Little Rose Almond Cupcakes Recipes

Steps:

• For the batter: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F; line a mini cupcake pan with paper liners (use one 48-hole pan or two 24-hole pans).
• Sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt in a medium bowl and set aside.
• In the bowl of an electric stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, cream together the granulated sugar and butter until light and fluffy, 1 to 2 minutes. Add in the eggs one at a time, letting them incorporate fully between additions. With the mixer on low, add in half of the flour mixture, followed by the milk, and then the remaining flour mixture; let each incorporate fully before the next addition. Then mix in the lemon and lime juice and lemon extract.
• Using a scoop, fill each mini cupcake cup three-quarters full with batter. Bake until golden and cooked through, 12 to 14 minutes. Remove the cupcakes from the pan and allow them to cool completely.
• For the glaze: While the cupcakes are cooling, whisk together the powdered sugar, milk and lemon and lime zest in a bowl until smooth.
• Once the cupcakes have cooled, dip the top of each cupcake in the glaze, allowing the excess to drip back into the bowl. Chill the cupcakes in the fridge for at least 30 minutes. Serve cold and enjoy.

Steps:

• Heat oven to 170C/150C fan/gas 3½. Line 2 x 12-hole muffin tins with muffin cases. Put the butter and caster sugar in a large bowl and blend with an electric hand whisk until pale and fluffy. Add the eggs, one at a time, whisking well between each addition. Add the flour, almonds, baking powder and a pinch of salt. Mix again, then add the orange zest and juice, and almond extract. Give a final mix to combine everything.
• Use 2 dessertspoons to divide the mixture between the cases. Bake for 22-25 mins, changing the tins over after 15 mins. Remove from the oven, leave to cool for 10 mins in the tins, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely. Can now be frozen for up to 3 months.
• To make the icing, tip the butter into a large bowl and blend with an electric hand whisk until smooth. Add the icing sugar, cream cheese, almond extract and orange juice. Mash everything together first with a spatula (to avoid a mess), then go in with the electric whisk and mix until smooth. Add your food colouring and mix again until you have an even colour. (If you're using liquid food colouring, it will make the icing runny, so add a little more icing sugar.)
• Fit the piping bag with a large curved star point piping nozzle, then fill the bag with half of the icing and twist the end closed. To pipe, hold the piping bag directly above the centre of the cake and, applying a steady pressure, pipe in a swirl, working out towards the edge of the cupcake. When you reach the edge, swipe the nozzle to create a smooth finish - you can always cover this bit with leaves, so don't worry too much if it looks messy. When you have piped 12 cupcakes, empty any remaining icing from the bag back into the bowl with the reserved icing. Add a little more colouring to create a deeper shade (and a little extra sifted icing sugar if the icing gets too runny). Whisk again, then refill your piping bag and ice the remaining cakes. Can be stored somewhere cool for up to 1 day (the fridge is fine, just make sure that you remove 30 mins before eating).
• Before serving, add a few leaves, if you like: pinch off small pieces of green sugar paste or fondant icing and shape into leaves. Use a sharp knife to add detail, then stick onto the cupcakes. See tips, below left, for how to build your bouquet.