Fresh Cherry Cupcakes with Fondant Icing

Serves	18 cupcakes
Region	British
From book	Adapted from The Perfect Afternoon Tea Recipe Book

These fresh cherry cupcakes with fondant icing may look intimidating, but they’re actually quite easy to make. Get the recipe for these fondant cherry cupcakes!

Ingredients

filling

1 1/2 Cups self-rising flour (spooned and leveled)
2 Teaspoons baking powder
3/4 Cups ground almonds (blanched almonds ground in a food processor until fine)
3/4 cups butter (room temperature)
1 cup caster sugar (or superfine sugar)
3 eggs (lightly beaten)
1 lemon (for zest)
1 orange (for zest and juice)
8 Ounces fresh cherries (pitted)

filling (Optional)

1 tablespoon brandy or Calvados

fondant topping (Optional)

12 Ounces fondant (store bought or homemade)
green food coloring

fondant decorations (Optional)

5 Ounces fondant (store bought or homemade)
red and brown food coloring
4 Ounces royal icing

Note

1. When coloring fondant red, make sure to buy "no taste" red dye. Otherwise, the flavor might be compromised. 2. I would not store these cupcakes in the fridge, as fondant can have the tendency to bleed when refrigerated. 3. Fondant dries really fast; when making the decorations, store them in an airtight container until ready to assemble.

Directions

Fresh Cheery Cupcakes Filling
Step 1
Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line 18 cups of a muffin pan with paper cases.
Step 2
Combine the flour and baking powder in a medium mixing bowl; sir in the ground almonds.
Step 3
In a large bowl, combine the butter and sugar. Beat until creamy. Add one egg at a time and beat until the mixture is light and fluffy. Mix in the lemon zest from half a lemon and the orange zest from half a orange. Mix in the brandy and 4 tablespoons orange juice, then add the dry ingredients and fold in 5 ounces cherries.
Step 4
Fill the paper cases three-quarters full. Add remaining cherries, making sure each cupcake contains some fresh cherries. Bake for 20 minutes or until gold and springy to the touch. Leave to cool for a few minutes before turning them out on to a wire rack.
Fondant Topping and Decorations
Step 5
For the topping, color the fondant green and roll it out to 1/4 inch thickness. Emboss with a decorative rolling pin or fondant ribbon cutter. Cut out 18 circles and "glue" them onto the cooled cupcakes using royal icing. Roll 36 red fondant cherries, 36 brown stems, and 36 green leaves. Stick into place using royal icing.