Pear Crumble Cupcakes

120g butter - or spread, or whatever it is you use ;)
3/4 cup caster sugar
1 tsp vanilla essence
2 eggs
1 2/3 Self Raising flour
1/2 cup buttermilk
400 can halved pears, drained and chopped
1/2 cups Weight Watchers Berry Flakes Breakfast Cereal.


1. Preheat oven to 18o C or 160C fan forced. Line a 12 hole (1/2 cup) capacity muffin tin with paper cases.


2. Using an electric mixer, beat 100g of the spread, 2/3 cup of the sugar and the essence in a large bowl for 5 mins or until light and creamy. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition.


3. Fold in 1 1/2 cups of the flour and butter milk into the egg mixture, 2 tbs at a time, alternating between the flour and buttermilk. Continue until all the flour and buttermilk has been added. Gently fold through the pears until just combined.


4. To make the crumble topping, combine the berry flakes with remaining spread, sugar and flour in a medium bowl.


5. Spoon cupcake mixture into the prepared muffin cases and sprinkle with crumble topping, lightly pressing crumble into cupcakes. Bake for 30 mins or until a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean.


6. Stand in tin for 5 mins before removing to a wire rack to cool completely.

Caramel-filled Chocolate Cakes

Melted butter, for greasing
plain flour, for dusting
200g dark cooking chocolate, chopped
200g butter, chopped
4 eggs, separated
200g sugar
1 cup SR flour
12 soft caramel lollies


1. Preheat the oven to 200C. Brush 12 standard muffin tins with butter and dust with flour.


2. Put chocolate and butter into a medium heavy-based pan and stir over low heat until chocolate and butter are melted and smooth. Remove from heat. Stand until lukewarm.


3. Beat eggwhites until soft peaks form. Beat egg yolks with sugar until pale and creamy. Carefully stir into chocolate mixture. Fold in eggwhite. Sift over flour and fold in carefully.


4. Divide half the mixture between muffin holes, add a caramel to each and cover with remaining mixture. Bake for 25-30 minutes. Remove from oven and stand on a wire rack to cool.