Mini pear and chocolate cupcakes
5
Points®
Total time: 1 hr 10 min • Prep: 30 min • Cook: 40 min • Serves: 18 • Difficulty: Easy
Cute cupcakes with a spiced fruity surprise. The juicy pears say ‘no’ to dry, crumbly cupcakes and ‘hello’ to moist and fresh delights!
Ingredients
Pear(s)
9 small, peeled, cored, leaving stems intact
Cloves
4 whole
Ground cinnamon
½ tsp
Ground nutmeg
½ tsp
Reduced fat oil spread
⅓ cup(s), (80g)
Brown sugar
¾ cup(s), (165g)
Egg(s)
2 medium
White self-raising flour
1½ cup(s), (225g)
Cocoa powder
⅓ cup(s), (30g)
Bicarbonate of soda
½ tsp
Skim milk
1 cup(s), (250ml)
Cocoa powder
¼ tsp, extra for dusting
Instructions
1
Place the pears, cloves, half the cinnamon and half the nutmeg in a medium saucepan. Cover with water. Bring to the boil over medium-high heat. Reduce heat and simmer, uncovered, for 12 minutes or until pears are tender. Remove the pears from poaching liquid. Discard poaching liquid. Halve the pears lengthways. Trim bases if necessary (so they sit flat).
2
Meanwhile, preheat oven to 180°C. Line 18-holes of two, 12-hole ⅓-cup (80ml) capacity muffin tins with paper cases.
3
Using electric beaters, beat spread, brown sugar, eggs, sifted flour, cocoa, bicarbonate soda, milk and remaining cinnamon and nutmeg on low speed for 1 minute or until just combined. Increase speed to high and beat for 2 minutes or until thick and creamy.
4
Spoon 2 tablespoons of the mixture into each paper case. Place a pear half into each case. Bake for 20-25 minutes or until a skewer inserted into cakes comes out clean. Stand cakes in tins for 5 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack to cool. Serve dusted with extra cocoa.
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