South Africa’s most loved winter pudding in cupcake form. Is it a finger-licking dessert or a delectable tea time treat? We think both.

Ingredients

Sauce

• 190 ml cream
• 65 ml butter
• 125 ml brown sugar
• 15 ml (1 T) Rhodes Quality Apricot Jam

Malva Cupcakes

• 30 ml (2 T) butter
• 100 ml brown sugar
• 45 ml (3 T) Rhodes Quality Apricot Jam
• 1 egg
• 5 ml (1 t) bicarbonate of soda
• 125 ml milk
• 250 ml (1 C) cake flour
• 1 ml salt
• 20 ml (4 t) vinegar

Butter Icing

• 125 ml  butter, softened
• 500 ml (2 C) icing sugar, sifted
• 15 – 30 ml (1 – 2 T) milk

To decorate: ready-made toffee sauce

Method

1. 1. To make the sauce, place the cream, butter, brown sugar and Rhodes Quality Apricot Jam into a small saucepan.
   2. Bring to the boil stirring until the sugar and jam dissolve.
   3. Turn the heat down and simmer for two minutes.
   4. Set aside.
   5. Soften the butter and beat until smooth in an electric mixer.
   6. Add the sugar and beat well.
   7. Add the Rhodes Quality Apricot Jam and continue beating until the mixture is light and creamy.
   8. Add the egg and beat for a few minutes more.
   9. Dissolve the bicarbonate of soda in the milk.
   10. Sift together the cake flour and the salt.
   11. Add the flour mixture into the egg mixture, beating well, alternating with the milk mixture.
   12. Stir in the vinegar.
   13. Spoon the batter into the cavities of a muffin pan that you’ve lined with paper cupcake cases.
   14. Bake the cupcakes in an oven preheated to 180°C for 15 – 20 minutes or until the cupcakes are firm to the touch.
   15. Remove the cupcakes from the oven, and while they are still hot pour the sauce a little at a time over the top of each cupcake.
   16. Set aside to cool.
   17. To make the butter icing, beat the butter until pale and light and creamy.
   18. Beat in the icing sugar until smooth.
   19. Adjust the consistency as desired with the milk.

To serve: top the cupcakes with the butter icing and drizzle over a little toffee sauce.