I have to admit that since returning to Uni last month I haven’t had as much time to bake as I’d like. Gone are the days of getting back from the school run and pottering about in the kitchen with Izzy for a couple of hours. Still, even if wielding my pinny and my mixing bowl has become a rare treat it’s still my favourite way to unwind.

I’ve been longing to try this recipe from the Primrose Bakery book ever since it was gifted to me for my birthday as ginger is one of my favourite flavours, in both sweet and savoury dishes. I wasn’t dissapointed, the cupcakes were very yummy! They make the perfect winter treat, they have a lovely warmth to them and the sponge is light but dense and comforting. The ginger and black treacle give them a little bite too, and the frosting is so scrummy! Although I made these for the Halloween weekend (and decorated them with the obligatory orange and green sprinkles) they’d work just as well at any time, especially sprinkled with a little demerara sugar.

For the cakes you will need:
200g unsalted butter, diced, at room temperature
175g dark brown soft sugar
3 tbsp black treacle (molasses)
150ml semi-skimmed milk, at room temperature
4 pices of stem ginger, drained and chopped (reserve the syrup for the ginger fudge icing)
2 large eggs, beaten
300g self-rainsing flour, sifted
1 tbsp ground ginger
pinch of salt

For the icing:
140g unslated butter, at room temperature
2 tsp freshly squeezed lemon juice
4 tbsp ginger syrup, drained from jar of stem ginger
300g icing sugar, sifted

1. Preheat the oven to 160c(fan)/180c/350f/gas mark 4 and line muffin trays with the appropriate number of cupcake cases (the recipe makes approx 18 cupcakes).2. Melt the butter, sugar and treacle in the saucpan over a low heat. Cool briefly and then stir in the milk.

3. Add the chopped ginger to the beaten eggs and then beat into the butter mixture. 4. Sift the flour, ground ginger and salt and add to the warm mixture. Combine thoroughly.5. Carefully spoon the mixture into the cupcake cases, filling them to about 2/3 full (I always, always seem to undefill mine slightly). 6. Bake in the oven for 30-35 min or until a skewer comes out clean. Remove from the oven and leave to cool in their tins for about 10 minutes before carefully placing them on a wire rack. Once they are completely cool ice each cake with ginger fudge icing and decorate. To make the icing beat the butter in a large mixing bowl for a few minutes until really smooth. Add the remaining ingredients and beat again until smooth a creamy. Get piping and then stand back and admire your handywork!Mmmmmmm…. so delicious! I’ve just polished off the last one, they’re particularly good with a cup of tea!

Have you baked anything recently ladies?

Loveaudrey xxx