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+ servings
5 stars (1 review)

Christmas Cupcakes

Moist chocolate gingerbread cupcakes topped with a chocolate ganache. These Christmas Cupcakes are an elegant dessert for the festive season!

Ingredients

For the Cupcakes

For the Chocolate Ganache

To Decorate

Instructions 

For the Cupcakes

  1. Preheat the oven to 200°C/392°F (without fan).
  2. Preheat a metal tray in the middle shelf of the oven.
  3. Place the water, chocolate and instant coffee in a small saucepan.
  4. Heat the saucepan until the chocolate starts to melt.
  5. Take the saucepan off the heat.
  6. Whisk the mixture until the chocolate has fully melted and the liquid mixture is smooth.
  7. Set aside to cool slightly while you get on with the rest of the recipe.
  8. Measure the flour, baking powder, baking soda, mixed spice and salt into a large bowl.
  9. In a small jug, whisk together the eggs, sour cream and vanilla.
  10. Place the butter and sugar into a large mixing bowl or the bowl of an electric stand mixer.
  11. Cream the butter and sugar until it is light and fluffy.
  12. Add the egg mixture.
  13. Slowly beat in the flour mixture, one tablespoon at a time.
  14. Keep beating the batter until everything is well incorporated and smooth.
  15. Line a 12-hole cupcake/muffin pan with paper cases.
  16. Divide the batter between the paper cases.
  17. Bake the cupcakes for 15-20 minutes, or until a skewer inserted in the middle of the cakes comes out clean.
  18. Leave the cupcakes in the pan for about 5 minutes, before removing them to cool completely on a wire rack.

For the Chocolate Ganache

  1. In a small saucepan over low-medium heat, gently warm the cream, chocolate and vanilla.
  2. Once you see the chocolate start to melt, remove the saucepan from the heat.
  3. Use a whisk to mix everything together.
  4. If there are still solid pieces of chocolate, return the saucepan to the heat until all of the chocolate has melted, whisking continuously.
  5. Once you have a smooth and thick mixture, the ganache is ready.
  6. Set the saucepan aside for the mixture to cool slightly. The ganache will thicken as it cools, but you want to use it while it is still warm.

To Decorate the Cupcakes

  1. Dollop a generous teaspoon of warm ganache onto a cupcake.
  2. Decorate with some redcurrants.
  3. Repeat for all of the cupcakes.

Kitchen Notes

  • MAKE IT KID-FRIENDLY
    Kids love chocolate gingerbread cakes, but I would recommend making a milk chocolate ganache using chocolate with 50-60% cocoa content.
  • LIGHT VS DARK BROWN SUGAR
    This recipes uses either light brown sugar or dark brown sugar. Both will produce a similar taste, but dark brown sugar will yield darker-coloured cupcakes.
  • RECIPE CREDIT
    This recipe is inspired by Nigella Lawson's recipe for Christmas Cupcakes from How to be a Domestic Goddess.
  • OVEN & STOVE TEMPERATURES
    All recipes on this website have been tested on an induction stove and/or with a conventional oven (i.e. an oven without fan). All recipes on this website use temperatures for a conventional oven, unless otherwise mentioned. Convection ovens (i.e. fan-forced ovens) are typically 20°C/70°F hotter than conventional ovens, but please check your manufacturer's handbook.
  • CONVERSIONS
    To convert from cups to grams, and vice-versa, please see this handy Conversion Chart for Basic Ingredients.

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