Rhubarb and Custard Cupcakes

I came up with this recipe when I saw a buttercream icing made with custard powder...mmm! The buttercream is very sweet, but it compliments the sharpness of the rhubarb in the sponge perfectly.


For the cupcakes:
200g rhubarb
2 tbsp brown sugar
225g golden caster sugar
225g unsalted butter
4 eggs
225g self raising flour
1 tsp baking powder


For the icing:
170g icing sugar
50g unsalted butter
3 tbsp custard powder (I used Bird's)
3-4 tbsp double cream


Method:

• Chop the rhubarb into 1cm pieces, place in a baking tray and cover with sugar. Bake in a hot oven for about 15 minutes until softened
• Beat the sugar and butter together until light and fluffy
• Mix in the eggs one at a time, if the mix starts to curdle, add a little of the flour
• Mix in the flour and baking powder
• Drain the rhubarb pieces of any excess moisture and fold them into the cake mixture
• Spoon the mixture into greased and lined cupcake moulds and bake at 180C for 15-20 minutes until golden brown
• Leave to cool in the tin, and when cool enough to handle, turn onto a cooling rack
• To make the icing, sieve the icing sugar and custard powder into a bowl
• Add the butter which should be softened and cut into cubes
• Rub butter in with your finger tips then pour in the cream a tablespoon at a time until you have a thick mixture
• If the mixture is too stiff, add a little more cream
• Pipe icing onto the cooled cupcakes