Absinthe Almond Black Currant And Cherry Cupcakes With Poppy Seeds Recipes

CHERRY MOONSHINE PIE CUPCAKE

Steps:

• For the streusel: Combine the pecans, brown sugar, vegan butter, cinnamon, vanilla and salt in a bowl and mix well. Set aside.
• For the cake batter: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F; line a cupcake pan with 12 paper liners.
• Sift together the flour, baking powder, cinnamon, salt and cloves in a large bowl and set aside. In the bowl of a stand mixer or using a hand mixer, mix the granulated sugar and vegan butter together on medium-low speed until fluffy, about 5 minutes; scrape down the bowl. Slowly mix in the soy milk, applesauce and vanilla and mix for 2 more minutes. Slowly add the flour mixture, and then fold in the vinegar.
• Divide half of the batter among the liners, sprinkle on some of the streusel and then top with the remaining batter. Top off with more of the streusel and a sprinkle of cinnamon. Bake until an inserted toothpick comes out clean, about 18 minutes. Cool the cupcakes completely before frosting.
• For the shortbread crust: Turn over a cupcake pan and spray the bottoms with nonstick spray.
• Combine the flour, oil, soy milk, granulated sugar, salt and vanilla if using in a medium bowl and mix together with a fork; the dough will be crumbly. Refrigerate for 20 minutes in the bowl or wrapped in plastic wrap.
• Roll out the dough to 1/4 inch thick and use a circle cutter or a coffee cup to cut out circles. Cut out a very small circle in the middle of each dough circle. Place the dough circles on the bottoms of the cupcake pan and bake for 10 minutes. Once out of the oven, sprinkle with cinnamon and sugar while still hot.
• For the apple compote: Put the apple pieces in a medium saucepan, add the moonshine, brown sugar and vanilla and place over medium heat. Bring to a simmer and simmer for 10 minutes. Set aside to cool.
• For the cinnamon frosting: Using a stand mixer with a whisk attachment, mix the vegan butter and shortening until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes. Scrape down the bowl, add the vanilla and mix for 2 more minutes. Add the confectioners' sugar and cinnamon and mix until a whipped fluffy texture, another 3 to 5 minutes. Add a splash of soy milk if needed.
• For the cherry moonshine reduction: Put the maraschino cherries with their juices in a small saucepan, add the moonshine and granulated sugar, place over medium heat and bring to a small boil. Immediately add the cornstarch and let simmer for 2 to 4 minutes. Set aside to cool slightly, about 5 minutes, and then pour the mixture through a strainer. Let cool for 15 minutes.
• To assemble: Using an apple corer or paring knife, cut out the center of each cupcake. Put a generous amount (about 1 tablespoon) of the apple compote in each cupcake. Frost with a small amount of cinnamon frosting. Place a shortbread crust on top of the frosting on each cupcake. Where the hole is cut out, place a fondant finger or plastic novelty finger through the crust. Drizzle some cherry moonshine reduction over each.

CHERRY-ALMOND VANILLA CUPCAKES

Steps:

• Allow butter and egg whites to stand at room temperature for 30 minutes. Meanwhile, line twenty-four 2-1/2-inch muffin cups with paper bake cups (or coat with cooking spray). In a medium bowl stir together flour, baking powder, salt, and baking soda. In a 2-cup glass measuring cup combine buttermilk and cherry juice; set aside.
• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. In a large mixing bowl beat butter with an electric mixer on medium to high speed for 30 seconds. Add sugar, vanilla, and almond extract; beat until combined. Add egg whites, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Alternately add flour mixture and buttermilk mixture to beaten mixture, beating on low speed after each addition just until combined.
• Spoon batter into prepared muffin cups, filling each about two-thirds full. Use the back of a spoon to smooth out batter in cups. Press a cherry half into batter in each cup.
• Bake for 15 to 18 minutes or until tops spring back when lightly touched. Cool cupcakes in muffin cups on wire racks for 5 minutes. Remove cupcakes from muffin cups. Cool completely on wire racks.
• For the frosting: In a large mixing bowl beat butter with an electric mixer on medium speed until smooth. Gradually add 1 cup of the powdered sugar, beating well. Beat in maraschino cherry juice and almond extract. Gradually beat in additional powdered sugar. If necessary, beat in additional juice or milk, 1 teaspoon at a time, until frosting reaches a spreading consistency. Makes 2 cups frosting.
• Using a pastry bag fitted with a large star tip, pipe Cherry-Almond Butter Frosting over tops of cupcakes. If desired, top with cherries. Makes 24 (2-1/2-inch) cupcakes.

CHERRY & ALMOND EASTER CUPCAKES

Steps:

• Heat oven to 180C/fan 160C/gas 4 and place 24 cupcake cases into cupcake tins. Beat the butter and sugar together with electric beaters or a tabletop mixer until light and fluffy. Add the eggs, 250g flour, baking powder, orange zest and juice and beat well till thick, creamy and evenly mixed.
• Toss cherries in the extra 2 tbsp flour and fold into the batter along with grated marzipan and almond essence (if using). Spoon into the cupcake cases and bake for 20-25 mins, or until well risen and golden. Leave to cool in tin for 10 mins, then place on a cooling rack to cool completely.
• Mix the icing sugar with around 1 tbsp water to make a loose but not-too-runny icing. Ice the tops of the cupcakes and top each one with about 3 mini chocolate eggs.