Twas the night before a coffee morning and all through the house, not a creature was stirring… except me, stirring cake batter furiously while rifling through the spice cupboards to create these stunningly tasty, spiced Christmas cupcakes with marzipan frosting. Yep, I somehow thought it was a good idea to volunteer to make four boxes of Christmas cupcakes.
Days before school broke up for Christmas, I somehow thought it was a good idea to volunteer to make four boxes of Christmas cupcakes for a parents’ gathering. I needed a cupcake recipe that was quick to make, festive and simple but with definite wow-factor. These are the result!
These spiced Christmas cupcakes have a gorgeously light, spiced sponge with a moreish, white chocolate marzipan frosting – not a crumb was left behind.
Here’s what to do to make 12 spiced Christmas cupcakes.
Ingredients
For the cupcakes
- 100g caster sugar
- 100g dark soft brown sugar
- 200g butter
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 3 medium free-range eggs
- 200g self-raising flour
- 1/2 tsp mixed spice
- 1/2 tsp cinnamon
- 2 tbsp strong black tea, cold
- 2 tbsp whole milk
For the icing
- 250g icing sugar, sieved
- 250g butter, softened
- 1/2 tsp almond extract
- 1 tbsp milk
- 50g white chocolate, melted
- sprinkles of your choice
Instructions
To make the sponges
Preheat the oven to 200C (180C fan/400F). In a large bowl, add both the sugars, the butter and the vanilla. Beat until pale and fluffy.
Beat in the eggs. It may split a little, but don’t worry, it’ll come back together at the next step.
Sieve in the flour, mixed spice and cinnamon and mix through.
Mix in the cold black tea and milk.
Line a 12-hole muffin tray with paper cases and divide the batter evenly between them.
Bake for 18-20 mins until softly browned and springy.
Cool completely on a wire rack.
To make the icing
Place half the icing sugar in a bowl with the butter and almond extract and beat until pale and fluffy. Add the rest of the icing sugar and beat again.
Beat in the white chocolate until you have a smooth, delicious frosting.
Pipe the icing over the cupcakes.
Finish with festive sprinkles.
Here’s that recipe again in a printable format:
Spiced Christmas cupcakes with marzipan frosting
Ingredients
For the cupcakes
- 100 g caster sugar
- 100 g dark soft brown sugar
- 200 g butter
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 3 medium free-range eggs
- 200 g self-raising flour
- 1/2 tsp mixed spice
- 1/2 tsp cinnamon
- 2 tbsp strong black tea cold
- 2 tbsp whole milk
For the icing
- 250 g icing sugar sieved
- 250 g butter softened
- 1/2 tsp almond extract
- 1 tbsp milk
- 50 g white chocolate melted
- sprinkles of your choice
Instructions
To make the sponges
- Preheat the oven to 200C (180C fan/400F). In a large bowl, add both the sugars, the butter and the vanilla. Beat until pale and fluffy.
- Beat in the eggs. It may split a little, but don't worry, it'll come back together at the next step.
- Sieve in the flour, mixed spice and cinnamon and mix through.
- Mix in the cold black tea and milk.
- Line a 12-hole muffin tray with paper cases and divide the batter evenly between them.
- Bake for 18-20 mins until softly browned and springy.
- Cool completely on a wire rack.
To make the icing
- Place half the icing sugar in a bowl with the butter and almond extract and beat until pale and fluffy. Add the rest of the icing sugar and beat again.
- Beat in the white chocolate until you have a smooth, delicious frosting.
- Pipe the icing over the cupcakes.
- Finish with festive sprinkles.
Video
Pin these spiced Christmas cupcake later
More Christmas recipes to try
What’s your favourite thing to bake as a gift or for bake sales? For more festive cupcake ideas, try these Christmas pudding muffins.
Get Your Kids to Eat Anything
My debut cookbook, Get Your Kids To Eat Anything is available now from all good bookshops!
It’s so much more than a cookbook, it’s a 5-Phase programme designed to take you through a meaningful, simple and sustainable journey to end fussy eating.
Since its release in March 2019 Get Your Kids To Eat Anything has been changing mealtimes in households across the country and has become an Amazon #1 best-seller.
Angela Ricardo Bethea says
I am thinking what to bake for the weekend and I bumped into this. Will print this out!
Emily Leary says
Great! I’d love to hear how it went if you made these delicious cupcakes over the weekend :)
Surekha Busa says
Wow, it looks really delicious and this is something that I would love to try for my guest on this coming weekends.
Emily Leary says
Thank you! I’d love to hear how it went if you made these delicious cupcakes for your guests :)
Claire Lee says
I am loving that cute setup and decor! I do eat cupcakes from time to time without the frosting though
Emily Leary says
Thank you! I hope that you enjoy this recipe if you give it a go. Even without the frosting these cupcakes are really delicious :)
Daphne D Adams says
These look amazing. I am a cake lover, especially cupcakes so I would try these without even thinking.
Emily Leary says
Good to hear! I’d love to hear if you give these delicious cupcakes a go :)