Malva pudding cupcakes with Amarula icing

Makes 20 cupcakes

Preparation time: 30 minutes  
Cooking time:
20 minutes 

For this recipe you really need smooth apricot jam although if you can only get jam with pieces of fruit, remove any large pieces and add an additional 5g of jam. Keep your mascarpone and cream in the fridge until you make the icing as it all comes together better if kept cold.

Ingredients
250g plain flour 
1 tsp baking powder 
½ tsp bicarbonate of soda 
80g butter 
200g caster sugar 
2 eggs 
80g smooth apricot jam 
1 tsp vinegar or lemon juice 
250ml milk 

Toffee sauce ingredients: 
100ml double cream 
60g butter 
80g light muscovado sugar if you have – otherwise caster sugar works just as well but the sauce will be very light 
2 tbsp water 
1 tbsp smooth apricot jam 

Amarula Icing 
200g mascarpone COLD 
200 ml whipping cream COLD 
120g icing sugar 
50ml Amarula or baileys, to taste  

Method
Preheat the oven to 180c and line a 12 hole deep muffin pan with paper cases. 

Mix together the flour, baking powder and baking soda together in a bowl. 

Cream the butter and sugar together and then add the jam and continue to beat until the mixture is light and fluffy.  After creaming the butter and sugar you will think there is not enough butter but it will come together after the jam is added.  When the jam has been thoroughly mixed in, add the eggs one at a time mixing after each has been added. Add the vinegar/lemon juice and mix through.  Add a third of the flour and gently mix, add half of the milk and gently mix again.  No follow alternating with the flour and milk, ending with the flour mix, gently stirring between addition. 

Half fill the cupcake cases and bake for 15-20 minutes until the tops are golden and the cakes firm to the touch.  Don’t fill more than half way as you won’t be able to put enough sauce on after baking if it has risen too high. 

Put all of the sauce ingredients into a small pan and carefully heat together over a medium heat until bubbling.  This will stay blonde.

Remove the cakes from the oven and carefully pour a couple of tbsp of the sauce over each cupcake.

Put the mascarpone into a bowl and whisk until smooth.  Place all the remaining icing ingredients into the bowl and beat until it is smooth thick.

Once the cakes are completely cool, pipe the icing over each cupcake and top with a drizzle more of sauce.