Plum Cupcakes

It's time for yet another Random Recipe challenge set by Dom from Belleau Kitchen. This month the theme is store cupboard finds where we are asked to reach into our cupboards and pull out the first thing you touch then pick a cookbook, turn to the index and find a recipe which has the item in your hand. So with trepidation I opened my overflowing cupboard and reached far into the back and came up with this.... 

 a bottle of homemade plum jam that my colleague gave me quite possibly hoping for a baked item from it. I've now left that job but I did use it in a cake as she probably intended! :) 

I knew that I wanted to make cake with it so I looked at my bookshelf and pulled out my trusted Hummingbird Bakery Cookbook. I turned to the index and what do you know on page 111 a recipe for plum cupcakes. Score! 

It's a fairly simple recipe with buttermilk and plum jam which creates a very moist cake. It has jam baked in the cake and sandwiched in the middle of the cake. It tasted very much of plums which incidentally is not my favourite fruit. I thought the cakes were a little too sweet and dense but they are definitely worth a try if you have some plum jam to spare. 

I'm also entering this to Tea Time Treats hosted by Kate from What Kate Baked and co hosted by Karen from Lavender and Lovage. The theme this month is jams, chutneys, curds and conserves. The plum jam is homemade (although not by me!) and I used the whole jar for the cake and icing so I hope this entry qualifies!

I'm also sending this to Made with love Mondays hosted by Javelin Warrior as the ingredients are homemade jam and fresh plums to decorate. No artificial flavours or colours here!

 plum jam, brown sugar, 4 egg yolks and buttermilk 

 fill the cake 1/3 full 

 add a teaspoon or so of jam 

 then top with another 1/3 of batter 

 fresh from the oven 

 decorate with slices of fresh plum

 you can see the jammy layer in between 

Recipe from hummingbird Bakery Cake Days

Makes 18 cupcakes

For the cupcakes 

120g butter

340g plain flour

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

4 large egg yolks

300g light brown sugar (I reduced the amount of sugar as it seemed too much)

180ml buttermilk

270g plum jam 

For the frosting

400g icing sugar (again I reduced the amount)

160g butter

50ml milk

50g plum jam (original states 70g but I didnt have enough)

Fresh plum slices to decorate

• Preheat the oven to 190C.
• Mix the butter, flour, baking powder and salt until it resembles coarse crumbs.
• In a large bowl, whisk the egg yolks, brown sugar, buttermilk and 120g of the plum jam until well combined. 
• Add half to the dry ingredients and mix well. 
• Add the remaining half and continue mixing.
• Fill each cupcake case 1/3 full of batter. 
• Place 1 teaspoon of plum jam followed by another 1/3 of batter. 
• Bake for approximately 20 minutes or until a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean.
• Allow to cool completely on a wire rack.
• Make the frosting by whisking the icing sugar with butter.
• Pour the milk in slowly and continue whisking until light and fluffy. 
• Finally, stir in the plum jam.
• Spread the frosting on top of your cooled cupcakes and decorate with slices of fresh plum.