Cardamom and orange cupcakes

Ingredients

• 125 g self-raising flour
• 3 tsp ground cardamom
• 125 g unsalted butter
• 125 g caster sugar
• 2 eggs, lightly beaten
• ½ orange, zested, juiced
• candied fennel (see Note), to decorate

Cardamom icing

• 240 g (1½ cups) pure icing sugar, sifted
• 125 g unsalted butter, softened
• 2 tsp ground cardamom
• ½ orange, zested, juiced

You will need a 12-hole (125 ml) muffin pan and 12 patty cases for this recipe.

Instructions

Preheat oven to 190°C and line a 12-hole (125 ml) muffin pan with patty cases. Sift flour, ¼ tsp salt and cardamom into a large bowl.

Using an electric mixer, beat butter and sugar for 2 minutes or until light and fluffy, then gradually beat in eggs. Fold in flour mixture, then stir in orange zest and juice.

Divide batter among patty cases, then bake for 15 minutes or until golden and a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean. Remove cupcakes from the pan, then place on a wire rack to cool completely.

Meanwhile, to make icing, mix icing sugar, butter, cardamom, orange zest and juice in a bowl until smooth. Spoon into a piping bag fitted with a large grooved nozzle and pipe onto the cooled cupcakes. Decorate with candied fennel.

Note

• Available from Indian food shops.As seen in Feast Magazine, Issue 13, pg100.Photography by Armelle Habib