Father Christmas Carrot Cupcakes

Ingredients

170 g (6 oz) self-raising flour
1/2 tsp bicarbonate of soda
1 tsp mixed spice
a pinch of salt
170 g (6 oz) butter, room temperature
170 g (6 oz) soft light brown sugar
3 eggs, beaten
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
2 tbsp soured cream or Greek yoghurt
140 g (5 oz) grated carrot
110 g (4 oz) raisins

Father Christmas Decoration
225g Ready to roll white icing
3 tbsp apricot jam
Chocolate honeycomb balls or chocolate chips
Red food colouring
White Writing Icing

Or Maple Icing
140 g (5 oz) icing sugar
4 tbsp maple syrup
3/4 tsp water
30 g (1 oz) pecan nuts, chopped (optional), to decorate
 

Method:

Pre-heat the oven to 190°C /375°F /Gas 5/Fan 170°C. Line two bun tins with paper cases.

Sift together the flour, bicarbonate of soda, mixed spice and salt, and set aside. Put the butter and sugar in a large bowl and beat until fluffy. Add the eggs, vanilla, soured cream and sifted dry ingredients, and beat until just combined. Fold in the carrot and raisins.

Spoon the batter into the prepared bun tins, filling each paper case around three-quarters full (an ice-cream scoop is good for this). Bake for 18–22 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into the centre of the cupcakes comes out clean. Cool for 5 minutes in the tins, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

To make Father Christmas Faces, colour one third of the icing red.  Roll out the white icing and cut out wiggly circles to fit the cupcakes. Warm the apricot jam in a small saucepan (if its very lumpy you may need to strain it) and brush a little over the surface of the cooled cakes. Place the circles of white icing on top. Cut out triangles to form hats from the red icing and attach bobbles on top made from small white balls of white icing.. Add two chocolate honeycomb balls or two chocolate chips for the eyes and use the tube of  Writing Icing to form the hair and a beard.

To make the maple icing (if you choose not to decorate these as Father Christmas) put the icing sugar in a bowl and stir in the maple syrup. Add the water, a few drops at a time, to make an icing which will thickly coat the back of a spoon. Spread onto the cupcakes and sprinkle over the pecans (if using)

The iced  cupcakes will keep in an airtight tin for 3 to 4 days. Baked un-iced cupcakes can be frozen for up to a month. Defrost for 2 to 3 hours at room temperature
 

Information
Suitable for freezing (baked but un-iced)
Preparation 15 minutes
Cook 22 minutes
Makes approx 16 cupcakes