Christmas Pudding Muffins (New & Improved)

As much as I enjoy my homemade Christmas Pudding, there is always some left and rather than just eat up left overs I try to find ways of using it up which are a bit different.

Here are some Christmas Pudding Muffins which are nice and light and not stodgy despite containing christmas pudding! To be honest they are lovely without the cranberry and Baileys butter cream topping, but with it they are a little bit nicer still!! I made half with the topping and half without.

Makes 8

Ingredients:

125g left over Christmas pudding

100g unsalted butter

100g caster sugar

125g self raising flour

2 eggs

1 tsp mixed spice

zest of 1 small orange

(2 tbsp baileys or brandy - optional or orange juice)

Buttercream (optional)

50g unsalted butter

100g icing sugar

1 tbsp baileys/brandy (optional) or orange juice

1 tbsp cranberry sauce (if you make your own at Christmas then this is a way of using some up) 

Method

pre heat the oven to 180oC / 160oC fan

cream together the butter and sugar until pale and soft

add the flour, mixed spice and eggs and beat well to combine

add the zest, baileys/brandy (if adding) and crumbled christmas pudding and beat well to combine all together

divide between 8 muffin cases and place in the oven for about 25 minutes or until cooked through

Allow to cool thoroughly and then you can leave them like this if you prefer

OR you can add some cranberry and Baileys buttercream

Cream the butter in a large bowl until soft and then add the icing sugar and beat together carefully until light and creamy. Then add the cranberry sauce and baileys/brandy/orange juice and beat well to make a smooth buttercream

Then top your muffins and if you have any festive cake decorations then you could add those too - I used snowflakes

So, next time you have some spare Christmas pudding in the house why not make some muffins