2. To make the caramelised pears, mix the pears with the lemon juice. In a large frying pan, melt the butter and sprinkle with half the caster sugar. Put the pear quarters into the pan. Cook for about 5 minutes until brown on one side. Turn and cook for a further 5 minutes until the other side is brown. With a slotted spoon, carefully remove the pear quarters and set aside to cool slightly.

3. Add the bourbon and the rest of the caster sugar to the pan and cook and stir frequently for about 5 minutes until the mixture becomes syrupy. Pour this syrup into the baking tin and tip the tin to spread evenly over the bottom of the tin.

4. Start to arrange the pears from one corner so that they cover the bottom of the tin and are facing the same way, with the tapered ends lying in the same direction. Set aside.

5. To make the cake, sift together the flour, spices and salt in a bowl.

6. Using a freestanding electric mixer with the paddle attachment or a hand-held electric whisk, cream the butter and sugar together for around 5 minutes on a medium-high speed until light and fluffy. Add the eggs, one at a time, on a lower speed, scraping down the sides of the bowl after each addition. Only beat until just incorporated. Add the molasses and beat for a few moments longer to mix.

7. In a small bowl, add the boiling water to the bicarbonate of soda and set aside. Add half the flour mixture to the creamed mixture on low speed. Then add the water and bicarbonate of soda and the rest of the flour mixture and mix until well incorporated. It will look like the mixture has split, but that is correct.

8. Scrape the mixture into the tin on top of the arranged pears and bake for 25 minutes. Reduce the oven temperature to 165°C (325°F), Gas mark 3 and bake for 10–15 minutes longer. The top should bounce back when lightly touched. Cool in the tin for 1 hour, then run a knife around the edges of the cake. Place a tray over the top of the tin and carefully (but quickly) turn upside down.

Cupcakes

Grape Jelly Cupcakes

Blue Hawaiian Cupcakes

Bananas Foster Cupcakes

Pumpkin Chai Cupcakes

Tomato Soup Cupcakes

Pink Champagne Cupcakes

Toasted Marshmallow Cupcakes

Chocolate Chip ‘Cupcakes’

Honey Cornbread Cupcakes

Mint Julep Cupcakes

Grape Jelly Cupcakes

Grape jelly in the USA is a seedless preserve or jam made from Concord grapes. This is hard to find in the UK, but using a purple grape juice will simulate the flavour.

Makes 12 cupcakes

For the cupcakes

2 large egg whites

60g (2oz) unsalted butter, softened

½ tsp salt

1 tsp vanilla extract

160g (5½oz) caster sugar

185g (6½oz) plain flour

1½ tsp baking powder

60ml (2fl oz) whole milk

60ml (2fl oz) water

For the filling

120ml (4fl oz) water

120ml (4fl oz) purple grape juice

3 tbsp cornflour

¼ tsp salt

110g (4oz) caster sugar

4 tbsp fresh lemon juice

30g (1oz) unsalted butter

For the frosting

1 large egg white

160g (5½oz) caster sugar

45ml (1½fl oz) purple grape juice

One 12-hole deep muffin tin, 12 paper muffin cases and two piping bags

1. To make the cupcakes, preheat the oven to 175°C (350°F), Gas mark 4, and line the muffin tin with the paper muffin cases.

2. Using a freestanding electric mixer with the whisk attachment or a hand-held electric whisk, whisk the egg whites until stiff. Set aside.

3. Again, using the mixer with the paddle attachment or a hand-held electric whisk, cream the butter, salt, vanilla and sugar together for around 5 minutes on a medium-high speed until light and fluffy.

4. Sift together the flour and baking powder into a bowl and add to the creamed mixture a third at a time, alternating with the milk and water. Scrape down the sides of the bowl after each addition and mix until smooth. Fold in the beaten egg whites by hand.

5. Scoop the mixture into the paper cases until three-quarters full. Bake for 20 minutes, or until the cupcakes are golden brown and bounce back when lightly touched. Leave to cool slightly before removing from the tin and placing on a wire rack to cool completely before frosting.

6. Whilst the cakes are baking, make the filling. Heat the water and grape juice in a saucepan on medium-low heat. Do not allow to boil. Combine the cornflour, salt and sugar in a small bowl and add to the grape juice and water. Cook over a low heat, whisking all the time, until thick. Once thick, add the lemon juice and butter and whisk briskly until well blended. Allow to cool completely.

7. To make the frosting, mix all the ingredients together in a small heatproof mixing bowl. Put the bowl over a pan of simmering water and beat with an electric whisk for 8–10 minutes until the mixture holds a peak. Remove from the heat and continue beating until the mixture is thick enough to spread.

8. Once the cupcakes are completely cool, use a sharp knife to make a hollow in the centre of each, approximately 2cm (¾in) in diameter and 3cm (1¼in) deep. Retain the cut-out piece of sponge.

9. Spoon the filling mix into a piping bag and fill the hollows in the cupcakes, then pop on the removed top. Pipe any extra filling on top.

10. Put the frosting into another piping bag with a nozzle of your choice and pipe it in a spiral motion, making sure you cover all the sponge. Repeat until all your cakes are complete.

Blue Hawaiian Cupcakes

When we’re not drinking kitschy Blue Hawaiian cocktails from a big plastic pineapple-shaped cup (complete with paper cocktail umbrellas!), we’re baking and eating them in boozy cupcake form. You can use any orange-based liqueur such as Triple Sec, Cointreau or Grand Marnier if you don’t have or can’t find Blue Curaçao.

Makes 12 cupcakes

For the cupcakes

425g (15oz) tin pineapple rings, in juice

2 tbsp water

215g (7½oz) caster sugar, plus 2 tbsp extra

2 tbsp fresh lemon juice

2 tbsp fresh lime juice

1 tsp vanilla extract

40ml (1½fl oz) dark rum

90g (3oz) unsalted butter, softened

2 large eggs

170g (6oz) plain flour

1½ tsp baking powder

¼ tsp salt

1½ tbsp Blue Curaçao (or Triple Sec, Cointreau or Grand Marnier)

Few drops of blue liquid food colouring (optional)

For the pineapple sauce

115g (4oz) unsalted butter

70g (2½oz) soft light brown sugar

45ml (1½fl oz) dark rum

For the whipped cream topping

300ml (10½fl oz) double cream

100ml (3½fl oz) whipping cream

70g (2½oz) caster sugar

30ml (1fl oz) dark rum

For the decoration

40g (1½oz) desiccated coconut

12 maraschino cherries

One 12-hole deep muffin tin or 12 ramekins

1. To make the cupcakes, preheat the oven to 175°C (350°F), Gas mark 4. Grease the sides and bottoms of the muffin tin or ramekins with butter – do not put paper cases in.

2. Over a bowl, drain the pineapple rings, reserving 60ml (2fl oz) of the juice (you can discard the rest). Set the reserved juice aside. Trim the pineapple rings so that they will fit in the bottom of your muffin tin holes or your ramekins. Chop up the discarded pineapple finely, put into a bowl and set aside.

3. In a saucepan, heat the 2 tablespoons water with the 2 tablespoons sugar, just until the sugar dissolves. Take off the heat and then add the lemon and lime juices. Measure out about 70ml (2½fl oz) of the resulting sweet and sour mix into a bowl. To this add the vanilla extract, dark rum and reserved pineapple juice.

4. Using a freestanding electric mixer with the paddle attachment or a hand-held electric whisk, cream the butter and caster sugar together for around 5 minutes on a medium-high speed until light and fluffy.

5. Add the eggs, one at a time, on a lower speed, scraping down the bowl after each addition. Add the sweet and sour rum liquid and mix. Sift together the flour, baking powder and salt and mix into the wet ingredients on a low speed in one slow but steady addition. Don’t overbeat. By hand, stir in the reserved pineapple pieces, Blue Curaçao and food colouring, if using.

6. To make the pineapple sauce, heat the butter and brown sugar in a small saucepan for around 3 minutes on a medium-low heat until the butter is melted and all is dissolved. Remove from the heat and stir in the rum.

7. To assemble the cupcakes, spoon about 1 teaspoon of the sauce on top of each pineapple ring. Spoon the batter in until each hole or ramekin is about three-quarters full. Using a 50ml (1¾ fl oz) ice-cream scoop can make this process easier and will result in even cupcakes.

8. Bake the cupcakes for 25 minutes, or until the sponge bounces back when lightly touched. When they’re done, allow to cool in the tin or ramekins for 10 minutes, then flip over carefully. It’s best to take a tray and flip over the muffin tin all at once. The pineapple rings can be rearranged if they fall out or are dislodged to make them fit back on top of the cakes. Leave to cool completely.

9. To make the whipped cream topping, use a freestanding electric mixer with the whisk attachment or a hand-held electric whisk to whip the creams and sugar together until it starts to thicken and forms firm peaks. Fold in the rum carefully by hand.

10. Lightly toast the coconut until it is a light golden brown – this takes about 5–6 minutes in a hot oven, but keep checking as it will turn brown quite quickly. Top each cupcake with a dollop of the whipped cream, a maraschino cherry and a sprinkle of the toasted coconut. Paper cocktail umbrella is optional.

Bananas Foster Cupcakes

Bananas Foster is a dessert created in 1951 at Brennan’s Restaurant in New Orleans. Bananas cooked in brown sugar, rum, butter, cinnamon and banana liqueur are then spectacularly flambéed at your table and served with vanilla ice cream, and here we present them to you in cupcake form. Dark sugar and treacle give the sponge a kick, and don’t worry if you don’t have any Crème de Banane – more rum will do!

Makes 18 cupcakes

For the cupcakes

25g (1oz) piece fresh ginger, peeled and roughly sliced

115ml (4fl oz) water

195g (7oz) mashed ripe bananas

60ml (2fl oz) dark rum

90g (3oz) unsalted butter, softened

80ml (3fl oz) treacle

150g (5½oz) dark muscovado sugar

1 large egg

270g (9½oz) plain flour

2 tsp baking powder

1 tsp bicarbonate of soda

½ tsp salt

2 tsp ground ginger

1 tsp ground cinnamon

1 tsp ground nutmeg

For the sauce

75g (2½oz) dark muscovado sugar

45g (1½oz) unsalted butter

25ml (1fl oz) golden syrup

25ml (1fl oz) dark rum

25ml (1fl oz) crème de banane (optional – if not using, use 50ml dark rum)

For the frosting

130g (4½oz) mashed ripe bananas

1 tsp fresh lemon juice

225g (8oz) unsalted butter, softened

600g (1lb 5oz) icing sugar

25g (1oz) dark muscovado sugar

1 tsp ground cinnamon

1 tbsp dark rum

1 tsp vanilla extract

Two 12-hole deep muffin tins and 18 paper muffin cases

1. To make the cupcakes, preheat the oven to 175°C (350°F), Gas mark 4, and line the muffin tins with the paper muffin cases.

2. In a saucepan, combine the ginger and water and bring to the boil. As soon as it boils, take off the heat and leave to steep for 30 minutes. Discard the ginger, straining through a sieve if necessary. Stir the banana and rum into the gingery water and set aside.

3. Using a freestanding electric mixer with the paddle attachment or a hand-held electric whisk, cream the butter, treacle and sugar together for around 5 minutes on a medium-high speed until light and creamy. Beat in the egg, on a lower speed, scraping down the sides of the bowl as you go. In a large bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, bicarbonate of soda, salt, ginger, cinnamon and nutmeg. Add the dry ingredients and the banana mixture to the creamed mixture in alternate additions, being careful not to overmix.

4. Scoop into the paper cases until three-quarters full. Using a 50ml (1¾fl oz) ice-cream scoop can make this process easier and will result in even cupcakes. Bake for 15–20 minutes, or until the cupcakes bounce back when lightly touched. Leave to cool slightly before removing from the tin and placing on a wire rack to cool completely before frosting.

5. To make the sauce, combine the muscovado sugar, butter and syrup in a saucepan over a low heat and stir until they reach a simmer. Add the rum and crème de banane, if using, and cook for a further 2–3 minutes. Remove from the heat and set aside.

6. To make the frosting, mash the bananas in a small bowl with the lemon juice. Using a freestanding electric mixer with the paddle attachment or a hand-held electric whisk, beat the butter for a minute or two to loosen. Add the mashed banana and beat for 1–2 more minutes until well mixed. Add the icing sugar, a third at a time, on a low speed, then add the brown sugar, cinnamon, rum and vanilla. Turn the mixer up to medium and beat for an additional 5 minutes until light and fluffy.

7. To assemble the cupcakes, skewer each one three or four times and pour enough sauce into the holes so that they are quite soaked through. Allow the cupcakes and sauce to cool completely. This is very important, as the frosting will melt if the cupcake is even slightly warm.

8. Pipe or spoon generous amounts of the frosting onto each cupcake, gently smoothing over with a palette knife or spoon and making a nice swirl of frosting on each one.

Pumpkin Chai Cupcakes

Pumpkin spice means that autumn is on the way, Hallowe’en and Thanksgiving are on the horizon, and while it may not get too freezing cold down South, summer is definitely over. America’s favourite autumn flavours work perfectly when transformed into cupcakes.

Makes 12 cupcakes

For the cupcakes

135g (5oz) plain flour

1 tsp bicarbonate of soda

½ tsp salt

1 tsp ground cinnamon

½ tsp ground ginger

¼ tsp ground nutmeg

160g (5½oz) caster sugar

50g (1¾oz) soft light brown sugar

115ml (4fl oz) rapeseed or other flavourless vegetable oil

2 large eggs

210g (7½oz) tinned pumpkin purée (such as Libby’s)

For the frosting

75ml (2½fl oz) water

65g (2oz) caster sugar

2 good-quality chai tea bags (such as Teapigs)

3 cardamom pods

2 whole cloves

1 cinnamon stick

115g (4oz) unsalted butter, softened

250g (9oz) full-fat cream cheese, such as Philadelphia, cold

100g (3½oz) icing sugar

½ tsp vanilla extract

1 tsp honey

One 12-hole deep muffin tin and 12 paper muffin cases

1. To make the cupcakes, preheat the oven to 175°C (350°F), Gas mark 4, and line the muffin tin with the paper muffin cases.

2. In a large bowl, sift together the flour, bicarbonate of soda, salt, cinnamon, ginger and nutmeg.

3. Using a freestanding electric mixer with the paddle attachment or a hand-held electric whisk, mix together the sugars and oil on a low speed until all combined and lighter in colour. Add the eggs, one at a time, on a low speed, scraping down the sides of the bowl after each addition, then add the pumpkin purée. Now add the dry ingredients to the mixture, folding them in carefully so that the mixture remains light.

4. Spoon the mixture into the paper cases until three-quarters full. Bake for 20 minutes, or until the cupcakes bounce back when lightly touched. Leave to cool slightly before removing from the tin and placing on a wire rack to cool completely before frosting.

5. To make the frosting, mix the water, sugar, tea bags, cardamom, cloves and cinnamon together in a saucepan and bring to the boil over a medium heat until the sugar dissolves. Lower the heat and simmer gently for a further 5–8 minutes. Take off the heat, strain the syrup into a clean bowl, squeezing the tea bags to get all the flavour out, and leave to cool completely.

6. Using a freestanding electric mixer with the paddle attachment or a hand-held electric whisk, beat the butter to loosen it up, then add the cream cheese and icing sugar on a low speed until incorporated. Turn the mixer to a high speed and beat for about 3 minutes until light and fluffy. Don’t overbeat, or the cream cheese will split and become runny. Lower the speed and add the vanilla extract, honey and chai syrup until all are well combined. As soon as the frosting is combined, put into the fridge for about 2 hours so that the spicy flavours can intensify further.

7. Pipe or spoon generous amounts of the frosting onto each cupcake, gently smoothing over with a palette knife and making a nice swirl of frosting on each one.

Tomato Soup Cupcakes

For that authentic American taste, use a can of Campbell’s Cream of Tomato soup for this recipe. These cupcakes are most definitely sweet, and have a kind of carrot-cake flavour to them. Another vintage recipe that uses a non-conventional ingredient to perfection.

Makes 18 cupcakes

For the cupcakes

115g (4oz) unsalted butter, softened

285g (10oz) caster sugar

2 large eggs

270g (9½oz) plain flour

2 tsp baking powder

1 tsp bicarbonate of soda

1½ tsp ground allspice

1 tsp ground cinnamon

½ tsp ground cloves

60ml (2fl oz) water

295g (10½oz) tin condensed cream of tomato soup

For the frosting

100g (3½oz) unsalted butter, softened

240g (8½oz) full-fat cream cheese, such as Philadelphia, cold

400g (14oz) icing sugar

Ground cinnamon, to sprinkle

Two 12-hole deep muffin tins and 18 paper muffin cases

1. To make the cupcakes, preheat the oven to 175°C (350°F), Gas mark 4, and line the muffin tins with the paper muffin cases.

2. Using a freestanding electric mixer with the paddle attachment or a hand-held electric whisk, cream the butter and sugar together for around 5 minutes on a medium-high speed until light and fluffy.

3. Add the eggs, one at a time, on a lower speed, scraping down the sides of the bowl after each addition. Combine the flour, baking powder, bicarbonate of soda, allspice, cinnamon and cloves in a bowl and mix into the wet ingredients on a low speed in one slow but steady addition. Don’t overbeat. Finally, add the water and condensed soup to make a thick batter.

4. Spoon the mixture into the paper cases until three-quarters full. Using a 50ml (1¾fl oz) ice-cream scoop can make this process easier and will result in even cupcakes. Bake for 20 minutes, or until a skewer inserted into a cupcake comes out clean. Leave to cool slightly before removing from the tin and placing on a wire rack to cool completely before frosting.

5. To make the frosting, using a freestanding electric mixer with the paddle attachment or a hand-held electric whisk, beat the butter to loosen it up, then add the cream cheese and icing sugar on a low speed until incorporated. Turn the mixer to a high speed and beat for about 3 minutes until light and fluffy. Don’t overbeat or the cream cheese will split and become runny.

6. Pipe or spoon generous amounts of the frosting onto each cupcake, gently smoothing over with a palette knife and making a nice swirl of frosting on each one. Sprinkle the decorated cakes with cinnamon.

Pink Champagne Cupcakes

Now you don’t have to break the bank and use actual champagne. Any pink or plain sparkling wine will do. These have a very subtle wine taste, and the fluffy sponge and luscious custard mean that one cupcake will not be enough.

Makes 12 cupcakes

For the cupcakes

160g (5½oz) plain flour

1 tsp baking powder

½ tsp bicarbonate of soda

¼ tsp salt

2 large eggs

1 tsp vanilla extract

175g (6oz) caster sugar

115ml (4fl oz) rapeseed oil, or other flavourless vegetable oil

115ml (4fl oz) pink Champagne or pink sparkling wine

For the custard

350ml (12fl oz) single cream

4 large egg yolks

100g (3½oz) caster sugar

80ml (3fl oz) pink Champagne or pink sparkling wine

30g (1oz) cornflour

Up to ¼ tsp red food colouring gel (to make the custard the desired pink colour)

30g (1oz) unsalted butter

2 tsp vanilla extract

For the frosting

300ml (10½fl oz) double cream

40g (1½oz) caster sugar

One 12-hole deep muffin tin, 12 paper muffin cases and a piping bag

1. To make the cupcakes, preheat the oven to 175°C (350°F), Gas mark 4, and line the muffin tin with the paper muffin cases.

2. In a large bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, bicarbonate of soda and salt. Set aside.

3. Using a freestanding electric mixer with the paddle attachment or a hand-held electric whisk, beat together the eggs, vanilla and sugar for 2 minutes on a medium speed. Pour in the oil in a slow but steady stream until all is well incorporated. Add the flour mixture and Champagne in several additions, alternating between the two – flour first and last. Do not overbeat. Use a spatula to scrape down the sides of the bowl and ensure everything is combined.

4. Spoon the mixture into the paper cases until three-quarters full. Using a 50ml (1¾fl oz) ice-cream scoop can make this process easier and will result in even cupcakes. Bake for 15–20 minutes until the cupcakes bounce back when lightly touched. Leave to cool slightly before removing from the tin and placing on a wire rack to cool completely before filling and frosting.

5. To make the custard, heat the cream in a saucepan until it is hot, but don’t let it boil. Meanwhile, whisk the egg yolks and sugar together in a bowl. Mix in the Champagne, and then the cornflour.

6. Add a quarter of the hot cream to the egg mixture, whisking vigorously so that the egg doesn’t cook, but just warms up. Pour into the pan with the rest of the hot cream and cook over a medium-low heat, whisking constantly until the mixture starts to get thicker and bubbles. Once the mixture has bubbled for 1–2 minutes, take it off the heat. If necessary, you may have to strain it through a fine sieve to get any lumps out. If it splits at any stage, take it off the heat and use a hand-held blender to whizz it back together.

7. Put the custard into another bowl and mix through the red colouring, butter and vanilla until the butter melts and everything is well mixed. Cover with cling film, pressing it directly onto the surface to prevent a skin forming, and put into the fridge until cold.

8. To make the frosting, in the bowl of a freestanding electric mixer with the whisk attachment or using a hand-held electric whisk, whip the cream on medium speed. When the cream starts to thicken, but before it’s whipped, add the sugar. Increase the speed and whip until it just starts to form peaks. Don’t overwhip or it will get too hard or split.

9. Take 100g (3½oz) of the cool custard. If the custard is very stiff, beat briefly with a spatula until smooth. Then fold into the cream and put the frosting in the fridge.

10. Once the cupcakes are completely cool, use a sharp knife and remove a piece of sponge to make a hollow in the centre of each cupcake, approximately 2cm (¾in) in diameter and about 3cm (1¼in) deep. Retain the cut-out piece of sponge.

11. Spoon the custard into a piping bag and fill the hollows in the cupcakes, then pop the removed piece of sponge back on the cakes. If, once you’ve done all the cupcakes, there is custard left over, you can spread it thinly over the top of each one, making sure not to go over the edges.

12. Finally, pipe or spoon generous amounts of the frosting onto each cupcake, gently smoothing over with a palette knife and making a nice swirl of frosting on each one.

Toasted Marshmallow Cupcakes

In America sweet potatoes are known as yams, and baked in the oven with sugar, spices and marshmallows they are a typical Thanksgiving side dish. Careful when using the cook’s blowtorch!

Makes 12 cupcakes

For the cupcakes

300g (10½oz) sweet potatoes

115g (4oz) unsalted butter, softened

140g (5oz) soft light brown sugar

2 large eggs

3 tbsp maple syrup

½ tsp vanilla extract

135g (5oz) plain flour

1 tsp baking powder

¼ tsp bicarbonate of soda

Pinch of salt

½ tsp ground cinnamon

½ tsp ground nutmeg

For the frosting

70g (2½oz) caster sugar

¼ tsp cream of tartar

Pinch of salt

2 large egg whites

3 tbsp cold water

1 tsp vanilla extract

50g (1¾oz) marshmallow fluff

One 12-hole deep muffin tin, 12 paper muffin cases and a cook’s blowtorch

1. Preheat the oven to 200°C (400°F), Gas mark 6.

2. Wrap the sweet potatoes in foil and bake for about 45–60 minutes until tender. Once cooled, scoop out the flesh and mash.

3. To make the cupcakes, reduce the oven temperature to 175°C (350°F), Gas mark 4, and line the muffin tin with the paper cases.

4. Using a freestanding electric mixer with the paddle attachment or a hand-held electric whisk, cream the butter and sugar together for around 5 minutes on a medium-high speed until light and fluffy.

5. Add the eggs, one at a time, on a lower speed, scraping down the sides of the bowl after each addition. Then add the sweet potato flesh, maple syrup and vanilla and mix for a few moments until thoroughly incorporated. In a large bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, bicarbonate of soda, salt, cinnamon and nutmeg. Lower the mixer speed and mix in the dry ingredients in one slow but steady addition. Don’t overbeat.

6. Scoop the mixture into the paper cases until three-quarters full. Using a 50ml (1¾fl oz) ice-cream scoop can make this process easier and will result in even cupcakes. Bake for 15–20 minutes or until the cupcakes bounce back when lightly touched. Leave to cool slightly before removing from the tin and placing on a wire rack to cool completely before frosting.

7. To make the frosting, mix the caster sugar, cream of tartar, pinch of salt, egg whites and cold water together in a small heatproof mixing bowl. Put the bowl over a pan of simmering water and beat with an electric whisk for 5–7 minutes until the mixture is very hot to the touch and stiff peaks have formed. Remove the bowl from the heat and beat for 1 minute more. Add the vanilla extract and marshmallow fluff and beat until combined.

8. Pipe or spoon generous amounts of the frosting onto each cupcake, gently smoothing over with a palette knife or spoon and making a nice swirl of frosting on each one.

9. Using a cook’s blowtorch, carefully torch the tops to brown them, avoiding the paper cases with the flame.

Chocolate Chip ‘Cupcakes’

These are a sort of chocolate chip cookie in a cupcake case. The texture is definitely not supposed to be cake-like, so don’t worry when they come out dense and chewy. We’d suggest eating them on the day of baking or soon after.

Makes 12 cupcakes

For the cupcakes

115g (4oz) unsalted butter, softened

80g (3oz) caster sugar

75g (2½oz) soft light brown sugar

½ tsp vanilla extract

1 large egg

150g (5½oz) plain flour

½ tsp bicarbonate of soda

½ tsp salt

For the topping

100g (3½oz) soft light brown sugar

1 large egg

Pinch of salt

170g (6oz) dark chocolate chips (minimum 70% cocoa solids)

60g (2oz) chopped pecans (or walnuts)

½ tsp vanilla extract

One 12-hole deep muffin tin and 12 paper muffin cases

1. To make the cupcakes, preheat the oven to 175°C (350°F), Gas mark 4, and line the muffin tin with the paper muffin cases.

2. Using a freestanding electric mixer with the paddle attachment or a hand-held electric whisk, cream the butter, sugars and vanilla together for around 5 minutes on a medium-high speed until light and fluffy. Beat in the egg, on a lower speed, scraping down the sides of the bowl as you go. In a separate bowl, sift together the flour, bicarbonate of soda and salt and mix into the wet ingredients on a low speed in one slow but steady addition. Don’t overbeat. The cake mix will be quite stiff – more like a dough.

3. Use a tablespoon to form the mixture into twelve balls (roughly weighing 35g/1¼oz each). Place each one in a paper case and bake in the oven for 10 minutes. Meanwhile, prepare the topping.

4. Using a freestanding electric mixer with the paddle attachment or a hand-held electric whisk, beat the sugar, egg and salt for 3–4 minutes until thick and lighter in colour. Stir in the chocolate chips, pecans and vanilla extract by hand.

5. Take the cupcakes out of the oven and spoon one tablespoon of the topping over the partially baked cupcakes. Immediately put them back into the oven and cook for 12 minutes longer. These cupcakes come out as halfway between a cake and a cookie, so not as light and airy as normal cupcakes. Leave to cool slightly before removing from the tin and placing on a wire rack to cool completely.

Honey Cornbread Cupcakes

Using cornmeal to make cornbread was something the early European settlers in America learned from the Native Americans they encountered. These cupcakes are sweet, denser than our normal sponges, and have a tangy cream cheese frosting flavoured with honey.

Makes 12 cupcakes

For the cupcakes

170g (6oz) yellow cornmeal (polenta)

135g (5oz) plain flour

1 tbsp baking powder

1 tsp ground cinnamon

½ tsp ground nutmeg

110g (4oz) caster sugar

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