Cupcakes are delicious and usually pretty easy to prepare. These Spiced Cupcakes are no exception to this. I made them for Sinterklaas, which is a Dutch tradition and celebration for kids in November/December. Speculaas seasoning is a traditional seasoning that’s used for cookies and treats for this holiday. This time I added them to cupcakes to have something besides the traditional treats. This spiced cupcakes recipe is from the magazine Cupcake Heaven.
Next to speculaas seasoning, there are more things added to the batter, making them totally different in flavor from the regular vanilla cupcakes. Syrup and nutmeg are those ingredients. The standard ingredients are flour, light brown castor sugar, baking powder, eggs, unsalted butter and warm water. The speculaas seasoning, syrup and nutmeg make sure you’ll get a warm feeling inside and make them perfect for the season. With the water and syrup you’ll have a more moist and fluid batter than normally with cupcakes.
For decoration of the cupcakes I made frosting with powdered sugar, water and red food coloring.
Another perfect treat for Sinterklaas and the season is the Speculaas Pear Pie or Speculaas Waffles. When looking for cupcakes consider the Kingsday Cupcakes, Ice Cream Cone Cupcakes or the Eyeballs Cupcakes.
Review
I pretty much followed the instructions of the recipe. I just left out ground star anise from the batter and star anise as decoration on the cupcake. Next to that I replaced pink food coloring with red food coloring.
Comment below if you’re going to try it out, if you have any questions and tag #cosetteiscookin when you post pictures on your socials.
Pancake Rolls with Salmon
Allergies: wheat, gluten, sugar, egg.
Ingredients
250 grams flour
225 grams light brown castor sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon speculaas seasoning
a bit of ground nutmeg
2 eggs
100 ml syrup
110 grams soft, unsalted butter
½ cup hot water
100 grams powdered sugar
Water
Red food coloring
Instructions
In a bowl add flour, baking powder, castor sugar, speculaas seasoning and nutmeg. Mix well. In a separate bowl mix eggs, syrup and the butter into a smooth batter. Pour the egg-butter mixture in the dry ingredients bowl and mix. Add the hot water, the batter should easily run of your whisks after this.
Scoop the batter in cupcake in a cupcake tin. Bake in a preheated 180°C/356°F oven for 25 minutes. Until golden brown and a toothpick comes out clean. Let the cupcakes cool down for 5 minutes. Take the cupcakes out of the tin and let cool down completely.
Add water and red food coloring to a bowl with powdered sugar and stir. Add enough until you have a fluid glazing. Pour some on each cupcake and let it dry.
Notes:
- Recipe source is the magazine Cupcake Heaven.
- Enough for 12 cupcakes.
- Syrup can be replaced with golden syrup.
- Red food coloring can be replaced with pink food coloring.
- Add ½ teaspoon of ground anise stars to the batter when adding speculaas seasoning.
- Speculaas seasoning can be substituted with pumpkin seasoning. They’re note the same, but come close.
- Add a star anise on top of each cupcake for decoration.
These cupcakes look so much fun, perfect for the season!