Gingerbread cupcakes with date caramel
The topping is genius, when soaked the dates soften and can be blended into a purée, with a smooth, sticky texture and a caramel-like flavour.
MAKES 6 PREP 15MINS, PLUS SOAKING COOK 25MINS
✱ 90g wholemeal plain flour
✱ 30g soft dark brown sugar or coconut sugar
✱ 25g ground almonds
✱ ½tsp baking powder
✱ ¼tsp bicarbonate of soda
✱ ½tsp ground cinnamon
✱ 1tsp ground ginger
✱ ⅛tsp ground cloves
✱ ⅛tsp ground nutmeg
✱ 90g 0%-fat Greek yoghurt
✱ 45ml water
✱ 1 medium egg
✱ 1½ tbsp melted coconut oil
✱ 2 tbsp crystallised ginger chunks, to decorate (optional)
For the date caramel:
✱ 100g pitted dates
✱ 60ml milk or non-dairy milk
✱ 1 tsp vanilla extract
1 Heat the oven to 200C/gas 6 and line a standard-sized muffin tin with 6 muffin cases.
2 Mix together the flour, sugar, ground almonds, baking powder, bicarb, spices and pinch of salt in a medium bowl. (Instead of buying individual spices, you could use 2tsp mixed spice.)
3 In a separate bowl or jug, combine the yoghurt, water, egg and coconut oil.
4 Pour the wet mixture into the dry stirring together until just combined. Divide the mixture between the muffin cases.
5 Bake for 20–25 mins until lightly browned on top and a toothpick inserted into the centre of a cupcake comes out clean. Set aside to cool. Meanwhile, make the caramel. Put the dates into a small jug and cover with boiling water. Set aside for 15 mins to soak.
6 Drain the dates and return to the jug, then add the milk, vanilla and pinch of salt. Blend until smooth with a stick blender, or in a food processor.
7 Decorate the cupcakes with the date caramel and sprinkle on some of the crystallised ginger.
Per Serving: 211 cals, 7g fat (3g saturated), 31g carbohydrates