Christmas Cupcakes

1 C. all-purpose flour

1 Tsp. baking powder

½ Tsp. baking soda

1 Tsp. ground mixed spice

pinch of salt

scant ½ C. soft unsalted butter

½ C. plus 3 Tbsp. dark brown sugar

2 large eggs

3 Tbsp. sour cream

½ C. boiling water

3 Oz. bittersweet chocolate, broken into pieces

1 Tsp. instant coffee

1 C. plus 2 Tbsp. or 9 Oz. instant royal icing

one 12-ounce package green ready-to-roll fondant icing

about 30 cranberries for decoration

small holly-leaf cutter with veining stamp

12-cup muffin pan & paper baking cups

Preheat the oven to 400ºF.

In a large bowl, mix together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, mixed spice
& salt. In another bowl, cream the butter & sugar with an electric mixer. Add the
eggs one at a time, mixing well after each addition, & then beat in a third of the
flour mixture followed by a Tbsp. of the sour cream, repeating till all is used up.
Put the water, chocolate & instant coffee in a pan & heat gently, just until the
chocolate's melted. Fold this into the cake batter, but don't overbeat. The mixture
will be very thin, but don't worry about that: just pour carefully into the waiting
muffin C. & put in the oven for about 20 minutes, until each little cake is cooked
through but still dense & damp. Let cool in the pan for 5 minutes, then slip out
the cakes in their papers & sit on a wire rack until completely cold.

To ice them, make up the royal icing according to the packet instructions & cover
the tops of the cupcakes thickly. Cut out holly leaves & sit two on each cake, &
then press on your berries, perhaps putting two on some, three on others.

Makes 12

Nigella