Eggs are usually what hold a cupcake together, so something has to take their place. Thick curd does it here, along with a little milk and baking soda. The curd gives the crumb its softness and a faint tang that is hard to notice once the cupcakes are baked. Whisk the curd with the sugar and oil until the sugar dissolves and the mixture turns smooth. If the curd is very sour, use a little less.
The flour goes in last, with the baking powder and baking soda sifted in. Fold it gently. Mixing hard makes the cupcakes dense and chewy, and a few small lumps do no harm. The batter should drop off the spoon slowly, a little thicker than pancake batter. A splash of milk loosens it if needed. Vanilla is the usual flavour, though a spoon of cocoa powder works well too.
Setting up the cooker is the part that needs care. Spread a layer of salt about an inch deep on the base and place a steel stand or a small bowl on top. Heat the empty cooker on medium for ten minutes with the lid on, gasket and wh
Eggs are usually what hold a cupcake together, so something has to take their place. Thick curd does it here, along with a little milk and baking soda. The curd gives the crumb its softness and a faint tang that is hard to notice once the cupcakes are baked. Whisk the curd with the sugar and oil until the sugar dissolves and the mixture turns smooth. If the curd is very sour, use a little less.
The flour goes in last, with the baking powder and baking soda sifted in. Fold it gently. Mixing hard makes the cupcakes dense and chewy, and a few small lumps do no harm. The batter should drop off the spoon slowly, a little thicker than pancake batter. A splash of milk loosens it if needed. Vanilla is the usual flavour, though a spoon of cocoa powder works well too.
Setting up the cooker is the part that needs care. Spread a layer of salt about an inch deep on the base and place a steel stand or a small bowl on top. Heat the empty cooker on medium for ten minutes with the lid on, gasket and whistle removed. This preheating matters, because a cold cooker bakes unevenly. Fill the cupcake moulds only two-thirds full, set them on the stand and cover.
Keep the flame on low once the moulds are in. The cupcakes take 25 to 30 minutes. Do not open the lid in the first 20 minutes, since the cooler air can make them sink. Push a toothpick into the middle of one, and it should come out clean.
Let them sit in the moulds for five minutes before turning them out. They keep for two days in an airtight box, and they are just as good plain with a cup of tea as they are with a swirl of frosting.
