These Nigella Christmas cupcakes are the perfect treat for the holidays! They have a rich chocolate flavor and are topped with sweet royal icing, holly leaves, and cranberries. These cupcakes are simple to make and taste amazing!
Ingredients Needed:
- 150 grams of plain flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon bicarbonate of soda
- 1 teaspoon ground mixed spice
- 1 pinch of salt
- 100 grams of soft unsalted butter
- 160 grams dark brown sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 3 tablespoons sour cream
- 75 grams dark chocolate (broken into pieces)
- 1 teaspoon instant coffee
- 250 grams of instant royal icing
- 1 packet of green ready-to-roll icing
- 30 cranberries (for decoration)
How To Make Christmas Cupcakes?
- Preheat the oven: Set your oven to 200ºC.
- Mix dry ingredients: In a large bowl, mix the flour, baking powder, bicarbonate of soda, mixed spice, and salt.
- Cream butter and sugar: In another bowl, beat the butter and sugar with an electric mixer until fluffy. Add the eggs one at a time, mixing well after each one.
- Add dry ingredients and sour cream: Mix in a third of the dry ingredients, then add a tablespoon of sour cream. Repeat until everything is mixed in.
- Melt chocolate and coffee: In a small pan, heat 125ml/½ cup of boiling water, chocolate, and coffee until the chocolate melts. Stir it into the cake batter.
- Fill muffin cases: The batter will be thin. Pour it into muffin cases and bake for about 20 minutes, until they are cooked but still moist inside.
- Cool the cupcakes: Let the cupcakes cool in the tin for 5 minutes, then transfer them to a wire rack to cool completely.
- Make royal icing: Prepare the royal icing according to the packet instructions (or mix 2 ½ cups confectioner’s sugar, 1½ tablespoons meringue powder, and 3 tablespoons warm water, then beat until soft peaks form).
- Decorate the cupcakes: Spread the royal icing on top of each cupcake. Cut out holly leaves and place them on top with a few cranberries.
Recipe Tips:
- Don’t overmix the batter: When folding in the chocolate mixture, mix just until combined. Overmixing can make the cupcakes dense instead of light and fluffy.
- Measure the ingredients correctly: Make sure to measure the flour and other dry ingredients accurately. Too much flour can make the cupcakes dry.
- Check with a toothpick: To check if the cupcakes are done, insert a toothpick into the center. If it comes out clean, they’re ready.
- Let the cupcakes cool completely: Before icing, let the cupcakes cool on a wire rack. Icing them while they’re still warm can make them melt and look messy.
- Use room temperature ingredients: Make sure the butter, eggs, and sour cream are at room temperature before mixing. This helps everything blend smoothly and creates a better texture.
How To Store Leftovers?
- Refrigerate: Let the leftover cupcakes cool completely before storing them in an airtight container. Keep them in the fridge for up to 1-2 days.
- Freeze: To freeze, place the uniced cupcakes in an airtight container and store them in the freezer for up to 3 months.
Nutrition Facts:
- Calories: 250 kcal
- Total Fat: 12g
- Saturated Fat: 7g
- Cholesterol: 40mg
- Sodium: 70mg
- Potassium: 150mg
- Total Carbohydrate: 35g
- Dietary Fiber: 1g
- Sugars: 25g
- Protein: 2g
Try More Nigella Lawson Recipes:
Nigella Christmas Cupcakes
Description
These Nigella Christmas cupcakes are the perfect treat for the holidays! They have a rich chocolate flavor and are topped with sweet royal icing, holly leaves, and cranberries. These cupcakes are simple to make and taste amazing!
Ingredients
Instructions
- Preheat the oven: Set your oven to 200ºC.
- Mix dry ingredients: In a large bowl, mix the flour, baking powder, bicarbonate of soda, mixed spice, and salt.
- Cream butter and sugar: In another bowl, beat the butter and sugar with an electric mixer until fluffy. Add the eggs one at a time, mixing well after each one.
- Add dry ingredients and sour cream: Mix in a third of the dry ingredients, then add a tablespoon of sour cream. Repeat until everything is mixed in.
- Melt chocolate and coffee: In a small pan, heat 125ml/½ cup of boiling water, chocolate, and coffee until the chocolate melts. Stir it into the cake batter.
- Fill muffin cases: The batter will be thin. Pour it into muffin cases and bake for about 20 minutes, until they are cooked but still moist inside.
- Cool the cupcakes: Let the cupcakes cool in the tin for 5 minutes, then transfer them to a wire rack to cool completely.
- Make royal icing: Prepare the royal icing according to the packet instructions (or mix 2 ½ cups confectioner’s sugar, 1½ tablespoons meringue powder, and 3 tablespoons warm water, then beat until soft peaks form).
- Decorate the cupcakes: Spread the royal icing on top of each cupcake. Cut out holly leaves and place them on top with a few cranberries.
Notes
- Don’t overmix the batter: When folding in the chocolate mixture, mix just until combined. Overmixing can make the cupcakes dense instead of light and fluffy.
- Measure the ingredients correctly: Make sure to measure the flour and other dry ingredients accurately. Too much flour can make the cupcakes dry.
- Check with a toothpick: To check if the cupcakes are done, insert a toothpick into the center. If it comes out clean, they’re ready.
- Let the cupcakes cool completely: Before icing, let the cupcakes cool on a wire rack. Icing them while they’re still warm can make them melt and look messy.
- Use room temperature ingredients: Make sure the butter, eggs, and sour cream are at room temperature before mixing. This helps everything blend smoothly and creates a better texture.
Nigella Christmas Cupcakes