Better-Than-Sponge Almond Cupcakes

I had some left-over ground almonds from making french macaroons but not enough eggs to make an almond cake. By tweaking my faithful quick-and-easy cupcake recipe I created a deliciously moist almond cupcake which I decorated with a simple butter cream icing and scattered almond flour. When presented to my boyfriend (the ultimate foodie), he exclaimed "this is better than sponge!". This recipe makes exactly enough for a 12 cupcake bun tray.

• Ready In: 30 mins
• Yields: 12 Cupcakes

Ingredients

• 75  g  ground almonds
• 50  g plain white flour
• 1  pinch salt
• 5  ml baking powder
• 125  g butter
• 125  g caster sugar
• 1  egg
• 5  ml vanilla extract
• 2  ml  almond essence
• 125  ml milk

Directions

1. Cream together the butter and sugar until white and fluffy.
2. Add egg and beat well.
3. Sift together flours, baking powder and salt.
4. Mix milk with vanilla extract and almond essence.
5. Mix in the flour and milk alternatively into the egg, starting and ending with the flour.
6. Fill 12 paper cupcake cases.
7. Bake at 180°C until golden and the cakes are springy.
8. Transfer to a wire wrack to cool and ice with plain butter icing (icing sugar, butter and hot water to make a smooth and fluffy icing).