Name: Christmas pud cupcakes
Prep time: 15 min
Total time: 37 min
Yield: 12
Cuisine: British
Ingredients: 50g dark chocolate in chunks; 140g butter plus extra for greasing; 100ml soured cream; 3 eggs lightly beaten; 140g self-raising flour; 140g caster sugar; 100g ground almonds; 6 tbsp cocoa powder; 1 tsp baking powder; 85g dried sour cherries plus a few extra to decorate; 250g icing sugar sifted; 1 tsp custard powder, sifted; 12 small bay leaves

50g dark chocolate
in chunks
140g butter
plus extra for greasing
100ml soured cream
3 eggs
lightly beaten
140g self-raising flour
140g caster sugar
100g ground almonds
6 tbsp cocoa powder
1 tsp baking powder
85g dried sour cherries
plus a few extra to decorate

To decorate

250g icing sugar
sifted
1 tsp custard
powder, sifted
12 small bay leaves

Method

step 1
Heat oven to 190C/fan 170C/gas 5. Place a 12-hole silicone muffin tray on a baking sheet or butter a non-stick 12-hole muffin tin, and stick two criss-crossing strips of baking parchment in each hole.
step 2
Melt the chocolate and butter over a low heat. Cool a little, then stir in the soured cream and eggs. Mix the flour, sugar, almonds, cocoa and baking powder in a bowl. Pour in the chocolate and stir until smooth, then stir in the cherries. Spoon into the muffin holes so they are 3⁄4 full, then bake for 20 mins. Cool in the tins. Can now be frozen in plastic bags for 3 months.
step 3
To decorate, mix the icing sugar and custard powder with 2 tbsp water to make a thick icing. Remove the muffins from the tins and cool on a rack. Cut off any rounded tops, stand upside-down on the rack, then spoon icing over. Leave to set, then top with bay leaves and cherries. Best eaten on the day.