Sticky Date Pudding. Just saying those words make me feel warm and fuzzy inside. Puddings and winters are just so made for each other. This winter, I have been a bit obsessed with puddings. It just seems so easy when you leave it to the moulds or ramekins to give shape and structure to your desserts. And in this case, cupcake liners. I turned the date puddings into cupcakes. Instead of the butterscotch sauce, I frosted them with a white chocolate ganache.
These cupcakes are moist, buttery and taste like caramel which is what makes them so delicious. But they are not overly sweet which is why they can be paired with white chocolate ganache. I was a bit worried initially if the combination would work. Or the resulting cupcake would be too sweet. Coming to think of it, most buttercream frosted cupcakes are high on the sweet too. These were perfect for me because I am all about caramel and ganach-y goodness. If you are making this and you are worried about the sweetness, you can add a teaspoon of lemon or orange zest to the frosting. That should add a touch of citrus tang which balances out the sweet.
The date cupcakes are the same recipe as the sticky date puddings I had posted earlier. The puddings traditionally are cooked in a water bath so they are gooey and extra sticky. To make cupcakes, I baked them directly and they were the right consistency for a cupcake. The ganache is the one I used in this cake recipe. Since it was already tinted at the time I made the cake, it was just a matter of whipping it up and decorating with sugar flowers.
Date Cupcakes with White Chocolate Ganache Frosting
Yields 8
1/2 tsp bicarbonate of soda
3/4 cup (165g) firmly packed brown sugar
60g butter, softened chopped
2 eggs
1 cup (150g) self-raising flour
White Chocolate Ganache Frosting, to decorate (recipe below)
Sugar flowers, to decorate
For the White Chocolate Ganache Frosting
250 g good quality white chocolate, finely chopped
150 ml thickened or heavy cream
Blue Food Colouring (I used a gel based food colour)
For the Date Cupcakes: Preheat oven to 180 degrees C (160 degrees C fan-forced). Lightly grease a 12 capacity muffin tray or line with paper liners. Place dates and water in a saucepan and bring to the boil over a high heat. Remove from the heat. Add bicarbonate of soda, stir until dates start to break down, set aside to cool, stirring occasionally.
Beat butter and sugar in a bowl using a hand beater, gradually add eggs one at a time, beat until light and fluffy. Add date mixture, stir to combine. Carefully fold through sifted flour, divide mixture evenly between the muffin liners, until 2/3 full.
Bake for 15-20 minutes or until golden and a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean. Cool to room temperature. Once cooled pipe frosting onto the cupcakes. Decorate with sugar flowers.
For the White Chocolate Ganache Frosting:
Place chocolate in a large mixing bowl. Heat cream over low-medium heat in saucepan until just boiling, pour over cream and set aside for 5 minutes. Use a whisk to combine mixture until smooth. Add food Colouring if using, little at a time till the desired shade is reached. Cool slightly in the refrigerator and whip up to a pipeable consistency using an electric mixer.
I love sticky toffee pudding!! But in our house only my husband and I like it, so I rarely make a huge pudding. This is perfect! I can make us cupcakes. They look so good! Love the dreamy photos too.
These are so gorgeous Sonali! Stunning decorations, I can imagine having these for a garden party or pretty high tea. And sticky date or toffee/caramel? Yeppers, they totally make me feel warm and fuzzy in winter, too xx
Looks delicious:)
Super duper stylish and inviting. Looking at the pictures just made my day.
This is unusual and so pretty! I can imagine how moist these cupcakes are. Lovely cupcakes like these are little works of art…
Oh I’m with you, sticky date pudding is one of my favourite desserts! I made muffins similar to these and loved how nice the dates in them were. Yours look lovely with the icing.
Krissie x – http://pearlsofstyle.blogspot.com.au
beautiful,gorgeous,stunning,outstanding food clicks….your posts are always an inspiration…and we are nuts over white ganache and dates anything…these cupcakes have both of them…so this is one of our favorite ways of enjoying a perfect piece of beautiful cupcake….thanks so much 🙂
they look lovely!
These cupcakes look so pretty and delicious, I love the idea of dates…
Hope you are enjoying your week Sonali 😀
Love the holders, the tray, the topping – everything! They’re pretty!
Julie
Gourmet Getaways
Oh Sonali, this is temptation made cupcake.
Love everything about it- the delish ingredients, texture and the beautiful presentation.
Such a brilliant idea for a cupcake, the look moist and amazing. The paper lining is adorable.