Food
Mulled Wine Cupcakes + Cinnamon Buttercream
Christmas! It’s that time of the year again and with about only a week to go, I am finding myself in a mild panic over securing hard-to-find presents and fulfilling various end-of-year obligations. The kids’ school parties were fairly simple (Tiny Teddy Sleds and vegetable sticks with dip) and thanks to the Sweet Adventures Blog Hop (hosted this month by Christina from The Hungry Australian) I had an incentive to make something special for the Christmas dolls meet (another interest, another story).
Now before I go on, I have to thank the bloggers who started the Blog Hop a year ago this month. I’ve had a ball and the best part of being involved in a regular online event is that it does get you in the kitchen with a goal in mind. It’s also fun comparing everyone’s recipes and getting new ideas. I’m looking forward to participating again in 2013 :)
So what did I come up with for this month’s theme, Sweets for Santa? Last year I made some Chipotle Ginger Cookies and given I had only just baked Lebkuchen for last month’s Daring Bakers’ Challenge, I was keen to move away from cookies. Mind you, Santa’s meant to get cookies and milk isn’t he? Hopefully he won’t mind some spiked cupcakes instead!
A cup of hot mulled wine (or Gluhwein as I know it) is probably the last thing we Aussies want at Christmas time but it nonetheless gets me in the yuletide mood. I think it’s because the aromatics used in mulled wine remind me of a blend of potpourri that Myer sold for a couple of years around Christmas time when I was a teenager. I adored that potpourri and whenever I catch a hint of spice in the air, I can’t help but feel nostalgic for those less stressful Christmases I enjoyed as an ignorant teen.
My cupcakes are therefore an ode to the spices that are in mulled wine and hence my memories of Christmas past. In spite of the current humidity in Perth I cooked up some lovely mulled wine, following Jamie Oliver’s recipe. The recipe actually calls for some of the wine mixture to be boiled down to a syrup which was perfect for my plan. After adding some of that syrup to a basic cupcake recipe, I added more orange zest, cinnamon, clove and nutmeg to the mixture. The result was a very spiced cupcake that had an interesting depth of flavour thanks to the wine syrup.
For frosting, I used a rich buttercream (Wilton’s Buttercream Icing recipe is highly recommended) with a touch of cinnamon, and finished with more zest and a whole lot of gold sprinkles.
I took my lovely cupcakes to my meet and they didn’t last long! I was rather chuffed and I might just suggest that I bake another batch for Santa this year ;)
Mulled Wine Cupcakes
I modified my favourite cupcake recipe (again, courtesy of Jamie) by omitting the cocoa and red food colouring, then using a combination of 120g caster sugar, 20g of brown sugar and 20g of wine syrup for sweetening. I also added 1/2 tsp of cinnamon, 1/4 tsp each of ground cloves and nutmeg, and 1 tsp of orange zest. I also added 50 ml of the mulled wine instead of the buttermilk and a teaspoon of Wilton’s burgundy gel colour to give the cupcakes a deeper wine hue.
kelly
December 17, 2012 at 4:46 pm
They look amazing :)
Monica
December 18, 2012 at 4:39 pm
Thanks Kelly :) I can’t resist glitter :|
Christine @ Cooking Crusade
December 17, 2012 at 7:02 pm
Beautiful cupcakes. I just love the sprinkle of glitter and the red cake under the creamy frosting – such a pretty colour contrast as well as the cute Christmassy decos too :)
Monica
December 18, 2012 at 4:40 pm
Thanks Christine :) I was aiming for that particular shade of wine red/purple so rather pleased I must say lol
Christina @ The Hungry Australian
December 17, 2012 at 7:39 pm
Yes to Glitter! I adore mulled wine in winter, too, so the combination has me intrigued. Love your originality, Monica!
Monica
December 18, 2012 at 4:41 pm
Thanks Christina! Where glitter is concerned, I can’t follow the adage of ‘less is more’.
Jennifer Wickes
December 18, 2012 at 1:55 am
I thought for sure my eyes had deceived me. Wine and Cupcake?! Let me at them! lol Thanks for sharing. I will definitely try these.
Monica
December 18, 2012 at 4:42 pm
LOL – Yes, wine cupcakes. My son didn’t know what to make of them and whether he should even be eating them. The wine is only just there but makes for a nice flavour. Thanks for visiting :)
glutenfreeforlunchboxes
December 18, 2012 at 11:14 am
I love this idea! I can’t wait to try it, and what a great way to enjoy mulled wine in a warm Christmas climate.
Monica
December 18, 2012 at 4:43 pm
Thanks :) I definitely couldn’t drink hot mulled wine every night in December :| Cupcakes on the other hand. The flavour should work nicely with an almond meal friand too perhaps :)
bakingmyselfhappy
December 19, 2012 at 6:23 am
I love the beautiful, rich colour these cupcakes have. Very cute cupcake wrappers also!
Monica
January 4, 2013 at 2:51 pm
Thanks :) I miss them already lol
JJ - 84thand3rd
December 20, 2012 at 7:51 pm
Yum, mulled wine, and in a cake – fab idea! Love the glitter too :) So glad you’ve been enjoying the hops!
Monica
January 4, 2013 at 2:51 pm
Thanks JJ :) I’m a bit addicted to glitter now :| Trying to learn that less is more, especially in cooking :)
K-bobo @ Gormandize with A-dizzle & K-bobo
December 21, 2012 at 12:06 pm
A lovely idea! Is that edible glitter?? Fabulous cake bling win!!
Monica
January 4, 2013 at 3:05 pm
It is indeed :)) You barely notice it in your mouth though. I love it :D Thanks for stopping by!