Spiced beer cupcakes with honey buttercream

As it’s Father’s Day this weekend, my choice of baking had to be something that the CCD (Caked Crusader’s Da) would really enjoy. The CCD likes a spice cake and he likes beer, so this recipe seemed to select itself!

I chose Adnam’s Broadside as it’s one of the CCD’s favourites. Bitterness seems to be my nemesis with flavours – I just can’t fathom how anyone can drink a pint of beer without their mouth puckering up!

The intensity of the heavy spicing and beer needed balancing out with something softer and silkier, so I added a honey buttercream to the cake; it adds a beautiful texture to the cake. My logic was that there are honey beers, so it had to be a combination that worked!

The aroma that filled the kitchen while these little cakes baked was intoxicating. I always used to be wary of baking with beer as I don’t like the drink, but the harsh flavour disappears on baking and adds richness and depth to the spices.

Don’t be tempted to cut down on the amount of sugar in the sponge recipe; I know it looks a lot, but it’s necessary to balance the bitterness of the beer. The dark sugar and the beer combine to produce an amazing flavour – first of all you get beer, but without the bitterness, then the spice hits, then the beer comes back. Really flavoursome with a grown up edge!

Happy Fathers’ Day CCD!

Ingredients

For the cake:
110g unsalted butter, at room temperature
220g dark brown soft sugar
1 egg
1 teaspoon mixed spice
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon allspice
½ teaspoon nutmeg, freshly grated
200g plain flour
½ teaspoon bicarbonate of soda
250ml beer – I used Adnam’s Broadside, because it’s one of the CCD’s favourites

For the buttercream:
125g unsalted butter, at room temperature
300g icing sugar
3 tablespoons honey

Method

Preheat the oven to 190°C/fan oven 170°C/375°F/Gas mark 5.

Line two cupcake pans with paper cases (this mix will make 14 cupcakes).

Beat together the butter and sugar until well combined and light – as the recipe uses dark brown sugar it will never whip up like caster sugar will, but you should notice it gets lighter.

Beat in the egg.

Beat in the spices.

Fold in half the flour, along with the bicarbonate of soda.

Stir in half the beer. I found it best to keep the beaters going and pour the beer in a very slow trickle.

Repeat the process with the remaining flour and beer.

Ladle the batter into the paper cases; the batter it will be wet – don’t panic!

Bake for approximately 15-20 minutes or until a skewer inserted into the cake comes out cleanly. Mine took 20 minutes.

Leave to cool, in the tin, on a wire rack for 5 minutes until the cakes are cool enough and firm enough to handle.

Remove from the tin and leave to cool completely on the wire rack.

At this point the cakes will keep for several days in an airtight container.

Now make the buttercream: whip up the butter until it is light and fluffy.

Beat in the icing sugar and continue to beat until well combined. A good test for this is to take a little of the mix on your tongue and press against the roof of your mouth – if it feels grainy keep beating!

Beat in the honey.

If the buttercream seems soft, refrigerate for 10-15 minutes until it firms up.

Spread or pipe over the top of the cupcakes.

Optional: grate a little nutmeg over the top of the cupcakes.

Bask in the glory of the wonderful thing you have created.

Eat.