Raspberry and Clementine cupcakes

Monday, 17th January is supposedly the most depressing day of the year, if you happen to live in the morose Great Britain that is. So here is something that should cheer you up, make you some friends and if you already have both then revel in how smug you must be right now. The recipe calls for orange blossom water and although the flavour is so subtle it really goes well with the raspberries and helps echo in hopes of a not far off Spring.

You can use other soft fruits such as blueberries and switch the clementine rind into that of one orange.

Makes about 12 cakes

For the sponge:

125g (4 and 1/2 oz) softened unsalted butter

125g (4 and 1/2 oz) white caster sugar

150g (5oz) raspberries

150g (5oz) plain flour

1/2 tsp baking powder

1 tsp vanilla extract

1 tsp of orange blossom water

2 eggs

For the icing:

75g (3oz) chilled cream cheese

25g (1oz) of very softened butter

1/2 tsp vanilla extract

75g (3oz)icing sugar

Finely grated rind of two small clementines

Preheat oven to 190C (375F). Line a cupcake tin with cases, I used muffin cases for this one.

Cream the butter with the sugar and two extracts in a large bowl until it is fluffy.

Add the eggs one at a time, beating continuously then sift in the flour and baking powder.

Using a dessert spoon, put a small spoonful in the bottom of the case then fit in three or four raspberries snugly into the mixture, then put another dessert spoon of batter on top. Repeat throughout.

Cook in the oven on a wire rack for about 12 minutes until golden and springy. Transfer to a wire rack to cool adn while they are cooling make the icing.

Make sure your butter is softened and combine aggressively with the cream cheese until they are smooth. Add the vanilla extract, rind and then sift in the icing sugar. The mixture should be thick but if it is a little runny it still will taste great.

Make sure the cupcakes are completely cool before you start decorating and and finish each cake with any leftover raspberries you might have.