Sticky toffee cupcakes

Ingredients

For the cupcakes:

• 200g dates, finely chopped
• 1 tsp bread soda
• 240ml of water
• 50g butter
• 115g golden syrup
• 50g light brown sugar
• 2 eggs
• 150g plain flour
• 2 tsp baking powder

For the icing:

• 60g butter
• 90ml whole milk
• 220g soft dark brown sugar
• 240g instant royal icing
• 1 tsp vanilla extract

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 180°C. Place cupcake papers into a 12-hole tray.

2. Bring dates and 1 cup of water to the boil in a saucepan and simmer until the dates soften. Mix dates with bread soda and set aside to cool (this gives the dates their toffee-ness).

3. Beat together the butter, golden syrup and brown sugar, then beat in the eggs one at a time. Add flour and dates and mix well. Pour mixture into the muffin tray and bake for 25-30 min.

4. While the muffins are baking, make your toffee icing. In a saucepan over medium heat, melt the butter, and mix in the milk and dark brown soft sugar. Boil vigorously for 1 minute. Remove from heat and beat in half of the icing sugar. Cool slightly and beat in the vanilla and remaining icing sugar. Add more milk if the mixture is too thick.

5. Decorate your muffins with the toffee icing using a piping bag and voila!

6. Enjoy!