Spiced Fairy Cupcakes from Papakura-based Johnsons
Doug and Aurora made and ate these special cupcakes while we celebrated Mom’s (Jacqueline Johnson’s) 75th birthday over zoom on April 10th. The record shall show that Mom’s birthday is on the 7th. World-wide drooling over the cupcakes occurred. The family decided that next time, we will all eat them together in Rarotonga.
Serves 12
Ingredients:
125g white spelt flour, sifted
1 tsp baking powder
½ tsp ground cinnamon
½ tsp ground mixed spice
125g unsalted butter, softened
2 large eggs (free-range)
125g maple syrup
Finely grated zest of ½ unwaxed orange
30g seedless raisins, roughly chopped (I never put them in)
2 to 3 tbs milk
For the Icing:
300g cream cheese
Finely grated zest of 1 unwaxed lemon and squeeze of the juic
4tbs maple syrup (or honey)
Edible spring flowers, or fresh crystallized, to decorate
Directions:
1) Preheat the oven to 180⁰C. Line a 12-hole fairy cake tray with paper cases
2) Mix the dry ingredients into a bowl. Cream the butter for about 4 minutes using an electric hand mixer until very pale and fluffy, add a heaped teaspoon of flour mix and whisk to incorporate. Add an egg and whisk for a minute, then add another heaped one or two tablespoons of the flour mix and whisk again before cracking in the second egg. Continue whisking until you have a light fluffy mixture (if it looks as if it’s curdling add a tablespoon of flour mix)
3) Add the rest of the dry ingredients, Maple syrup, orange zest and raisins. Gently and lightly fold everything together until thoroughly combined, adding a little milk at the end – just enough to give you a soft dropping consistency.
4) Spoon the mixture into the prepared cases, trying to fill the cases evenly, and bake in the oven for 15 to 20 minutes. The cakes are ready if they spring back to the touch when lightly pressed in the center. Remove from the oven and transfer to a wire rack to cool.
5) To make the icing mix the cream cheese, lemon zest and Maple syrup until smooth and creamy, adding a little squeeze of lemon juice at the end. Spoon a little icing on top of each of the cooled cakes and spread with a small palette knife or use the back of a teaspoon.
Decorate with the Flowers.
