Cupcakes! Recipe - Cinnamon, ginger and orange cupcakes.

I made these in the week and they were pretty popular! I love following new recipes so I thought I'd add some of my favourites to my blog.

FOR THE CAKES

• 175g (6oz) caster sugar
• 175g (6oz) unsalted butter or alternative eg. Stork, at room temperature
• Finely grated zest of 1 orange
• 3 medium eggs
• 175g (6oz) self-raising flour
• 2tsp ground cinnamon (this can be altered depending on how strong you want the flavour)
• 2tsp ground ginger (this can be altered depending on how strong you want the flavour)

FOR THE ICING

• 200g (7oz) unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 400g (14oz) icing sugar, sifted
• 1tsp vanilla extract
• 1tsp ground cinnamon (can also be altered)
• additional ginger if you wish.

Getting Started.

Preheat the oven to 180°C/160°C fan/gas 4. Beat together the sugar, butter/margerine and orange zest, using an electric mixer or hand mixer, until it is light and fluffy. Paying attention to this bit is important as this will make the cakes light and fluffy. Add 1 egg at a time, with a spoonful of the flour to stop the mixture from curdling, and mix. Once all 3 eggs are added, mix in the remainding flour.

Spoon the cake mixture into 12 cake cases sitting in the pre lined tin. Place in the oven for 20 minutes, until the cakes have risen and are lightly golden. Check with a knitting needle or fork that they are cooked through. Remove from the oven and cool on a wire rack.

While the cakes are cooling, beat together the butter, icing sugar and vanilla extract with the ground cinnamon until it is light and creamy. Then if you have a piping bag you can pipe the butter cream icing onto the cakes, if not a generous dollop will do! To decorate you can add anything elso you fancy, I sprinkled demerara sugar over the top to give it a little crunch.