Blueberry Cheesecake Cupcakes (Makes 12)

These cupcakes are special. Very special indeed. They have a biscuit base, a lemony sponge, filled with blueberry jam, followed by a cheesecake icing, which is perfect, not to sweet, and super tasty, and finished off with more blueberry jam. I made my own jam, however you do not need to do this. I am also pretty sure this would go great with many other flavours of jam, so mix it up and make something special!

WARNING: These will last five minutes, as they are so super gorgeous!

Ingredients:
Biscuit base:
30g unsalted butter, melted
90g digestive biscuits
1 tablespoon  golden syrup
Cake Mix
135g unsalted butter, softened
125g caster sugar
125g plain flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda
2 eggs
zest from 1 unwaxed lemon and 1 1/2 tablespoons of lemon juice
1-2 tablespoon milk
12 teaspoons blueberry jam
Cheesecake Icing
75g unsalted butter, softened
120g mascarpone
420g icing sugar
A few teaspoons blueberry jam

So, pop your oven to 190 degrees, 170 fan or Gas Mark 5. Line a 12 hole muffin tray with cupcake cases, or baking cups, both can be purchased from here.
Set to making your biscuit base. In a food processor, blitz your digestive biscuits while the butter is slowly melting in the pan.

When the butter is melted, take the pan off the heat and add the crumbs, and the golden syrup. Mix to combine, and then put a spoonful (I used a dessert spoon) of the biscuit mixture into each paper case, and press down to make your cheesecake base!

Now for your cake mix. You can use either hand and whisk, electric handheld whisk, or freestanding food mixer.  I used my freestanding mixer with the paddle attachment.
 Combine all the dry ingredients and mix, then add your eggs, butter, lemon juice and zest and mix until combined. Now add your milk and blitz again for 10 seconds or so, making sure all your cake mix is combined.

Divide your cake mix between the 12 biscuit lined paper cases. They should be about 2/3rds full. Pop these in the oven for 20-25 minutes. The sponge should bounce back when touched. When cooked, leave to cool on a wire rack.

Now for the fun bit. Getting the jam in the cake. You can do this a few ways. I have a piping nozzle which you pop into the sponge and pipe the jam in, or you can use a knife and cut a little round out of the cake, insert the jam and pop the little piece of cake you have removed on top of the jam, or you could use a chopstick (or something similar), poke a hole in the cake and wiggle a bit to widen the hole, and then with a piping bag you can pop the jam in (you won't need a nozzle). However you wish to do it is up to you, the end result is a delicious jam filled cupcake, however it is done.

 Now for the icing. Again, by hand with whisk, using a handheld whisk, or a freestanding food mixer. Again, I used the freestanding food mixer, and you could use the whisk attachment, but I used the paddle attachment again.

Whisk together your butter and mascarpone, for a good 2-3 minutes. It should go pale and fluffy. The mascarponse may release a little liquid, this is fine.  Now add half of your icing sugar and beat until combined, before adding the remainder and whisking for a minute or two.  If your icing seems a little wet, add more icing.

Now pipe your icing. I used a round nozzle, but you can get that icing on however you wish, blob it on with a spoon, make swirls, whatever!

Now for the grand finale. Pop a little blob of jam onto your cupcake, and using a cocktail stick, swirl the jam around the icing to get a lovely little effect.

Now eat, and enjoy! Try not to eat them all at once! I would also love to see your creations! You can either find us on Facebook, The Shire Bakery, or on twitter or instagram, @shirebakery. We will give you a little share and mention!