Makes 12
200g dark muscovado sugar
175g butter, cubed
700g mixed dried fruit
50g glacé cherries
2 tsp fresh ginger, peeled and grated
Zest and juice of 1 orange
100ml whiskey or orange juice
85g pecan nuts, roughly chopped
3 large eggs, beaten
85g ground almonds
200g gluten-free flour
½ tsp gluten-free baking powder
1 tsp mixed spice
1 tsp ground cinnamon
For the icing:
400g ready-rolled marzipan
4 tbsp apricot jam, warmed
400g ready-to-roll fondant icing
- Combine the sugar, butter, dried fruit, glacé cherries, ginger, orange zest and juice in a saucepan. Stir in the whiskey or juice. Bring to the boil, then reduce the heat and simmer for 10 minutes until thickened. Set aside for 30 minutes to cool.
- Preheat the oven to 150˚C/130˚C fan/gas mark 2 and line a 12-cup muffin tin with paper cases.
- Stir the nuts, eggs and ground almonds into the fruit mixture, then sift in the flour, baking powder, mixed spice and cinnamon. Stir gently to combine.
- Divide the mixture between the prepared cases and bake for 35-45 minutes until a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean. Leave to cool completely.
- Roll out the marzipan onto a work surface dusted with icing sugar and stamp out 12 rounds. Brush the tops of the cupcakes with the warm jam, then top with the marzipan.
- Roll out the fondant and stamp out small festive shapes. Secure onto the top of the marzipan with a bit more of the warmed jam or some water.
Per Serving 789kcals, 32.4g fat (9.8g saturated), 123.8g carbs, 44.2g sugars, 8.5g protein, 9.1g fibre, 0.232g sodium