Mini Christmas cake muffins with rum

Ingredients

• 150g currants
• 150g sultanas
• 150g raisins
• 100g glace cherries, halved
• 100ml dark rum or brandy
• 100g Lurpak Unsalted butter
• 100g dark muscovado sugar
• 2 eggs, beaten
• Finely grated zest and juice of 1 orange
• 150g plain flour
• Pinch salt
• 1 tsp ground mixed spice
• 50g caster sugar
• Pecan halves, blanched almonds and glace cherries, to decorate

Method

Put the currants, sultanas, raisins and glace cherries into a bowl. Add the rum, stirring well.

Cover and leave in a cool place for up to 2 days, though at least overnight. This plumps up the fruit to make the muffins deliciously moist.

Preheat the oven to 160°C/fan oven 140°C/Gas Mark 3. Put 8 paper or foil muffin cases into a muffin tin.

In a large mixing bowl, beat together the Lurpak Unsalted butter and sugar until light and fluffy, using a wooden spoon or hand-held electric mixer. Gradually add the eggs, beating well between each addition.

Stir in the orange zest and orange juice. (Don’t worry if the mixture curdles).

Sift the flour, salt and mixed spice into the bowl, folding them through with a large metal spoon. Add the soaked dried fruits and stir thoroughly.

Share the mixture between the muffin cases. Bake for 50 minutes in the centre of the oven. Cool completely.

Put the caster sugar into a saucepan with 100ml water. Heat gently to dissolve, then boil for 1-2 minutes. Brush over the cakes and arrange the nuts and cherries on top. Brush again with the glaze – be careful as the glaze is really hot!

Cook’s tip: Brandy could be used instead of rum.

Our thanks to Lurpak for providing this recipe.

For more delicious festive ideas, see our Christmas recipes collection.