Name: Passion Fruit Martini Cupcakes
Prep time: 30 min
Cook time: 25 min
Total time: 55 min
Ingredients: 175 g Butter or baking spread; 175 g Caster sugar; 1 Lime (zest only); 1 tsp Vanilla extract; 3 Eggs (large); 175 g Self raising flour; 180 g Passion fruit curd (Shop bought or homemade, I used Waitrose); 200 g Butter; 400 g Icing sugar; 2-3 tbsp Prosecco (or Prosecco flavouring, see notes); 2 Passion fruits

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These Passion Fruit Martini Cupcakes have been inspired by the most popular cocktail in the UK. The Passion Fruit Martini (which also goes by a much more risque name!) is a vanilla vodka cocktail with passion fruit juice, Passoa (a passion fruit liqueur), and lime juice. It’s also commonly served with a shot of prosecco. I've made these cupcakes with a lime and vanilla sponge, then I've filled them with a fruity passion fruit curd. On top is prosecco buttercream, and a drizzle of fresh passion fruit for good measure. They're one of my favourite cupcakes as I just love that zingy citrus hit in a sweet cupcake!

Ingredient Tips & Equipment Information

Make sure all your ingredients (particularly the butter and eggs) are at room temperature before you start baking.
You can use shop bought or homemade passion fruit curd to fill the cupcakes. The one I used was bought from Waitrose. Lots of other brands sell it and you can buy it online too. If you're struggling to find it, lemon curd is also a tasty option!
I used a baking spread for the cupcakes and unsalted butter for the buttercream.
If you can get hold of prosecco extract or flavouring for the buttercream (I get mine from Sainsburys and you can also get other brands online like Foodie Flavours) this will provide a stronger flavour in the buttercream. If you do use flavouring, you'll also need to add some milk to the buttercream to loosen it, around 1-2 tbsp.
Although I provide cup measurements, I highly recommend weighing your ingredients out using digital kitchen scales*. It is the most accurate way to measure ingredients and will ensure the best results. Digital scales are very low cost and can be purchased for around £12 ($16.50) .
For teaspoon (tsp) and tablespoon (tbsp) measurements, please use measuring spoons* and not the type of spoons you eat with. Again this will ensure accuracy and provide the best results.

For the full recipe with measurements, head to the recipe card at the end of this post.

How to make Passion Fruit Martini Cupcakes

To make the sponge, mix together the butter, sugar and lime zest, then whisk in the eggs and vanilla extract.

Then add the self raising flour and whisk until smooth. Divide the mixture between the cupcake cases, and bake them for 25 minutes or until golden.

Once the cupcakes are fully cooled, used a cupcake corer to make a hole in the centre. Fill each hole with passion fruit curd.

Then make a buttercream using butter, icing sugar and prosecco flavouring and pipe it onto the cupcakes. To decorate the Passion Fruit Martini Cupcakes add some fresh passion fruit on top.

Where can you get passion fruit curd from?

I bought a jar from Waitrose for this recipe. It is made by lots of brands and you can buy it online too in several places. If you want to make your own passion fruit curd, there are lots of recipes you can find via Google. If you make a big batch, leftovers would be delicious on toast, with meringue and whipped cream, or for a tropical twist on a Victoria Sandwich cake. If you can't find it at all, and you don't want to make it, use lemon curd instead.

How long do the cupcakes last for and can they be frozen?

The cupcakes will last for 2-3 days in an airtight container in a cool place. You can freeze both the cupcakes and the buttercream. To freeze them separately, wrap the cupcakes well in cling film or put them in an airtight container. The buttercream can be frozen in a sealed tub. To freeze them decorated, freeze the cupcakes on a plate until frozen solid, then carefully wrap in cling film. Remove the clingfilm when you take the cupcakes out of the freezer to defrost, as if they defrost with it still on it could damage the apperance of the buttercream.

Can you make the cupcakes with plain/all purpose flour?

Self raising flour, which is very commonly used in the UK where I am based, already contains a raising agent and a little salt too. Therefore if you want to swap it for plain or all purpose flour, you will need to add some additional baking powder and also a little salt if you like. Some people like to add salt to cake recipes and some don't, so I'll leave that up to you as it won't affect the bake. The general advice is to add 2 teaspoons baking powder (a measuring teaspoon, not the kind you stir your coffee with) per every 200g plain or all purpose flour. So for this recipe you'd need to add 1 + ½ teaspoons baking powder. Please note, I have not tested this recipe using plain or all purpose flour.

Can the cupcakes be made gluten or dairy free?

Yes! For gluten free you can replace the self raising flour with a gluten free self raising flour blend. If you only have a gluten free plain flour blend, you will need to add baking powder. The general advice is to add 2 tsp baking powder per 200g flour, so for this recipe you'd need to add 1 + ¾ teaspoons baking powder. You may also like to add ¼ tsp Xanthan Gum for better texture. For a dairy free version, use a dairy free baking spread for the cupcakes and the buttercream. You will also need to check the curd you use is dairy free as they can contain butter. Please do check the labels of everything you use for this recipe if serving to someone with an allergy or intolerance.

Do you need an electric mixer to make this recipe?

No, you can absolutely make this recipe by hand. However, an electric mixer will help to beat more air into the cupcake batter making it lighter and giving it a better rise. It will also help the buttercream to be smoother and lighter too. You don't have to use an expensive stand mixer, there are lots of budget electric hand mixers that do a great job too!

Can this recipe be made into a larger cake?

Yes! Check out my Passion Fruit Martini Cake for the details.

More tips for making the Passion Fruit Martini Cupcakes:

I piped the buttercream onto the cupcakes using a Wilton 2D nozzle, but you can use any piping you nozzle or spread it on with a spoon.
I decorated the cupcakes with some fresh passion fruit seeds. You could also decorate with half a pasion fruit, just like a real passion fruit martini! A sprinkle of lime zest would be an easy option. Or some popping candy would add a fun fizz effect!

Troubleshooting

If you have any questions about this recipe, or if something went wrong and you need help, please use the comment form below and I will get back to you. You can also get in touch with me on my Twitter, Instagram or Facebook. I'd love to hear from you!

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