Passion Fruit Poke Cupcakes Recipe with Tropical Glaze

I’d been meaning to make poke cupcakes for a long time. The technique is simple: bake a cupcake as you normally would, then prick the top several times while it’s still warm and pour over a flavored syrup so it soaks into the sponge. Many poke recipes use a bright jelly or syrup; I preferred a homemade passion fruit sugar syrup for a fresh, perfumed flavor that soaks beautifully into the cake without any gel texture.

Serves	36
Prep time	20 minutes
Cook time	20 minutes
Total time	40 minutes
Meal type	Dessert, Snack
Misc	Child Friendly, Serve Cold
Occasion	Birthday Party, Casual Party

INGREDIENTS

10 oz butter
29 oz caster sugar
2 whole eggs
4 egg whites
2 tablespoons vanilla extract
16 oz self-raising flour
12 oz milk
5 passion fruits
250 g cream cheese
16 oz icing sugar (the recipe yields plenty)
200 ml water

DIRECTIONS

The Cakes
1.
Preheat the oven to 180°C and line 36 cupcake or muffin tins.
2.
Using an electric mixer, cream together 21 oz of the caster sugar and 8 oz of the butter until pale and fluffy.
3.
Add the whole eggs, 1 tablespoon of vanilla and the egg whites one at a time, mixing until each is fully incorporated.
4.
Fold in the self-raising flour and milk alternately, a tablespoon or splash at a time, keeping the mixer on low. Finish with a short burst on high speed (about 15 seconds) to incorporate air—don’t worry if the batter bubbles slightly.
5.
Divide the batter evenly among the liners (about half full) and bake at 180°C for 20 minutes, or until a skewer comes out clean.
Passion Fruit Sugar Syrup
6.
While the cakes bake, combine the water and the remaining 2 oz of sugar in a small pan. Heat over medium until the sugar dissolves and the liquid reduces by about a quarter.
7.
Add the pulp and seeds from four passion fruits and simmer gently for 3–4 minutes to infuse the syrup. Remove from heat and set aside.
How to Make Poke Cupcakes
8.
As soon as the cupcakes come out of the oven, prick each one at least five times with a fork or skewer while still warm.
9.
Slowly spoon the passion fruit syrup over each cupcake, allowing the liquid to sink in before adding more so the sponge absorbs it evenly.
Cream Cheese Frosting
10.
While the cupcakes cool, prepare the cream cheese frosting.
11.
Beat the cream cheese, remaining butter and the last tablespoon of vanilla on medium-high speed until smooth and well combined.
12.
Reduce the mixer speed to low and add the icing sugar a tablespoon at a time until you reach your desired consistency. If it’s warm, you may need a little more icing sugar to stiffen the frosting.
13.
Pipe the frosting onto the cooled poke cupcakes using a star tip or your preferred nozzle. Finish each cupcake with a small spoonful of the remaining passion fruit pulp in the center for a bright, tangy garnish.