hot cross cupcakes

today's cupcake is easter themed. my girl works at/for the easter show, so while all of you are probably saying easter is ages away, i am getting an almost daily count down. easter is alive and well in our house.

I will write down exactly what i put into these cupcakes, though i would change one or two things. - i'll put the changes in too.

HOT CROSS CUPCAKES
makes 24 small (normal aussie cup cake size) 180C
i used a 15 ml tablespoon in all my measuring today.

1 1/2 cup plain flour
1 1/2 cup self raising flour (i would use all SRF next time)
1T cinnamon
1/4t ground cloves
1/4t ground ginger (use mixed spice - 1.5T - i just had none)
3/4 cup brown sugar (1/2 a cup would work too for a little less sweetness)
125g soft unsalted butter
2 cups milk
1t vanilla
3 eggs
2 cups mixed dried fruit.

beat butter and brown sugar. beat in eggs, vanilla. sift and beat in about a third of the flour and spice, then half the milk, then repeat adding the dry last. mix in the fruit. 3/4 fill ur patty cases. into the oven for 15mins then rotate every which way and cook for another 15 or so. when ur tooth pick comes out clean they are cooked. i gave half of them a light honey glaze - warm up some honey in the microwave or over hot water so it's a bit runny and spread it on - i used a spatula. it's all about personal preference.

THE CROSS ON TOP
1 cup icing sugar
1T milk
2T soft unsalted butter
1t vanilla

beat it all together, put into a ziplock bag and snip off a corner. pipe on x's. this will make more icing than you need, so enjoy the rest, or feed it to your cat - mine really liked it.

it's a pretty dense little cupcake right now - which is why i would use all SRF next time, to lighten it up a bit, and also to make it rise...
i would have a photo but the wife has taken the camera to work, and they will be all gone by the time she gets home - i won't eat them ALL, i am going to a rehearsal and will take them with me!

UPDATE - made these again with all srf. works a treat. also the camera (and the wife) was at home so i got some pics!