Ginger Spice Honey Cakes

Ingredients (Makes 14) 115g lightly salted butter or margarine

115g soft light brown sugar

115g clear honey

150ml whole milk

175g plain flour 1tsp bicarbonate of soda 1tbsp ground ginger ½tsp ground mixed spice 1 medium egg

175g vanilla frosting 325g golden marzipan Black food colour gel A few flaked almonds

Preheat the oven to 170°C (150°C Fan Oven, Gas Mark 3). Put 14 cupcake cases in a muffin tin. Put the butter or margarine in a saucepan with the sugar and honey and place over a ver y low heat, stirring occasionally, until melted. Remove from the heat, stir in the milk and leave to cool for 10min.

Sift the flour, bicarbonate of soda and spices into a bowl and make a well in the centre. Add the egg and gradually pour in the melted mixture, carefully mixing together to make a smooth, thick batter.

Divide the mixture equally between the cases and bake in the oven for about 20min until risen and just firm to the touch. Leave to cool in the tins for 10min then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

Spread the top of each cake with a little frosting. Roll out the marzipan to the thickness of a £1 coin. Use a mini hexagonal cutter or template to cut out 98 shapes, re-rolling as necessary. Arrange 7 on top of each cake.

Gather up the marzipan trimmings and form into small ovals. Paint with black food colour gel stripes and decorate with flaked almonds. Sit on top of the cakes to ser ve.