This is another one of those terrific Things To Do With a Jar of Jam that I've been collecting. [Stay tuned - it'll be a book next year!]
Use jam as a cupcake filling. It couldn't be easier!
Step 1. Make cupcakes. You can use a mix. It'll take 5 minutes to get them in the oven.
Step 2. After they're baked and cooled, use a knife to cut off a bit of the top and scoop out some of the insides. Kids love doing that. Save the tops, but let the kids eat the insides.
Step 3. Open a jar of jam and spoon the jam inside the cupcakes.
Step 4. Replace the tops and frost. It's easiest to pipe the frosting on because the loose tops tend to wiggle when you're frosting with a knife. You don't need a fancy piping unit either. Just put the frosting in a ziplock or sandwich bag and cut one of the bottom corners off. Pipe the frosting out of the cut end.
It's a great way to add some easy zing to plain cupcakes. Try these combinations:
Chocolate cupcakes: Cherry Jam, Orange Marmalade, Pear Ginger Jam, Raspberry Jam
Spice Cake cupcakes: Peach Jam, Pear Jam, Apple Maple Jam, Spiced Pear Jam
Cherry cupcakes: any kind of Berry Jam
Carrot Cake cupcakes: Orange Marmalade, Pear Ginger Jam
