Mandarin Cupcake recipe

Happy New Year!

To start off this fine year of 2014 I have chosen to post a recipe for my Mandarin Cupcakes. They are sweet and tangy, with a very subtle citrus flavour. Even though mandarins are typically consumed in copious amounts in winter to keep those nasty colds away, this recipe uses tinned mandarins so they can be enjoyed throughout the steamy summer months.

Mandarin Cupcake Recipe

Turn oven onto 180 C

Line two muffins tray with cupcake papers. Recipe makes 18 cupcakes.

Ingredients

* two eggs lightly beaten

* 1 cup vegetable oil

* 1 cup sour cream

* 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

* zest of 1 lime, optional

* 1  x 310g tin of mandarin segments in syrup, mashed until all lumps removed. You will need one cup of this mix. Use extra water to make up quantity if needed.

* 1 x 310g tin of mandarin segments - You will only need about 1/4 cup syrup and mandarin segments to decorate.

* 2 cups plain flour, sifted

* 1  3/4 cups castor sugar

* 1 teaspoon bi carb soda

* 1 teaspoon baking powder

Method

1. whisk eggs, oil, vanilla, sour cream and zest together with a hand whisk. 

2. Add mashed mandarin and syrup.

3. In a separate bowl, sift flour, add sugar, bi carb soda and baking powder.

4. Carefully pour wet mix into dry mix and combine with a large hand whisk. 

5. Spoon mixture into prepared papers, until about 2/3 full.

6. Bake in moderate oven 18 - 20 minutes. Leave on a wire wrack to cool. Decorate with buttercream and mandarin segments. 

Mandarin Buttercream icing

1. Using a paddle attachment on an electric mixer, blend together for about 3-5 minutes or until light and fluffy; 

* 125g butter at room temperature

* 125g cream cheese at room temperature. 

2. Add 1 teaspoon vanilla extract. 

3. Turn mixer onto low and slowly add;

* 4 cups icing mixture, with dashings of mandarin syrup to bring icing to a good consistency. You may need around 1/4 cup of syrup. 

4. Frost cupcakes as desired. 

Enjoy! 

XXX