Rudolph Red Nose Cupcakes

So it’s nearly here, my favourite time of year! It’s officially December and I thought I would start of with one of my favourite baking recipes which happens to go perfectly with one of my favourite Christmas teas from Teapigs, the Spiced Winter Red Tea. A sweet heavenly break from the wrapping or tree decorating!

Prep time: 20 minutes
Cooking time: 20 minutes
Makes 12 cupcakes

Ingredients
1 tbsp milk
2 eggs
150g butter (at room temperature)
150g caster sugar
150g self raising flour
Half tsp baking powder
Zest of half a small orange
45g dried cranberries, chopped

Icing
100g softened butter
150g icing sugar
2 tbsp cocoa powder
Pinch of salt

Decoration
Curly Wurly Chocolate Bars (chopped into smaller sections)
Red sweet of your choice (e.g Glace cherries/ M&Ms/ Smarties)
Sultanas
White Writing Icing

Preheat the oven to 180C / Fan 160C / Gas 4

Method for the cakes

1. Line a deep muffin tin with paper cases
2. Into a mixing bowl put the eggs, caster sugar, butter, flour, baking powder, milk and orange zest.
3. Beat together using an electric hand whisk.
4. Stir in the cranberries and spoon into the cases.
5. Bake for 18 to 20 minutes
6. Leave to cool on a wire rack.

Icing

1. Sieve the icing sugar into the soft butter, beat together until smooth.
2. Add the pinch of salt and cocoa powder (I used Hershey’s, but you can use what takes your fancy), mix until smooth.
3. Chill in the fridge for 20 minutes to firm up a little.

Decoration

1. Spread the icing over the cold cupcakes using a small spatula.
2. Cut lengths of Curly Wurly Chocolate Bars for the antlers.
3. Push the antlers into the cupcakes
4. Push your red sweet of choice (cherry, Smarties or M&Ms) into the centre of each cake to make the red nose.
5. Cut sultanas on each cake to make the eyes.
6. Add a blob of white writing icing in the centre.
7. Chill to firm (this is important, otherwise the antlers fall off!)

Disclaimer: I was sent a sample of the Teapigs Spiced Red Winter tea to try but I have since purchased some more, because it’s, well, amazing.