Name: Cherry Bakewell Cupcakes
Prep time: 35 min
Cook time: 25 min
Total time: 60 min
Ingredients: 175 g Butter or baking spread (unsalted, softened); 175 g Caster sugar; 3 Eggs (large); 1 tsp Vanilla extract; 175 g Self raising flour; 185 g Cherry jam; 200 g Butter (unsalted, softened); 400 g Icing sugar; 1 tsp Almond extract; 75 g Icing sugar; 6 Glace cherries (cut in half); 2 tbsp Flaked almonds

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Because I bake so much, I always favour home made treats over shop bought. However, cherry bakewells are one of the few shop bought treats that I will buy, as I absolutely love them! I created these Cherry Bakewell Cupcakes in honour of them. They are a yummy cupcake sponge filled with cherry jam, topped with an almond buttercream, a drizzle of icing, flaked almonds and half a glace cherry. They are one of my favourite cupcakes recipes that I've ever made! If you are a cherry bakewell fan, you're going to love them!

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Ingredient Tips & Equipment Information

Make sure all your ingredients (particularly the butter and eggs) are at room temperature before you start baking.
I used unsalted butter for the buttercream, for the cupcakes I used a baking spread (I like Stork).
I decorated the cupcakes with Glace cherries as they are traditional on cherry bakewell tarts, however if you prefer fresh cherries and they're in season then you could use those instead.
For better flavour, use Almond extract, not essence.
For teaspoon (tsp) and tablespoon (tbsp) measurements, please use measuring spoons and not the type of spoons you eat with. Again this will ensure accuracy and provide the best results.
Although I provide cup measurements, I highly recommend weighing your ingredients out using digital kitchen scales. It is the most accurate way to measure ingredients and will ensure the best results. Digital scales are very low cost and can be purchased for around £12 ($16.50).

For the full recipe with measurements, head to the recipe card at the end of this post.

How to make Cherry Bakewell Cupcakes

To make the sponge, start by mixing together the butter and sugar, then whisk in the eggs and vanilla extract.

Then add the self raising flour and whisk until smooth. Divide the mixture between the cupcake cases, and bake them for 25 minutes until golden. Once the cupcakes are fully cool, use a cupcake corer to make a hole in the centre.

Fill each hole with cherry jam. Then make a buttercream using butter, icing sugar and vanilla extract and pipe it onto the cupcakes. Drizzle icing over the buttercream and add glace cherries and flaked almonds.

For the full recipe with measurements, head to the recipe card at the end of this post.

How long do the cupcakes last for and can they be frozen?

The cupcakes will last for 2-3 days in an airtight container in a cool place. You can freeze both the cupcakes and the buttercream (but do not freeze the cinnamon sticks and star anise). To freeze them separately, wrap the cupcakes well in cling film or put them in an airtight container. The buttercream can be frozen in a sealed tub. To freeze them decorated, freeze the cupcakes on a plate until frozen solid, then carefully wrap in cling film. Remove the clingfilm when you take the cupcakes out of the freezer to defrost, as if they defrost with it still on it could damage the buttercream.

Can you make the cupcakes with plain/all purpose flour?

Self raising flour, which is very commonly used in the UK where I am based, already contains a raising agent and a little salt too. Therefore if you want to swap it for plain or all purpose flour, you will need to add some additional baking powder and also a little salt if you like. Some people like to add salt to cake recipes and some don't, so I'll leave that up to you as it won't affect the bake. The general advice is to add 2 teaspoons baking powder (a measuring teaspoon, not the kind you stir your coffee with) per every 200g plain or all purpose flour. So for this recipe you'd need to add 2 teaspoons baking powder. Please note, I have not tested this recipe using plain or all purpose flour.

Can the cupcakes be made gluten or dairy free?

Yes! For gluten free you can replace the self raising flour with a gluten free self raising flour blend. If you only have a gluten free plain flour blend, you will need to add baking powder. The general advice is to add 2 tsp baking powder per 200g flour, so for this recipe you'd need to add 1 ¾ teaspoons baking powder. You may also like to add ¼ tsp xanthan gum for better texture. For a dairy free version, use a dairy free baking spread for the cupcakes and the buttercream. Please do check the labels for everything you use to make this recipe if you are serving it to someone with an allergy or intolerance.

Can these cupcakes be made into a larger cake?

Yes, check out my Cherry Bakewell Cake recipe.

More tips for making the Cherry Bakewell Cupcakes:

If you are making the hole in the cupcake with a knife, don't cut all the way to the bottom, go about two thirds down. If you can get hold of a cupcake corer, it makes the process much easier and quicker and they're very cheap.
I bought pre-toasted flaked almonds for the top, to toast them yourself put them in a frying pan for 1-2 minutes and stir/toss halfway through. Keep a very close eye on them as they go from toasted to burnt very quickly!
Technically, the traditional jam in a Bakewell Tart is raspberry. I used cherry, but you can easily swap it for raspberry if you prefer.

Troubleshooting

My number one tip for getting the best results is to read through this whole page of tips and recommendations before starting, and follow the recipe exactly. If you have any questions about this recipe, or if something went wrong and you need help, please use the comment form below and I will get back to you. You can also get in touch with me on my Twitter, Instagram or Facebook. I'd love to hear from you!

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