Spiced Soured Cream Cupcakes

It has been a while since I've made any cupcakes. I've some leftover sour cream from my Choc Guinness Cake and I need to use it up. So I scour thru my recipe books looking for one that uses sour cream. I found quite a number but I did not have enough sour cream then I saw this Spiced Soured Cream Cupcakes recipe in my fave 500 Cupcakes & Muffins.

As usual, I modified along the way as when I measure out the sour cream, there isn't enough so I top up with some plain yoghurt to make up the amount. I've also replaced pecans with pistachios since I don't have any in my fridge and instead of sultanas, I've sub them with mixed fruits soaked in brandy that I have ever ready in my fridge.

I took a double take when I was reading this recipe as the recipe does not contain any oil nor butter! Sounds rather healthy eh? Hence, the texture of course is NOT cake like but more like steamed cake. It's dense and not fluffy. If you like moist fluffy cake-like texture, this is not your kinda cupcakes. Capt'n Hook didn't like this at all but I liked it as my breakie after a short 30 secs in the microwave. Perhaps it could be better with the recommended cream cheese icing but I didn't make any as I preferred mine plain.

Spiced Soured Cream Cupcakes

adapted from 500 Cupcakes & Muffins by Fergie Connolly (published by PageOne Publishing)

Cupcakes:
190g plain flour
1 tsp baking powder

2 tsp cinnamon

1 tsp mixed spice

1/4 tsp ground nutmeg

2 eggs
150g light brown sugar (this is still a bit too sweet for me, originally it was 175g)
175 ml sour cream (125ml sour cream + 50ml plain yoghurt)
3 tbsp mixed fruits
3 tbsp pistachios

1. Preheat oven to 170C and line a cupcake tray with paper liners. The recipe says 18 but mine yield 12 only.

2. Sift dry ingredients into a large bowl and set aside.

3. In another large bowl, whisk eggs and sour cream. Whisk. Add sugar and mix well.

4. Fold in the dry mixture in 3 batches and mix until smooth. Next stir in the mixed fruits and pistachio.

5. Spoon the batter into the cupcake liners. Bake for 20 minutes until firm. Remove tin from oven and rest for 5 mins before cooling the cupcakes on a rack.