Cupid Cupcakes Recipe

Directions

• Preheat the oven to 180°C/Fan160°, 350°F, Gas 4
• In a small bowl mix the cocoa and water together with a wooden spoon until smooth
• Then add the butter, Lyle’s Golden Syrup, Tate & Lyle Golden Caster Sugar, the egg and milk and beat well
• Sift over the flour and baking powder and mix well to make a thick batter
• Spoon the mixture into the cake tins to slightly more than half full. Bake on the middle shelf of the oven for 9-10 minutes until risen and they spring back when lightly pressed in the centre
• Remove to a wire rack to cool completely
• For the decoration
• Sift the Tate & Lyle Fondant Icing Sugar into a large bowl and make a well in the centre. Add the water, a teaspoonful at a time, and stir with a wooden spoon until it is too stiff to stir any more.
• Roll the icing into a ball and turn out onto a surface lightly dusted with Tate & Lyle Fondant Icing Sugar and knead for a few minutes until it becomes completely smooth, soft and pliable. If it feels too dry splash with a very little cold water and carry on kneading until the water is absorbed. If it’s too wet, dust the surface with extra Tate & Lyle Fondant Icing Sugar.
• Divide the fondant icing into 2. Colour one batch with red adding dots of colour in several spots with a toothpick and knead well until the colour is evenly blended. Continue until you get your desired shade. To keep your hands stain-free, wear food-safe disposable gloves until you have finished working with the red fondant. Leave the other batch white.
• Lightly dust the surface again with Tate & Lyle Fondant Icing Sugar and separately roll out both fondants to about 3mm (1/8”) thick.
• Using the fluted cutter stamp out 9 circles, and lots of little heart shapes, from each of the red and white fondant icings.
• Put the apricot jam in a small pan with a splash of water pan over a low heat until melted then lightly brush over the tops of the chocolate cakes.
• Place the circles of fondant of top of the cakes and very lightly press down so they stick to the jam.
• Decorate the tops with contrasting little hearts, decoratively sticking them on with a dab of Tate & Lyle Fondant Icing Sugar mixed with a very little water to make a ‘glue’.
• Arrange on a plate and serve.