• About
  • Disclosure
    • Privacy Policy
  • Press
  • Work With Me
  • Food Writing
    • Brands
    • Editorial
  • Recipe Index
  • In my kitchen
  • Contact Me

Feeding Boys & a FireFighter

Recipes & tips for filling bottomless pits

  • Home
  • Breakfast
  • Lunch
    • Packed lunch
    • Soup
  • Dinner
    • One Pot
    • Quick
    • Meat
    • Fish
    • Vegetarian
    • Pasta
    • Sides
  • Sweet
    • Desserts
    • Bakes
    • Drinks
  • Preserves
  • Win
  • Review
    • Book review
    • Interviews
    • Product reviews
    • Restaurant review

Christmas Cranberry scoffins with cream cheese frosting

December 22, 2010 by Katie Bryson 4 Comments

I had some cranberries left over from my chutney making sesh, so I decided to make some festive and fruity cupcakes. Their texture is kind of a hybrid between muffins and scones – and after Matthew took them into the Fire Training HQ they were declared ‘Scoffins’ – so that is their name forever more!

With all this snow, indoor activities like baking are high on the agenda for Sam and I. We seem to manage about an hour in the park walking Lily before the cold sets in and we trudge home to warm up with hot chocolates. It’s nice to have a tin of cakes to dip into to on such occasions!

Baking with kids is such a winner. The key is to give them lots of manageable jobs like putting the cake cases in the baking tray holes, cracking eggs, or adding ingredients into the mixing bowl. Get everything out you need in advance and weigh out all your ingredients.

Take a deep breath, accept there will be mess, they won’t do everything ‘properly’ and may just wander off half way through. Or like Sam keep me entertained by miming to Feed The World with a teaspoon!

I was given some rather lovely festive fairy cake cases by my friend Tara, they’re much smaller than cupcake cases and so ideal for kiddie-size treats.

The recipe I came up with is inspired by the Cranberry muffins in January’s Good Food Magazine, but I’ve adapted it to include a luxurious topping of cream cheese frosting which sweetens up the tangy cranberries in the cake. I wanted Sam to have a crack at piping the icing on top of the cakes which he took to with gusto.

If you were feeling really decadent you could even add some white chocolate chips to the cake mixture.

Cranberry scoffins with cream cheese frosting
Makes 24 fairy cakes

225g caster sugar
175g cranberries
200g plain flour
2 tsp baking powder
2 eggs
85ml corn oil
1 tsp vanilla extract

1. Pre-heat oven to 180’C. Put your fairy cake cases into two 12 hole cake tins.

2. Gently heat the cranberries in a pan with 25g of the caster sugar – keep an eye on them and stir to prevent them from catching on the bottom of the pan. Once the berries start to pop out of their skins remove from the heat and gently mash and allow to cool.

3. Sift the flour into a large mixing bowl then add the rest of the sugar, baking powder and a pinch of salt. Add the eggs, corn oil, vanilla and mashed cranberries. Mix together – it’s quite a thick and lumpy mixture.

4. Spoon into the cake cases – a heaped teaspoon and a half should be enough. You want them to rise but leave space for the frosting!

5. Bake for 15-20 mins until risen and golden. They will be firm and scone-like in appearance. Transfer to a wire rack and cool.

For the frosting

50g butter (room temp)
300g sifted icing sugar
125g soft cheese (cold)
1 tsp vanilla extract

1. Beat together the butter and icing sugar, then add the soft cheese and vanilla extract. Beat thoroughly for 5 mins until light and fluffy. Be careful not to over-beat it or it’ll go runny.

2. You can spread the frosting on with a knife for a rustic finish, or use a piping bag and nozzle to add a bit of flair! Decorate with festive sprinkles for maximum Christmas appeal!

Cracking eggs is a great skill for kids to learn

Heating the cranberries and sugar

Sam using some muscle with the mixture

The light and fluffy cream cheese frosting

Frosted, sprinkled with white choc stars and ready to be noshed!

Filed Under: Bakes Tagged With: baking with children, Christmas, cranberries, cream cheese frosting, cupcakes, home baking, leftover cranberries, muffins, scoffins, scones

« A jar of Christmas cheer: Cranberry and Apple Chutney
Children’s cutlery review and competition »

Comments

  1. Babygirl says

    December 22, 2010 at 8:19 am

    These look delicious

    Reply
    • rhwfoodie says

      December 22, 2010 at 8:39 am

      Thanks!!! They didn’t last long!!!!

      Reply
  2. Helen @ Fuss Free Flavours says

    December 22, 2010 at 5:30 pm

    They look lovely!

    And Scoffin is a great word!

    Sam has great piping skills!

    Reply
    • rhwfoodie says

      December 22, 2010 at 8:20 pm

      Chip off the old block our Sam 😉

      Reply

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *






This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

About Katie

I’m Katie Bryson – Freelance Food Writer, wife of a strapping vegetarian and mum of two boisterous boys – keeping them all fuelled and trying to stay sane is a daily challenge so I thought I’d share my experiences. Read More...

  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • LinkedIn
  • Pinterest
  • Twitter
  • YouTube

I’m Looking for…

Receive new posts + exclusive news by email

Pinterest Food Awards

Jam Masterclass for Total Beginners

Jam Masterclass for Total Beginners

Popular posts

  • Slimming World Friendly Hummus Recipe on feedingboys.co.uk Slimming World Friendly Hummus – Syn Free!
  • Gin and Lime Marmalade - edible Christmas gift idea on feedingboys.co.uk Gin and Lime Marmalade
  • Redcurrant and Blackcurrant Jelly on feedingboys.co.uk Redcurrant and Blackcurrant Jelly
  • Totally decadent and perfect for parties - the ultimate chocolate birthday cake by Katie Bryson on feedingboys.co.uk The Ultimate Chocolate Birthday Cake
  • Slimming World Friendly Sweet Potato Samosas on feeding boys.co.uk Slimming World Friendly Sweet Potato Samosas
The Feeding Boys kitchen helpers

Tips for cooking with kids

my foodgawker gallery
Foodies100 Index of UK Food Blogs
Foodies100
I'm a Netmums Influencer

Connect with me

  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • LinkedIn
  • Pinterest
  • Twitter
  • YouTube

cookingkt

Just what I needed this morning… it doesn’t ma Just what I needed this morning… it doesn’t matter what shizzle is going on in my life, the beach is always there to soothe me. #whitleybaybeach #upwiththelarks #seatherapy🌊
Feta-stuffed peppers with colourful couscous from Feta-stuffed peppers with colourful couscous from the latest @slimmingworld magazine…. Smells amazing!!!! #slimmingworlduk #slimmingworldfood
Beautiful little book the audience were all given Beautiful little book the audience were all given at last night’s performance of #Here from @curious.monkey_ at @northern_stage. Such a powerful performance from the talented cast bringing together individual stories of what it means to seek sanctuary in the North East, the friendships that are forged and the spark of hope that refuses to be snuffed out. With the plight of refugees so visible right now,  the timing of this performance was impeccable. #RefugeesWelcome #togetherwithrefugees🧡 #StoryCollectors
Look who we met on our windy walk to Old Hartley… such a gentle soul 🐴🥰
Arlo’s Biscoff ice cream from @dimeosicecream in Arlo’s Biscoff ice cream from @dimeosicecream in #ouseburn … we’ve just been to visit the urban farm - love it down here!
Load More… Follow on Instagram

Receive new posts by email

  • About
  • Disclosure
    • Privacy Policy
  • Press
  • Work With Me
  • Food Writing
    • Brands
    • Editorial
  • Recipe Index
  • In my kitchen
  • Contact Me

© 2010 - 2022 Katie Bryson | All Rights Reserved | Website by Callia Web