Mini date cupcakes

I recently checked a few cookbooks out of the library and amongst them was Demolition Desserts by Elizabeth Faulkner. I had a good look through and most of the desserts were just too 'out there' for me. I'd love to say that I'm really adventurous, but when it comes down to it, I'll always go for a really traditional dessert over some crazy flavors.

There were a couple of really tasty and interesting recipes though. There was an interesting vegan lemon curd which I'll be trying, and this scrummy 'sticky toffee pudding' cupcake. It turned out to be a date cupcake which was pretty healthy, the moist dates replacing a lot of the butter. I think I could probably get away with wholewheat flour too. Her one had a scoop out of it and a bit of toffee sauce added, with a cream cheese swirl of frosting. I decided to use my favourite cream cheese recipe and some caramel sauce swirled into it for a quicker presentation.

Beware, when you boil the dates up they smell like ass (maybe thats just my ones) but the final cake tastes lovely!

I made mini cupcakes in a mini muffin pan and found that I had 48!

Date cupcakes from Demolition desserts by Elizabeth Faulkner

1 cup (80z) water

1 tsp baking soda (bicarbonate of soda)

6 oz pitted dates, chopped into 1/4 inch pieces

1 1/2 cups (7 1/2 oz) all purpose(plain) flour

2 teaspoons baking powder

pinch of salt

4 tablespoons (2oz) butter

3/4 cup (6 1/4oz) firmly packed dark brown sugar

2 large eggs

1/2 tsp vanilla extract

Preheat the oven to 350f (gas mark 4)

Line a 12 cup standard muffin pan with cupcake liners

Put the dates, water and baking powder in a saucepan and bring to a boil. Set aside to cool.

Sift together flour, baking powder and salt

Cream butter and sugar in a mixer for 3-4 mins until light and fluffy. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating between additions. Add the vanilla.

On a low speed add the flour and stir just until combined. Add the dates and mix a little more, then scoop into the cupcake cases.

Bake the cupcakes for around 18-20 mins, turning half way though. Test with a toothpick, if its clean they are done.

Cream cheese frosting:

8oz cream cheese

4 oz butter

Powdered sugar to taste

tsp of vanilla or lemon juice

Beat the cream cheese and butter together until all the lumps are gone. Add the sugar and slowly stir until combined then beat for a couple of minutes.

Pour caramel (see here for the recipe I used) down the sides of a piping bag, then add the cream cheese frosting, pipe a swirl onto each cupcake