Sticky toffee cupcakes

Place the dates in a bowl and cover with boiling water. Leave to soak for about 30 minutes or while you carry on making the rest of the cake mixture.

Preheat the oven to 180°c (fan oven 160°c, gas mark 4). Line a 12 hole muffin tray with baking cases.

Beat the butter and sugar in a large bowl until light and fluffy and paler in colour. Add the eggs one at a time, adding a little flour if the mixture looks a little curdled.

Fold in the rest of the flour, bicarbonate of soda, salt and vanilla extract with a large metal spoon. Finally fold in the dates mixture.

Fill the cake cases to three quarters and bake for 20-25 minutes or until risen and golden brown in colour. They may look darker than normal cupcakes, that is due to the muscovado sugar giving them a delicious caramel flavour. Leave to cool on a wire rack while making the icing topping.

For the icing, beat the butter and quarter of the icing sugar in a large bowl until soft. Add the remaining icing a little at a time and beat until smooth. Do not add too much icing sugar at a time or your kitchen will be covered with a fine layer of icing sugar.

Swirl in the toffee sauce. Cover the cooled cakes with the icing and sprinkle with the chopped fudge squares.