Blueberry Cupcakes with Easter Egg Toppers (12 medium / 10 large)
Ingredients:
For the biscuit toppers -
200g plain flour
120g softened butter
4 tbsp Siúcra caster sugar
¼ tsp ground cinnamon
1 tsp vanilla extract
2 to 3 tbsp milk
For the cupcakes -
140g Siúcra caster sugar
120g butter, softened
2 eggs, lightly beaten
160g plain flour
2 tsp baking powder
70g blueberries, dusted with flour
Juice of 1 orange juice
Zest of 1 orange
For the butter cream -
150g butter, softened
350g Siúcra icing sugar, sieved
A few drops orange extract (or fine zest of 1 orange)
For the royal icing for the toppers -
120g Siúcra royal icing sugar
(or ¼ egg white and 120g sifted Siúcra icing sugar)
½ tsp lemon juice
Your favourite colouring /s
Instructions:
For the Biscuit Toppers -
1. Preheat oven to 180°C/Fan160°C/gas 4.
2. Line 2 baking trays with parchment.
3. Place the flour and butter into a bowl and rub the butter in until it resembles fine breadcrumbs.
4. Stir in the caster sugar, cinnamon and vanilla extract and enough milk to make a firm biscuit dough.
5. Knead very lightly together and wrap in parchment. Leave in the fridge to rest for 1 hour.
6. Roll out the dough thinly and use a cutter to shape the toppers.
7. Place them on the lined trays and bake for 18 to 20 minutes until golden and baked.
8. Leave to cool on the trays for 5 minutes before transferring to the rack to cool completely before decorating.
For the cupcakes -
1. Preheat the oven to 180°C/Fan160°C/Gas 4.
2. Line a muffin tray with cupcake cases.
3. Add the sugar and butter into a mixing bowl and whisk until pale and fluffy.
4. Beat the eggs with a fork and add all the eggs in at once.
5. Sift in the flour, baking powder, add blueberries, orange zest and stir enough orange juice to form a cake batter
6. Using 2 spoons, neatly spoon the mixture into each case and bake for about 18 to 20 minutes or until risen, golden brown and when a skewer is inserted into the centre it should come out clean bearing in mind that you have blueberries in the mixture.
7. Allow to cool completely before icing.
For the Icing -
1. Follow the packet instructions for the Siúcra royal icing sugar (or whisk the egg white in a bowl, add the sifted icing sugar while still whisking until a thick paste forms).
2. Add the lemon juice. Divide into bowl and add colouring/s.
3. Spoon into a piping fitted with a fine nozzle. Cover the rest of the royal icing with plastic wrap or a damp tea towel.
4. Decorate the biscuits and leave to set/dry on a rack.
For the Buttercream -
1. Cream softened butter, icing sugar together in a mixer, add orange flavouring. Test that you have sufficient orange flavouring.
2. Fill a piping bag fitted with a star nozzle and decorate the cupcakes.
3. Arrange a topper on each cupcake when ready to serve.
