White Chocolate and Macadamia Nut Cupcakes

I had some guests over one day last week and I had promised cakes so I baked these lovely White Chocolate and Macadamia Nut Cupcakes for them!  They went down a real treat!


 

I am so NOT a decorative person when it comes to frosting or decorating cupcakes, so do try not to laugh at my piping job! LOL  I did try, but alas . . .  it's just not one of my skills!



These are such simple cakes to make though . . .  and they always turn out beautiful!  They are stogged full of lovely crunchy macadamia nuts . . .  don't you just love them???  And of course white chocolate chips.  



Can you spell S-C-R-U-M-P-T-I-O-U-S?   (I hope I spelt that correctly!)  Whatever . . .  that is what these cupcakes are.  Moreishly moist and filled with lots of scrummy bits!



The icing is to die for and of course there is an additional garnish of more of those addictive macadamia nuts sprinkled over the top.   Go on . . . give them a go!

 

*White Chocolate and Macadamia Nut Cupcakes*
Makes 12

Printable Recipe  

Moist and moreish cupcakes filled with lovely white chocolate chips and the crunch of macadamia nuts . . .  with a white chocolate frosting and macadamia nut garnish.  

210g plain flour (1 1/2 cups)

95g macadamia nuts, coarsely chopped (3/4 cup)
1 1/2tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
 191g granulated sugar (1 cup)
 110ml sunflower oil (1/2 cup)
  2 large free range eggs
  70ml milk  (1/3 cup)
100g white chocolate chips (about 1/2 cup)

For the frosting:
225g butter (1 cup)
 6 ounces white chocolate chips
195g of icing sugar, sifted (1 1/2 cups confectioners' sugar)
 whole milk
1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

To Garnish:

about 3 TBS coarsely chopped macadamia nuts




Preheat the oven to 180*C/350*F/ gas mark 4.  Line a 12 cup muffin tin with cupcake liners. 

In a small bowl, mix together flour, macadamia nuts, baking powder and salt.  Whisk the  sugar, oil and eggs in a large  bowl until smooth.  Alternately beat in flour mixture and milk, making three additions of flour mixture and two of milk, beating just until smooth.  Stir in white chocolate chips and nuts.

Spoon the batter into the prepared muffin cups.  Bake in preheated oven for 20 to 24 minutes or until golden brown and tops of cupcakes spring back when lightly touched.  Let cool in pan on rack for 10 minutes.  Remove from pan and let cool completely.  

To make the frosting, cream the butter for fiv e minutes until light and creamy.  Place the choclate chips in a bowl and melt them over simmering water.  Don't let the water touch the bottom of the bowl.    Set aside to cool to room temperature.   Beat into the butter along with the remaining ingredients, only adding enough milk to give you a nice creamy and fluffy icing.  Do not refrigerate as the chocolate will harden.   Pipe on top of the cooled cupcakes.  Sprinkle with some chopped macadamia nuts.  Store in an airtight container.