Ingredients (makes 12)
1 tbsp. lemon juice
100ml whole milk
175g unsalted butter
175g self raising flour
1/2 tsp baking powder
175g soft light brown sugar
2 tsp mixed spice
100g ground almonds
3 large eggs, beaten
Zest of 3/4 orange
100g raisins or sultanas
1 medium eating apple, peeled & grated
1 tbsp. apricot jam, warmed with a splash of water
For the spiced buttercream:
Zest of 1/4 orange
50g full fat cream cheese
50g icing sugar
25g butter, softened
1/4 tsp mixed spice
1. Combine lemon juice & milk in a large jug and set aside for 5 mins. Meanwhile, pre heat oven to 180C/Gas mark 4 and melt butter in a saucepan. Use a little of the butter to grease a 12-hole muffin tin.
2. Put flour, baking powder, sugar, spice, almonds and a pinch of salt into a large bowl, then sift through it with your fingers to squash any lumps of sugar. Beat the eggs, zest and melted butter into the thickened milk. Pour this into the dry ingredients, then beat with a balloon whisk until even.
3. Stir in the dried fruit and apple, scoop the mixture in to the tin and bake for 18-20 mins until golden and well risen. Cool for 10 mins in the tin then remove to a rack.
4. When the buns are cold, cut a cross from the top of each one using a serrated knife, then brush the tops with the apricot jam. For the spiced buttercream, beat everything together until creamy and pale. Pipe the buttercream into the crosses. Alternatively, simply glaze the buns and pipe crosses across the tops.
