Additional Ingredients

For the baked rhubarb strips:

2	stalks of pink rhubarb
	Icing Sugar (Silver Spoon Homegrown) for dusting

Further Additional Ingredients

For the rhubarb compote:

125 grams	(4oz) rhubarb, trimmed and cut into small dice
30 grams	Golden Caster Sugar (Billington's) (1¼oz)
1 tsp	Ginger ground
1 tbsp	Water

How to make Rhubarb Cupcakes

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1. It is best to make the baked rhubarb strips the day before: preheat the oven to 120°C/fan 100°C/gas mark ½.
2. With a very sharp knife, cut the rhubarb stalks into 10cm (4-inch) pieces and then cut very thin lengths from each piece. Place on a baking tray lined with baking paper or a silicone mat, dust icing sugar over the top and bake for 2–3 hours, or until dried out and crisp. Be careful not to overcook or you will lose the beautiful pink shade.
3. Preheat the oven to 200°C/fan 180°C/gas mark 6, and line a cupcake tin with paper cases.
4. Cream the butter and sugar until pale and fluffy. Add the eggs and then slowly add the milk. Sift in the fl our and ginger.
5. Divide the mixture between the papercases and bake for 18–20 minutes, or until a skewer inserted into the centre of a cupcake comes out clean. Leave to cool in the tin for 5 minutes then transfer to a wire rack and allow to cool completely.
6. To make the Rhubarb Compote: place all the ingredients in a small pan and heat gently to boiling point (you just want the rhubarb to release its natural juices and turn a beautiful shade of pink). Leave to bubble and reduce for 2–3 minutes.
7. Once the rhubarb has softened and the liquid has gone syrupy, remove from the heat and leave to cool completely.
8. Use a 2cm- (¾ inch-) wide cutter to cut 1cm (¹/³ inch) deep into the centre of each cupcake to leave a space for the compote. Spoon the compote into these spaces and then pipe vanilla frosting over the top. Once the frosting has set, arrange the dried pieces of baked rhubarb decoratively on top of each cupcake.
9. To make the Vanilla Buttercream Frosting: In a large bowl, cream the butter, ideally using an electric hand wisk on medium speed. Blend in the sugar, a quarter of it at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in the milk and vanilla extract, and continue mixing until light and fluffy.
10. Keep the frosting covered until you are ready to use it.
11. Using a small palette knife, smooth the frosting over the cupcakes. You can also create small spikes by quickly touching the frosting with the flat blade of the palette knife.

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