A light vanilla cupcake filled with a blob of raspberry jam and topped with a jam swirl buttercream frosting. Finished off with a mini jammy dodger biscuit. This cake is the perfect ode to this family favourite biscuit.
This cupcake uses a simple vanilla sponge recipe, made using vanilla paste. I always recommend using a paste over extract as it has a much stronger, more authentic flavour whereas the liquid extract can sometimes taste more artificial. I also think that the consistency of the thicker paste is better for cakes as extract can sometimes add too much liquid to the batter.
Jammy Dodger
Once the cakes have cooked and completely cooled down, use a sharp knife cut out a ‘well’ in the centre of the cake as if you’re making a butterfly cake. Then add a blob of jam (about ½ – 1 teaspoon) to the well, filling up the hole you’ve just made. Don’t put the top of the cake back on, you just discard (or eat!) this extra bit. I tried to put the lid back on the cake, but every time I did the jam oozed everywhere and just made a big mess!
Next make the jam swirl buttercream frosting. The base of this is my classic buttercream recipe. To make this, start to make a basic buttercream frosting. Mix the unsalted butter in an electric mixer until creamy. Next, add the icing sugar in two batches. I always recommend stirring the icing sugar with a spoon before using an electric mixer. This helps to prevent an icing sugar cloud explosion! After everything is fully mixed together, lightly stir through the jam. Do not overmix here as you wish to keep the swirl effect.
When it comes to icing, you will pipe or add the icing sugar directly to the top of the cake, covering the jam. I like to pipe this on. The icing in this recipe is thick enough to hold its own shape which makes it perfect for piping. Once ready and iced place a mini jammy dodger on top of each cake for the perfect finishing touch.
I like to make smaller batches of these as they are best eaten fresh, on the same day of baking. However if you would like a larger batch you can double or triple the recipe. These are best eaten fresh on the same day, but any leftovers can be stored in an airtight container for 2-3 days.
Ingredients
- CAKE
- 2 oz / 60 g Self Raising Flour
- 2 oz / 60 g Butter
- 1 oz / 30 g Caster Sugar
- 1 Egg
- 1 teaspoon Milk
- 1/4 teaspoon Vanilla Extract
- ICING:
- 3 oz / 85 g Unsalted Butter
- 6 oz / 170 g Icing Sugar
- 1 teaspoon Seedless Raspberry Jam
- 4 Mini Jammy Dodger Biscuits, for decoration - optional
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 180*c/350*f/Gas Mark 4/160*c Fan Oven.
- Line a cupcake tin with cases and set aside.
- Place the margarine and sugar into a bowl and using an electric mixer beat together until light and fluffy.
- Add the eggs, self-raising flour and milk to the mixture, blending until fully combined.
- Stir through the vanilla paste and spoon the mixture into your prepared tin.
- Cook for 16 to 20 minutes, until golden brown and light and fluffy. You can tell the cakes are ready when they spring back when lightly pressed. You could also insert a skewer into the middle of one of the cakes and if it comes out clean, then the cakes are ready.
- Once ready, remove from the oven.
- Allow the cakes to sit in the tin for roughly 5 minutes, then place on a wired rack to cool.
- Now the cakes have cooled, start to prepare the middle. using a sharp knife, cut a 'well' out of the centre of the cake, as if you were making a butterfly cake. Discard (or eat!) the dome of cake that you've just cut out as you won't be needing it anymore.
- Using a teaspoon, add a blob of jam to the centre of each cake, filling the hole that you've just made (see picture).
- Add the butter to a mixing bowl and using an electric mixer, blend until creamy.
- Add half of the sieved icing sugar to the bowl and using a spoon, gently stir together until just combined (this helps to prevent an icing sugar explosion!), before mixing with the electric mixer.
- Add the remaining icing sugar and follow the steps above, do not be afraid to overmix, you want this to be nice and smooth.
- Lightly stir through the raspberry jam. Do not overmix here as you wish to keep the swirl effect.
- This icing is thick enough to pipe if desired or can be placed on top of the cake in your chosen design.
- Pipe or place the icing directly to the top of the cake and jam centre.
- For a finishing touch add a mini jammy dodger biscuit on top of the cake/piped icing.
Notes
I like to make smaller batches of these as they are best eaten fresh, on the same day of baking. However if you would like a larger batch you can double or triple the recipe. These are best eaten fresh on the same day, but any leftovers can be stored in an airtight container for 2-3 days.
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