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Cupcakes are welcome at any time of year but Christmas Cupcakes are extra special. This Christmas Cupcake Recipe is easy to make and creates a light, deliciously fruity, spicy cake. A Christmas Cupcake is perfect for the run up to Christmas as a tea time treat, they make a great alternative to Christmas Pudding and wrapped in pretty paper, a lovely gift for Christmas.

This cupcake contains a large helping of mincemeat and some of the same spices found in a Christmas Cake - no wonder it's a great treat at Christmas.

See Also

Step by Step Classic British Christmas Cake - Christmas Cake Recipe

Recipe Christmas Mincemeat - Mincemeat Recipes

Christmas Pudding - Traditional Christmas Pudding and Stir Up Sunday

Ingredients

• 4 oz/115g butter, softened
• 8 oz/230g caster sugar
• 2tsp vanilla bean paste or extract
• 8 oz/230g all-purpose /plain flour
• 2tsp baking powder
• 3 eggs, large
• 5 oz/140g mincemeat
• ½ tsp mixed spice
• ½ tsp nutmeg, freshly grated
• 1 tsp brandy, optional
• Icing
• 3 oz/85g icing sugar, sifted
• 1 tbsp Cointreau, or preferred liqueur, or brandy
• Food colouring of your choice

• Prep Time: 20 minutes
• Cook Time: 20 minutes

• Total Time: 40 minutes
• Yield: Makes 12 large, 16 medium size.

Preparation

Preheat oven to 160°C/Fan 180°C/Gas Mark 4

 

• In a large roomy baking bowl, place the butter and sugar and beat together until light and fluffy. Add the vanilla bean paste or extract and stir.
• One by one add the eggs beating really well after each addition.
• Sift the flour and baking powder together. Fold into the butter-sugar in three parts, making sure each is fully incorporated before adding the next.

• Finally stir in the mincemeat, spices and brandy if using.
• Place cupcake cases into a muffin tin. Fill each case 2/3 full and bake in the oven for 20 minutes or until the cakes are golden brown and well risen. Cool on a wire rack before icing.

Make the Icing:

Prepare the icing. Combine the Cointreau or liqueur and colouring as you wish with the icing sugar Drizzle over the top of each cupcake and serve.