Because it's always preferable to have a ridiculous pun that anything else, I have gone with sister dears suggestion for a name. Obviously our genes have some sort of pun hungry chromosome, I just can't resist them, much like these cakes.
These are just stupidly simple and almost criminally delicious. All it really consists of is a basic sponge mixture with some spices and dried fruit thrown in. I also make a little crunch topping for them using crystallised sugar and cinnamon. I have been using a sugar called Plantation Reserve, made in small batches in Barbados and it is delicious. I know it sounds a bit odd to say that sugar tastes anything but sweet but this has the most amazing flavour. Syrupy and rich and with a mouth pleasing crunch. Obviously you don't have to use this, any sugar would do really or you could forego the whole topping. The Husband did say this morning (whilst eating a cake and driving the car) that he liked the cake and the dried fruit but he could do without the sugar topping. I asked who he was and what he'd done with the real Husband as he was clearly an imposter. Husband doesn't like dried fruit, especially not dried cranberries. Further investigations will be made into this imposter's behaviours.
Ingredients
125g soft butter
125g caster sugar
2 free range large eggs
1 tsp vanilla extract
125g self raising flour
1 tsp ground mixed spice
0.5 tsp ground cinnamon
50g raisins
50g dried cranberries
Optional topping
3 tbsp crystallised
1 tsp cinnamon
Preheat oven to 200C/400F/Gas 6
Line a 12 hole muffin pan with paper cases
Cream together the butter and sugar until it is pale and moussey. Add the eggs and vanilla extract and mix together. I use a set of electric beaters because I am too weak and lazy to beat this stuff by hand and life is just too short. Once it's all mixed add the flour and spices, folding them in with a wooden spoon, then mix through the fruit.
Divide the mixture between the cases. In a small bowl mix the cinnamon and sugar then sprinkle evenly over the tops of each muffin. Bake for 20 minutes until risen and golden brown and your kitchen is filled with an aromatic cloud of gorgeousness. Cool on a wire rack as much as possible before devouring them all.
Variations
I think it would be impossible to give you a definitive list of possible variations, given the cacophony of dried fruitage around but I would say to steer clear of currants. They are great in themselves but you want something hear that will be plump and luscious and currants ain't it. Cherries would be wonderful as would blueberries if you like them, I am still vastly underwhelmed by them, but they do seem popular. You can buy semi-dried strawberries and raspberries which I have used before and they become almost jammy when cooked, which is a nice change of pace. And I think if you wanted to ramp up the topping a bit, you could throw on some chopped nuts (N.B. Oh God please for the love of all that is holy do not buy chopped nuts. Buy whole nuts and chop then yourself. Chopped nuts should be banned and sent to hell.) or make up a mixture with oats, sugar, butter and spices for a crumble topping. The world is your oyster, or in this case your muffin case.
These are just stupidly simple and almost criminally delicious. All it really consists of is a basic sponge mixture with some spices and dried fruit thrown in. I also make a little crunch topping for them using crystallised sugar and cinnamon. I have been using a sugar called Plantation Reserve, made in small batches in Barbados and it is delicious. I know it sounds a bit odd to say that sugar tastes anything but sweet but this has the most amazing flavour. Syrupy and rich and with a mouth pleasing crunch. Obviously you don't have to use this, any sugar would do really or you could forego the whole topping. The Husband did say this morning (whilst eating a cake and driving the car) that he liked the cake and the dried fruit but he could do without the sugar topping. I asked who he was and what he'd done with the real Husband as he was clearly an imposter. Husband doesn't like dried fruit, especially not dried cranberries. Further investigations will be made into this imposter's behaviours.
Ingredients
125g soft butter
125g caster sugar
2 free range large eggs
1 tsp vanilla extract
125g self raising flour
1 tsp ground mixed spice
0.5 tsp ground cinnamon
50g raisins
50g dried cranberries
Optional topping
3 tbsp crystallised
1 tsp cinnamon
Preheat oven to 200C/400F/Gas 6
Line a 12 hole muffin pan with paper cases
Cream together the butter and sugar until it is pale and moussey. Add the eggs and vanilla extract and mix together. I use a set of electric beaters because I am too weak and lazy to beat this stuff by hand and life is just too short. Once it's all mixed add the flour and spices, folding them in with a wooden spoon, then mix through the fruit.
Divide the mixture between the cases. In a small bowl mix the cinnamon and sugar then sprinkle evenly over the tops of each muffin. Bake for 20 minutes until risen and golden brown and your kitchen is filled with an aromatic cloud of gorgeousness. Cool on a wire rack as much as possible before devouring them all.
Variations
I think it would be impossible to give you a definitive list of possible variations, given the cacophony of dried fruitage around but I would say to steer clear of currants. They are great in themselves but you want something hear that will be plump and luscious and currants ain't it. Cherries would be wonderful as would blueberries if you like them, I am still vastly underwhelmed by them, but they do seem popular. You can buy semi-dried strawberries and raspberries which I have used before and they become almost jammy when cooked, which is a nice change of pace. And I think if you wanted to ramp up the topping a bit, you could throw on some chopped nuts (N.B. Oh God please for the love of all that is holy do not buy chopped nuts. Buy whole nuts and chop then yourself. Chopped nuts should be banned and sent to hell.) or make up a mixture with oats, sugar, butter and spices for a crumble topping. The world is your oyster, or in this case your muffin case.
1 comment:
Oh yu-u-u-u-ummy! These are delicious. I conned a daughter out of one in exchange for a digestive biscuit. Mairi was appalled - the daughter seemed to think it was a fair exchange however, so who am I to judge? Mairi said I said Mmmm ten times before saying anything else whilst eating them. She only bought 5 to us though. I wanted about 4 each.
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