Comvita Superfood Cupcakes

Manuka honey cupcakes sprinkled with bee pollen and topped with a fondant bee.

                                

Manuka Honey and Bee Pollen Superfood Cupcake Recipe

For the cupcakes:

• 250g Butter unsalted, softened
• 250g Golden caster sugar
• 250g Self-raising flour sifted
• 4 Eggs
• 1tbsp Comvita UMF10+ Manuka Honey
• 1tsp baking powder 

For the buttercream:

• 150g Caster sugar
• 3 Eggs (whites only)
• 250g Butter unsalted, softened
• 1tsp Natural vanilla extract
• 1tsp Yellow food colour
• 1tbsp Bee Pollen to sprinkle

Method

For the cupcakes:

1. Preheat the oven to 180oC/fan oven 160oC, 350oF, gas 4. Line a 12-hole muffin tray with paper cases
2. Beat the butter and sugar in a bowl until pale and creamy. Add the eggs, one at a time, then add the flour, baking powder and Comvita UMF10+ Manuka Honey and fold into the mixture. You can add a little milk if the mixture looks too dry.
3. Divide the mixture between the cases and bake for 20 minutes.

For the buttercream:

1. Pour 50ml water and 125g caster sugar into a saucepan. Heat on the hob and stir until sugar dissolves. Bring the mixture to the boil, without stirring it, until it reaches 121°C.
2. In a separate mixing bowl whisk egg whites until stiff – gradually add in the remaining 25g of caster sugar.
3. Remove the pan from the heat as soon as it reaches 121°C and sit the pan into a bowl of cold water for just a few seconds, to prevent the syrup from getting any hotter (if it's left too long, it will be too thick to pour).
4. Gradually pour the syrup in with the whisked eggs. Continue whisking the mixture for about 8-10 minutes until the bowl feels just lukewarm. If the syrup starts to become too thick to pour, return the pan to the hob very briefly, for the heat to thin is slightly.
5. Gradually whisk in the butter. Then add the salt, vanilla extract, food colouring and keep whisking it until it forms a smooth fluffy buttercream. and stir until an even colour.
6. Add the buttercream to the top of the cupcakes and sprinkle on the bee pollen before it sets.