Jaffa Cake Cupcakes

I don’t know what it’s like in your house, but in mine, a pack of Jaffa Cakes will disappear within a few days. I’m sure we’ve all been there. You go to nibble on one or two, and before you know it, you’ve demolished a triple pack. Oops…

They’re addictive little treats. So I thought, since they’re pretty much universally adored, why not use these biscuit-sized cakes (yes, they’re officially cakes people) as inspiration?

Let’s break it down. 

First you’ve got the fluffy vanilla sponge base – that’s my signature vanilla cupcake recipe. Then there’s the tangy orange centre – a delicious dollop of orange marmalade. Followed by the chocolate coating – a generous swirl of my chocolate buttercream. Simple but totally scrumptious!

And, of course, you top it all off with half an actual Jaffa Cake.  

I love this recipe because not only is it quick and easy to make, Jaffa Cake Cupcakes are a real crowd pleaser. They’re perfect for parties, gifts or a family dessert, and you can easily split or double the recipe to make as many cupcakes as you want!

And don’t forget, there are all sorts of Jaffa Cake flavours out there now, from orange and cranberry and blackcurrant to pineapple and passionfruit. You’ve got plenty of options for your Jaffa Cake toppers. And your fruity centre too – there are all sorts of curds and jams as an alternative to your orange marmalade.

The world is your Jaffa Cake!

INGREDIENTS

Cupcakes:

150g self raising flour
160g caster sugar
80ml vegetable oil
74g softened butter
¼ tsp salt
3 large eggs
3 tbsp natural yoghurt
1 tsp vanilla extract
150g orange marmalade 

Buttercream: 

400g icing sugar
250g softened unsalted butter
100g cocoa powder
2tsp vanilla extract
4 tbsp double cream
6 Jaffa Cakes for decoration

METHOD

1. Preheat your oven to 140°C (280°F, gas mark 1) and place 12 cupcake cases into a muffin tin.
   
   
2. In a large bowl, cream together the butter, oil and sugar until well combined. Add the eggs, natural yoghurt and vanilla extract and mix again. Sift in the flour and a pinch of salt, and fold together. Be careful not to overmix – stop when you can’t see any more flour.
   
   
3. Scoop the cupcake batter into your prepared cases. Bake your cupcakes for 22-25 minutes until beautiful and golden. Allow your cupcakes to cool for around 10 minutes in the tin before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.
   
   
4. While your cupcakes are cooling, use a stand mixer or hand-held mixer to beat the butter on a medium speed for a few minutes until it goes pale and gains some volume. You may need to stop your mixer and scrape down the bowl a couple of times.
   
   
5. Sift in the cocoa powder and icing sugar a few tablespoons at a time and fold into the butter using a spatula, before switching to your mixer on a low speed to fully combine. Once you’ve mixed in half of your icing sugar and cocoa powder, add the double cream and vanilla. Mix thoroughly. Add the rest of your dry ingredients.
   
   
6. Before you decorate your cupcakes, take an apple corer and remove the middle of each cupcake. Spoon the orange marmalade into a piping bag and pipe a generous dollop of marmalade into the centre.
   
   
7. Add the buttercream to a piping bag fitted with your favourite nozzle and pipe out a swirl on top of each cupcake. Finish them off by topping each cupcake with half a Jaffa Cake. Now it’s time to dig in!

What’s your favourite cupcake flavour? Let me know in the comments below!