Cranberry cupcakes with white chocolate frosting

Cranberry cupcakes with white chocolate frosting are a delightful combination of tart and sweet flavours in one little cupcake :). Before you begin, remember that the white chocolate frosting needs to be prepared the day before so that it can simply be whipped the next day. Charming, delicious and a wonderful new way to use cranberries in baking. Highly recommended!

Makes 12 cupcakes.

Ingredients for the cranberry cupcakes:

• 125 g butter
• ½ cup caster sugar
• 200 g plain flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• ½ teaspoon bicarbonate of soda
• 2 large eggs
• ¼ cup buttermilk or kefir
• 1 teaspoon orange extract
• 170 g cranberries, fresh or frozen

All ingredients should be at room temperature. Sift together the flour, baking powder and bicarbonate of soda and set aside.

Cream the butter and sugar until pale and fluffy. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. The mixture may curdle slightly towards the end of mixing, but this will not affect the final result. Add the orange extract and mix. Reduce the mixer speed and add the flour mixture alternately with the buttermilk, mixing only until combined. Alternatively, fold everything together briefly with a spatula. Add the cranberries and stir to combine.

Line a standard 12-hole muffin tin with paper cases. Fill each case to about three-quarters full.

Bake at 160ºC for approximately 25 minutes, or until a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean. Remove from the oven and leave to cool completely on a wire rack.

Ingredients for the white chocolate frosting:

• 250 g white chocolate, finely chopped
• 400 ml double cream

Heat the double cream in a small saucepan until almost boiling, then remove from the heat. Add the white chocolate and leave for 2 minutes. Stir until the chocolate has completely melted. If necessary, strain through a sieve. Leave to cool, then refrigerate for at least 12 hours.

Remove the chilled chocolate mixture from the refrigerator and whip (using the whisk attachment) until thick and able to hold its shape.

In addition:

• 50 g cranberries
• 2 tablespoons sugar
• ¼ cup water

Place all the ingredients into a small saucepan and bring to the boil, cooking only until the cranberries begin to burst. Drain through a sieve, coat in sugar and leave to cool.

To assemble:

Transfer the white chocolate frosting to a piping bag fitted with a decorative nozzle, such as a Wilton 1M tip. Pipe the frosting onto each cupcake. Top with the sugar-coated “snowy” cranberries.

Store the cranberry cupcakes with frosting in the refrigerator.

Enjoy!