Pineapple and Raspberry Cupcakes

Zingy fruity cupcakes packing a taste of sunshine and perfect for adorning with your own Pineapple Flowers.

Makes 12.

Ingredients:

200g butter, softened

100g soft brown sugar

75g caster sugar

1 tsp vanilla extract

4 eggs

200g self raising flour

140g fresh chopped pineapple

80g raspberries, frozen

1 x batch of Cream Cheese frosting recipe here

12 x Pineapple Flowers to decorate – instructions here

Preheat oven to 160c (fan)/180c/Gas Mark 4.

Cream together the butter and sugars.

Add the eggs and half of the flour and beat well.

Fold in the remaining flour.  Don’t overbeat it at this stage otherwise the cakes will be tough – you want to keep them as light as a feather.

Chop the pineapple into small pieces and gently crush the frozen raspberries.

Fold the fruit through the mixture.

Divide the mixture between 12 cupcake cases and bake in the oven for 35 minutes until golden.

Because they are packed with fruit the cupcakes can feel fairly moist.  It’s important to check that they are fully cooked by testing with a skewer which should come out clean.  If not bake for a further five minutes and check again.

Allow to cool for five minutes in the pan before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.

Mix up the cream cheese frosting as per the directions here.  Fill a piping bag fitted with a large closed star nozzle.

Pipe a ruffle of frosting onto the tops of the cupcakes and top with a beautiful pineapple flower.

Pineapple and Raspberry Cupcakes

Ruth Clemens, Baker Extraordinaire