Apricot curd and white chocolate cupcakes are the perfect bake for afternoon tea in the garden. Not only are they delicious, but there’s no need to mess around with plates, forks and slicing cake. No apricot curd? Just swap it for lemon curd.
As I’ve just made apricot curd, I was keen to start using it in some baking. With a week of annual leave, it seemed like a good time to have some friends over for tea. At about the same time, I’d also received a cupcake stand to review. So, apricot curd cupcakes it just had to be.
Summer Afternoon Tea
Along with these apricot curd and white chocolate cupcakes, I baked a few other goodies too. I made some goats cheese and orach muffins based on a Rachel Demuth recipe from Green Seasons and some cinnamon and chocolate buns (recipe to follow).
As luck would have it, the weather was set fair, so I took the opportunity to host a tea party down at the field. Our plot is looking really good at the moment, with the vegetable beds full and flowers blooming everywhere.
Chairs were kindly brought along by friends as well as cups and a flask of tea. With 13 of us, aptly a bakers dozen, we had just enough chairs and just enough food. What with good weather and good company, I can’t think of a better way to spend time with friends.
Apricot Curd Cupcakes
After spending some time mulling over how I was going to use the apricot curd in cupcakes, I eventually decided to base it on the raspberry and white chocolate ones I made for the first We Should Cocoa. They were a great success.
Having recently fallen in love with cardamom sugar, the brainchild of Vanessa Kimbell, I substituted that for the vanilla sugar. And of course, instead of raspberries, I hid some apricot curd inside the cakes. The curd melded into the batter creating a delightfully squidgy middle.
If you fancy a hint of cardamom, but don’t have any cardamom sugar, add just a pinch of ground cardamom along with the flour. Alternatively, add half a teaspoon of vanilla extract instead.
I topped the cupcakes with a mix of apricot curd and mascarpone cheese. Pure heaven, all on its own.
If you don’t fancy making apricot curd, these cupcakes will work just as well with lemon curd or any other fruit curd come to that.
Although these apricot curd cupcakes fit very nicely into the apricot theme of this month’s We Should Cocoa, I have something else in mind for that. This apricot frangipane tart in fact.
Cupcake Stand
The cupcake stand is courtesy of Find Me A Gift. I’m really pleased with it. It’s a four tier steel stand which takes up to 23 cupcakes or muffins. The stand can take any sized cupcake and you could dispense with one of the middle layers if you had fewer items to display.
Twenty three seemed like a good number as this is two standard bakes of twelve cupcakes, which leaves one left over to be …. errr…. tested beforehand!
The cakes all sat well on the stand where they had sunken holders. The only one I was concerned about was the very top one which relied on balance alone. Even though there was a fair breeze outside, not a single cake blew off – not even the top one. I thought it made for a good display and showed off my cupcakes well. One step nearer to my pop up tea room!
Keep in Touch
Thank you for visiting Tin and Thyme. If you make these apricot curd cupcakes, I’d love to hear about it in the comments below. Do you have any recommendations or advice for making mascarpone icing?
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Choclette x
Apricot Curd and White Chocolate Cupcakes
Ingredients
Cakes
- 125 g unsalted butter
- 50 g white chocolate
- 150 g golden caster sugar (I used cardamom sugar)
- 2 large eggs (I used duck eggs)
- 180 g flour (I used 80g wholemeal, 80g plain white and 20g coconut)
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 70 g Greek yoghurt (I used 0% fat)
- 50 ml water
- 12 tsp apricot curd
Mascarpone Icing
- 4 tbsp apricot curd
- 125 g mascarpone cheese
Instructions
Cakes
- Melt the butter and white chocolate in a large heatproof bowl suspended over a pan of hot, but not boiling, water.125 g unsalted butter, 50 g white chocolate
- Remove from the heat and stir in the sugar.150 g golden caster sugar
- Preheat the oven to 180℃ (160℃ fan, 350℉, Gas 4).
- Beat the eggs into the bowl, one by one until fully incorporated.2 large eggs
- Sift in the flours and baking powder and stir until just combined.180 g flour, 1 tsp baking powder
- Add the yogurt and water and stir again until just combined.70 g Greek yoghurt, 50 ml water
- Spoon roughly half the batter into a tin of 12 cupcake holes lined with cases.
- Place a tsp of apricot curd on top of the batter then spoon in the remaining batter to cover.12 tsp apricot curd
- Bake in the centre of the oven for 22-25 minutes or until the cakes are well risen and firm to the touch.
- Turn out onto a wire rack to cool.
Mascarpone Icing
- In a small bowl, stir the curd and mascarpone together until just mixed. Try not to over mix as the mascarpone has a tendency to go runny.4 tbsp apricot curd, 125 g mascarpone cheese
- Spread over the top of the cooled cupcakes and decorate with orange stars, if liked.
Manda Louise says
These look delicious,white chocolate is my favourite
Victoria says
Yum!
Maya Russell says
I would love a cupcake stand one day – but where to put it? Lovely garden in the picture.
emma Gallagher says
I wouldn’t have thought of using apricot curd, thanks for the idea I will definately be trying this out.
Maya Russell says
I have not heard of apricot curd. They look delicious.
Maya Russell says
Love cardamom – my favourite spice. I’d use ordinary eggs than duck ones just out of personal preference.
Choclette says
You and me both. I use duck eggs in curd because the huge yellow yolks just give it such a wonderful colour, but hens eggs would be absolutely fine.
Choclette says
Baking Addict – We were so lucky with the weather, it rained the day before and the day after. Would love to do it again, but have no shelter down there.
Baking Addict says
I really must try making other fruit curds. The cupcakes look amazing on the stand in the garden. Ah wish I could sit in the sun enjoying your cupcakes 🙂
Choclette says
C – thank you. So far I’ve just bunged the pods in – this gives quite a subtle flavour but a wonderful scent. I think I need to experiment though and try crushing the pods – I expect that will give a much more pungent flavour.
C says
Those look delicious and beautifully presented on your cupcake stand. I love the idea of cardamom sugar too – do you leave the husks on the cardamom seeds or do you crush them a bit? Must try this!
Choclette says
Hazel – thank you. Cardamom sugar is dead easy. Just have a jar of sugar with a handful of cardamom pods infusing it. Just keep topping the jar up with more sugar each time you use some.
Hazel says
Ahhh, how lovely! I am desperate for an afternoon tea in my garden now! It is such a lovely way to spend time with friends, especially with these cupcakes of yours that sound absolutely divine. I must get myself some cardamom sugar!
Choclette says
Kate – yes me too – one treat a day. Very difficult at work when there is always cake biscuits or sweets in the office. I’m not very good at resisting!
Janice – thank you. I kept having to look back at this photo and pinch myself – how could we have sat out in the field when it’s done nothing but pour with rain ever since (until today that is).
Brittany – thank you. If you ever get your hands on a load of apricots, it’s worth making the curd – it’s delicious.
Made With Pink – thank you.
Natasha – thanks for commenting. White chocolate in cakes is not easily identifiable, but it helps to give them a certain richness which I like.
Shaheen – even with chocolate in?
Xinmei – do try some, it is amazing.
Suzler – hands off my tablecloth! The curd and cakes I’m happy to share 😉
CityHippy – pop up tea room is something I’ve been thinking about for a while, but need to investigate. my house not suitable, so there are added complications
Gloria – thank you.
Vicki – I’m sure these would work very well with apricot jam. I tend not to like things too sweet and the curd is quite sharp so it gives a nice contrast.
Vickii says
Thank you for checking out my blog! These look gorgeous – so moist and you had me at white chocolate! Do you think they’ll work as well with apricot jam instead or lemon curd? I can’t wait to make them!
cityhippyfarmgirl says
Now they look delicious, and sitting pretty in the middle of your garden…I couldn’t think of a better place to enjoy them with a bunch of friends.
…and pop up tea room? Do tell!
Suzler says
I’m in love with your tablecloth! Apricot curd sounds like something I should definitely become acquainted with, and your cakes look fantastic.
Xinmei @ Pudding Pie Lane says
Apricot curd sounds amazing – I want to try some!
Natasha Green ★ says
These look so tasty! I have never considered white chocolate cupcakes because I don’t like white chocolate but I might have to give these a go, especially with the apricot and cardamom curd.
I’ll have a look on Find Me a Gift too!
Thanks for this great blog post.
Natasha from The Rambles and Shambles blog.
Les rêves d'une boulangère (Brittany) says
You know, I’ve never heard of Apricot Curd so I’m very intrigued! I can imagine that white chocolate and apricot would be a fabulous combination though. You’ve made very cute looking cupcakes
Janice says
What a lovely way to spend the day. Your garden looks so inviting and the apricot curd cup cakes are very tempting.
Grazing Kate says
you have excelled yourself again – I could really tuck into that stack of cupcakes right now. Trying to stick to a healthy eating mission at the moment (it is NOT a diet) and allowing myself one treat a day. Wish it could be one of those! Actually already had a v small bar of Aldi plain chocolate that is surprisingly good. Treats over for the day!
Choclette says
Chele – well it’s all down to you. I’d never have thought of apricots at all if it hadn’t been for you and now I’ve baked tons (well perhaps not quite tons) of things with apricots – an inspired choice.
Phil – it’s a good one indeed.
Choclette says
Kate – thank you, it was just one of those days that worked and everything came together beautifully. The cardamom sugar was more about adding depth of flavour than a distinct and obvious taste, but I’ve fallen in love with it.
Dom – thank you kind heart. It’s fatal wondering around the food blogosphere if you’re on a diet 🙁
Celia – glad you like the cupcake stand. I have a slight worry that it might be a bit girly, but hey! Your summer will soon be along 🙂
Sonia – thank you. I’m a big fan of cardamom.
Phil in the Kitchen says
Love the sound of that combination of flavours.
Chele says
Oh you big tease! Can’t wait to see what you have in store for We Should Cocoa but in the meantime I am bookmarking the recipe for these cupcakes!
Sonia says
Unusual combo and sounds delightful!
Celia says
Great looking cupcake stand, and beautiful things indeed that you’ve filled it with! Apricot and cardamom curd…oh so summery! 🙂
Dom at Belleau Kitchen says
garen’s looking lovely… as are those stunning cupcakes!… I love the idea of the apricot curd too… now my mouth is watering and i’m on a diet this week…
Kate@katescakesandbakes says
What a delicious spread to share with friends on a warm sunny day, especially with the knowledge of a week of annual leave on the cards! The garden and plot looks beautiful! And how did the cardamom sugar work out?