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With the advent of December I wanted to bake something festive. Normally in December I do like to bake a lot using Mincemeat.
Don’t be confused by mincemeat I don’t mean hamburger. Mincemeat instead is a delicious combination of chopped dried fruits, apple, spirits, spice and suet, or butter (if you cannot get suet.) I love the stuff and use it a lot all through the year, but most especially in December.
One way that I enjoy using it is in these Mincemeat Buns. In the UK, they often call small cakes, or cupcakes . . . buns. This is Mary Berry’s recipe.
I adapted it from one I found in her Complete Cookbook. I cut the recipe in half because the original recipe made 32 buns. I did not want that many. I also adapted it to use both North American and British/European measures.
Generally speaking each year I will make my own Mincemeat using this recipe. It is Delia Smith’s. I have also made my own using this recipe for Brandied Mincemeat, which comes from Nigel Slater.
Failing having my own I buy it. This is the type I buy here in Canada and it is available in the baking section of most of the major grocery shops here in Canada. In the US you can find it on Amazon.
But really it is very easy to make your own and I can promise you that you will use it all up! I have an abundance of recipes for just that purpose here in my kitchen.
There are these delightful little spicy cakes to begin with, but that’s not all. A few other recipes which you might enjoy are Apple and Mincemeat Pudding ( a delicious dessert!!), Christmas Morning Breakfast Buns (like cinnamon rolls but with a mincemeat filling.)
This is just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to recipes on the blog which use mincemeat! Yes, I do love the stuff!
I started using the Advent Calendar my friend Diana sent me this morning and I wanted a sweet treat to go along with my cup of tea. It was a nice Gingerbread infusion today.
I remembered seeing these buns in Mary’s cookbook and decided that today was the day I was going to finally baking them!
One thing I noticed in the UK was that people didn’t let not having a muffin tin stop them from making bakes like this. They just drop the batter into paper cups and bake away.
The cakes are not quite as tall this way, but they do hold their shape as you can see from the photograph of the two buns on my tea plate below. I cooked half of them in my six cup muffin tin and half in just papers with excellent results.
WHAT YOU NEED TO MAKE MINCEMEAT BUNS
Simple ingredients put together in the most delicious way.
prepared mincemeat
dried currents
butter, softened (just use at room temperature)
sugar (use finely granulated or castor sugar)
free range egg
self rising flour (I tell you how to easily make your own in the notes)
That is it. Six simple ingredients! No fuss no muss!
HOW TO MAKE MINCEMEAT BUNS
As always, Mary’s recipe is pretty fool proof. You would expect nothing less from the doyenne of British baking!!
The GBBO just has not been the same for me since she left. I know many agree with me. I tried watching the Canadian version of the same last night and it didn’t do it for me either. I need Mary Berry for full satisfaction!
I just trust her. She is nice and she knows her apples from her oranges.
You will need to either butter a 12 hole muffin tin really well for these, or use 12 paper cases. I used half and half so I could see how they worked either way.
They worked well both ways just so you know!
For these Mary employs the all-in-one method. That is simply bunging all of the ingredients in a bowl and whisking them together with an electric whisk until they are perfectly blended.
Nothing could be easier. I put the butter in first, then the sugar, flour, egg, mincemeat and currants and then just beat it all together. You can scrape the sides of the bowl down once or twice with a spatula just to be sure everything is in there.
And that’s it, just divide the batter between your muffin/bun tin holes or paper cases and pop into the oven to bake. 25 to 30 minutes.
Try not to drool at the smells that will start emanating from your oven! These quite simply smell gorgeous!
They are done when they are golden brown and a the tops spring back when lightly touched. It may or may not take a tiny bit longer than the time suggested in the recipe. Test to be sure.
A toothpick inserted in the center also comes out clean. Pop them onto a wire rack to cool completely before dusting with some icing sugar to serve and enjoy!
These are so simple and yet so pretty. I dusted them with some icing sugar because I think, especially during the holidays, a little bit of icing sugar dresses most sweet things up perfectly!
Oh, I am missing my Christmas decorations from the UK. I try not to think about them, but I can’t help it really. I suppose in time I will build things up again. Fingers crossed.
Don’t let my lack of festive decor put you off from baking these fabulous cakes. Just don’t. You will be missing out on something really tasty if you do.
Mincemeat Buns For an ‘elevenses’ treat or after-school snack, these buns are a delicious alternative to mince-pies but still pack a festive punch.
The recipe makes enough buns to keep hungry young yummies happy for a couple of days and they couldn’t be easier to make, so they are also ideal for getting the children to help mix them up during the holidays!
I expect I shall bake these several times in the coming weeks. Yes, they are that good! I also have it on good authority that they taste awfully nice with a healthy dollop of Brandy sauce on top.
Mary Berry’s Mincemeat Buns
Yield: 12
Author: Marie Rayner
Prep time: 5 MinCook time: 30 MinTotal time: 35 Min
These little cakes are delicious. Moist, fruity and nicely spiced! Quick and easy to make as well!
1 cup – 1 TBS (125g) self raising flour (see notes)
Instructions
Preheat the oven to 325*F/160*C/gas mark 3. Have ready 12 paper cases or a 12 cup muffin tin. (you don’t need to put the cases in a tin, they will cook properly just as is if you place them on a baking sheet.) If using a tin, butter it well.
Combine all of the ingredients in a bowl and beat together for 2 minutes until light, fluffy and well combined.
Divide equally amongst your muffin cups/paper cases.
Bake for 25 to 30 minutes until golden brown and springy to the touch. Transfer to a wire rack and allow to cool completely.
These are very pretty served dusted with icing sugar.
Notes:
You can easily make your own self rising flour. For each cup of flour, measure out 1 cup and add 1 1/2 tsp baking powder and a pinch of salt. Whisk well together. I make mine 3 to 4 cups at a time so I have it ready to use whenever I need it.
Did you make this recipe?
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This content (written and photography) is the sole property of The English Kitchen. Any reposting or misuse is not permitted. If you are reading this elsewhere, please know that it is stolen content and you may report it to me at: mariealicejoan at aol dot com Thanks so much for visiting. Do come again!
I am really happy to announce that my newest cookbook is now available for pre-order on Amazon! To find out more you can click here. Its quite a bit smaller than my last cookbook and much lower in price. It contains some of the most beloved recipes in British baking, ranging across the scope of Wales, Northern Ireland, England and Scotland. Sweet, savory and everything in between, plus all of the measures are in both North American and Metric! Its been hard keeping this a secret all these months! I had a lot of fun writing it and I just know you are going to have a lot of fun baking from it!
