Ginger Cupcakes

Method

• step 1

  Preheat the oven to 170C/fan 150C/gas 3.

• step 2

  Line a 12 hole muffin tin with paper cases or grease the holes with butter.

• step 3

  Melt the butter muscovado sugar and goldensyrup in a sauce pan over a low heat and set aside to cool slightly.

• step 4

  Sift the flour into a bowl, then add the ground ginger, clementine zest, salt and bicarbonate of soda. add the melted butter/sugar/syrup mixture, eggs, buttermilk, stem ginger and root ginger.

• step 5

  mix thoroughly and pour into the cases or holes. The mix will reach quite high up the sides.

• step 6

  Bake for about 25 minutes untill golden and springy. Don't worry if they don't raise very high the sponge is intended to be dense and sticky.

• step 7

  Cool in the tin. This makes the cupcakes more squidgy and moist. If you prefer a really strong flavour wrap the whole thing tightly in cling film and keep for 1-2 days before adding the icing. The sponge will darken over time and the ginger with become a stronger flavour. But you can eat them straight from the oven if you can not wait.

• step 8

  To make the icing, beat the crem fresh and icing sugar together in a bowlfollowed by the clementine zest and juice. If the mix is too runny just add some more icing sugar and beat again.

• step 9

  Smooth a generous amount onto each cooled cupcake and decorate with the slithers of stem ginger and clementine zest.