The Easter Bank Holiday weekend is almost upon us and while you’re spending time with your loved ones at home, Haskins Garden Centres has dished up the perfect Easter recipe. But you’ll have to eat quickly because they’re sure to go fast.
Whether you’re new to baking or you’ve baked more cakes than Mary Berry, these cupcakes are easy to make and utterly delicious. They also serve as a timely reminder that you should be sowing your carrot seeds!
Ingredients (makes 12 cupcakes):
- 200g self-raising flour
- 175g light muscovado sugar
- 1tsp bicarbonate of soda
- 2tsp mixed spice
- zest and juice of one orange
- 2 large eggs
- 150ml sunflower oil, plus extra for greasing the tin
- 50g natural yoghurt
- 200g grated carrot (approximately 2 large carrots)
For the icing:
- 50ml runny honey
- 150g mascarpone
- 100g thick natural yoghurt
- 75g icing sugar, sieved
To make the cupcakes:
Start by preheating your oven to 180°C/160°C fan/gas mark 4 and grease a 12-hole muffin tin or line with paper cases. The more colourful, the better.
Place the flour, sugar, bicarbonate of soda, mixed spice and orange zest in a large mixing bowl and stir together so everything is evenly combined. Mix together the eggs, oil and yoghurt in a separate bowl until combined, then pour onto the dry ingredients and mix well. Add the grated carrot and fold in.
Spoon or pour the mixture into the prepared tin and bake for 20-22 minutes. When they’re cooked, a skewer inserted into the middle should come out clean. When they’re done, remove from the oven. Turn the cupcakes out and allow them to cool completely.
While they cool, make the icing. Heat the honey and orange juice in a pan. Bring it to the boil, then reduce the heat and allow it to simmer for a minute or so until it reaches a syrup consistency. Spoon a few generous teaspoons over each cake while they’re still slightly warm so it soaks in. It’s going to give your cakes an extra hit of flavour.
Once your cakes have cooled, you can ice them. To make the icing, beat the mascarpone, icing sugar and yoghurt together until they’re just combined. Then stop! If you over-beat it, the mixture will become runny. Use a palette knife or cutlery knife to swirl the icing onto the top of the cakes, then drizzle a little more honey on top. If you want to decorate them, why not add sprinkles or make carrots from fondant? You could even add some pretty pansy or nasturtium flowers to make them more colourful.
After that, lick the icing bowl, eat the cakes and have a fantastic Easter weekend!
Show us your cupcakes! If you make them, send us a picture on Facebook or Twitter.
Thanks to Haskins Garden Centres for this recipe. They have stores in Ferndown, West End in Southampton and Roundstone and Snowhill in West Sussex. For more information, visit their website.