Sultana Cupcakes – Easy Recipe For A Delicious Teatime Treat

 

 

One thing I noticed when I first moved over to the U.K. was that their baked goods and sweets were not as sugary as the ones we are used to baking and eating here in North America. It was even more apparent to me the first time I came back home to visit my mom. I noticed that North American bread was also much sweeter.

Most cakes in the U.K. are plain and simple. They are delicious without containing a whole lot of sugar.  If they have an icing or frosting at all, it will be a simple glace icing, or glaze. Any kind of cake with an over-the-top frosting and/or filling is usually referred to as a gateau and is saved for special occasions.

Case in point is this delicious Sultana Cupcake recipe which I am sharing with you today. They are simple cupcakes, using basic ingredients with not a lot of sugar in the batter itself, relying instead on the sweetness of the sultana raisins to bring a touch of sweetness to the table, and using a simple glace icing spooned over top to decorate. No sprinkles here. 

When it comes to texture and flavor, however, these delicious cupcakes are anything BUT simple.

 

What you have here is a rich buttery vanilla cake batter, studded with plenty of sultana raisins, always a delight. Perfect for picnics, children's parties, and teatime tables.  They are much beloved by children and adults alike.

Pretty little things, they are quick and easy to make.  Do choose a pretty cupcake paper to use. I used red gingham papers and as you can see, they dressed the cupcakes up beautifully without having to use sugar sprinkles, etc.  The cakes also removed very easily from the papers.

These may be a simple make, and a simple bake, but the flavor of them is anything but simple and lackluster.  I am ashamed to say that I scoffed down two of them without even blinking an eye. 

You have been warned. These are addictive and quite irresistible!!! It truly is the simple things in life with bring us the most pleasure.

 

WHAT YOU NEED TO MAKE SULTANA CUPCAKES

Some pretty basic baking cupboard ingredients. There is nothing too out of the ordinary here. I have provided both North American and European measures for your convenience.

• 1/2 cup + 1 TBS (125g) butter, at room temperature
• 1/2 cup (96g) sugar
• 2 large eggs, room temperature
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 1/4 cups (156g) plain all-purpose flour
• 1 3/4 tsp baking powder
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1/3 cup (80ml) milk, room temperature
• 1 1/4 cups (190g) sultana raisins

For the icing:

• 1 1/2 cups (195g) icing sugar
• 2 TBS fresh lemon juice
• 1 TBS milk

 

I use regular salted butter. I do not see the need to have both unsalted and salted butter in my refrigerator.  If you are bothered with salt, simply cut back on the salt required in a recipe. That's my opinion anyways.

I used organic granulated sugar that I get from Costco. In the UK use caster sugar for the cakes themselves.

Use plain flour not self-raising. If wish to use self-raising, see recipe notes.

I use whole milk. Again, I don't keep more than one kind of milk in my home unless it is specifically called for.  I don't like waste and with just me being here buying more than one kind would be a waste.

 

I like to use pure vanilla extract. I actually make my own. It lasts a long time. You can get the recipe for that here.

Sultana raisins are lighter colored raisins. Not the white ones, however. I am sure they would still taste good with the white ones, but the darker ones will give you a nicer presentation.

Icing sugar is also known as powdered sugar or confectioner's sugar.

I use fresh lemon juice from real lemons and again, the whole milk.

  

HOW TO MAKE SULTANA CUPCAKES

These are really quite simple to make. Do check out my hints and tips below to ensure baking success!

1. Preheat the oven to 325*F/160*C/ gas mark 3. Line a 12-cup muffin/bun tin with paper cupcake liners. Set aside. (I used medium size liner and a medium muffin tin.)
2. Cream the butter and sugar together until light and fluffy. Beat in the eggs, one at a time. (if the mixture curdles you can add a TBS of the flour mixture.)
3. Whisk the flour, baking powder and salt together in a bowl. Whisk together the milk and the vanilla.
4. Add the milk and the flour mixture to the creamed mixture and beat until smooth and well combined. Fold in the raisins.
5. Spoon into the prepared muffin/bun cups. (Do not overfill. I filled mine about 2/3 full.)
6. Bake in the preheated oven for 20 to 25 minutes, until cooked through and risen. A toothpick inserted in the center of one should come out clean and the tops should spring back when lightly touched.
7. Remove from the tin to a wire rack and leave to cool completely.
8. To make the icing whisk together all of the ingredients until smooth and well combined. Spoon or spread over the cupcakes. (I like to use a spoon and also like to keep a part of the cake tops un-iced for presentation purposes.)
9. These will keep up to five days in a covered container at room temperature. They are also suitable for freezing.

HINTS AND TIPS FOR SUCCESS

WHEN BAKING

• Try to have all of your ingredients at the same temperature, which usually means room temperature.
• Measure accurately. Baking is an exact science and guess work doesn't work here.
• When measuring flour, spoon it into the cup measure and then level off the top with a straight edge.
• Read the recipe through several times prior to beginning and get out any equipment you are going to need to prepare the recipe.
• Preheat the oven.
• Have all of your ingredients measured, prepped and ready to go before starting. This can keep you from leaving out an integral part of any recipe.
• Baking by weight is a much more accurate method to use as a gram is always a gram, but cups can often vary in size.
• If baking by using cups use dry cups (usually metal or plastic without graded or spouted measurements) for dry ingredients and liquid measuring cups (usually clear glass with a spout for pouring) for wet ingredients. 

 

MORE SMALL CAKES & TEATIME TREATS

FOR YOU TO ENJOY

GOLDEN TEA CAKES - These are very nice little cakes which actually improve upon standing. They are lovely the first day, but are even better the second day.  Very reminiscent of a Victoria Sponge with a light ginger flavor. Flavored with ginger and topped with a glace icing and half candied cherry, they are also very pretty cakes.

QUEEN CAKES - A very old recipe which is said to have come about during the Victorian era. Supposedly these delightful little cakes were a favorite of Queen Victoria.  Buttery and moist and studded generously with dried currants. These are also a favorite Mother's Day bake, and are very popular at tea parties.

 

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Yield: 12 delicious cupcakes

Author: Marie Rayner

Sultana Cupcakes

Prep time: 10 MinCook time: 25 MinTotal time: 35 Min

These are delicious cupcakes, very much in the British tradition. Buttery and not too sweet, studded generously with sultana raisins and topped with a simple lemon glaze icing. Perfect for picnics and garden parties.

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup + 1 TBS (125g) butter, at room temperature
• 1/2 cup (96g) sugar
• 2 large eggs, room temperature
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 1/4 cups (156g) plain all-purpose flour
• 1 3/4 tsp baking powder
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1/3 cup (80ml) milk, room temperature
• 1 1/4 cups (190g) sultana raisins

For the icing:

• 1 1/2 cups (195g) icing sugar
• 2 TBS fresh lemon juice
• 1 TBS milk

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 325*F/160*C/ gas mark 3. Line a 12-cup muffin/bun tin with paper cupcake liners. Set aside.
2. Cream the butter and sugar together until light and fluffy. Beat in the eggs, one at a time.
3. Whisk the flour, baking powder and salt together in a bowl. Whisk together the milk and the vanilla.
4. Add the milk and the flour mixture to the creamed mixture and beat until smooth and well combined. Fold in the raisins.
5. Spoon into the prepared muffin/bun cups.
6. Bake in the preheated oven for 20 to 25 minutes, until cooked through and risen. A toothpick inserted in the center of one should come out clean and the tops should spring back when lightly touched.
7. Remove from the tin to a wire rack and leave to cool completely.
8. To make the icing whisk together all of the ingredients until smooth and well combined. Spoon or spread over the cupcakes.
9. These will keep up to five days in a covered container at room temperature. They are also suitable for freezing.

Notes

You may use 1 1/4 cups (156g) of self-raising flour in place of the regular plain flour, omitting the baking powder and salt.

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