Basil and strawberry cupcakes

Ingredients

• 175g British caster sugar
• 175g British unsalted butter
• 3 medium British eggs
• 175g British self-raising flour
• 14 British basil leaves, chopped into small pieces
• 12 tsps. British strawberry jam
• 180g soft full fat British cream cheese
• 50g British icing sugar
• 1tsp vanilla extract
• 12 small British strawberries

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 180°/160° fan. Place 12 cupcake cases in a 12 hole muffin tray.
2. Cream together the caster sugar and butter until pale, light and fluffy.
3. Beat the eggs and half the flour into the mixture for 1-2 minutes.
4. Add the remaining flour and chopped basil and fold into the mixture, making sure not to knock any air out.
5. Divide the mixture into the cake cases and bake in the oven for 22-25 minutes until golden and the tops spring back when touched. When cooked remove from the muffin tray and place on a wire rack to cool.
6. Once the cupcakes are cool, cut out a circle in each cake, add in a teaspoon of jam into each and cover back with the cut out cake piece.  
7. To make the icing beat together the soft cream cheese, icing sugar and vanilla extract until well combined.  Either with a piping bag or pallet knife add the icing to the top of the cakes and finish with a strawberry on top.