Plum or Apricot Cupcakes

• 120 g Soft butter
• 1 tsp Orange zest
• 1 tbsp Brown sugar
• ½ tsp Baking soda
• ½ C Caster sugar
• ¼ C Buttermilk
• 2 Eggs
• 6 Apricots or Plums
• 1 tsp Vanilla
• Brown sugar for sprinkling
• 1 C Flour

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Preheat oven to 180°C.

Lightly butter twelve standard muffin tins. Cream the butter and sugars. Beat in the eggs, zest, and vanilla. Sieve the flour and baking soda. Beating as little as possible, thoroughly mix the flour and buttermilk into the batter. Divide the batter between the tins and place half an apricot or plum cut-side up in the middle of each tin, pressing the fruit gently into the batter. Sprinkle brown sugar over the fruit and bake for about 20 minutes until the cakes are well risen and golden brown and the fruit tender.

Makes 12.