistency, then swirl on top of each cupcake. Decorate with sugared almonds and snowflakes, then leave to set. Will keep in a tin for 3 weeks.