Hibiscus Flower cupcakes
For the cupcake
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½ cup mildly flavoured vegetable oil
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3 eggs at room temperature
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1 self-raising flour
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½ cup cornflour
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¾ cup caster sugar
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2 cups grated carrot
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¾ cup crushed pineapple (make sure to drain this well)
Pineapple flowers
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3 tablespoons of sugar
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3 tablespoons of water
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36-45 slices fresh pineapple as thin as you can slice it while keeping the slice whole (I used 3 slices per cupcakes for the effect that you see pictured). I have stipulated extra as some burn when you bake them. I used Baby Bethongas but if you use regular large pineapples you may be able to do 1 or 2 slices of pineapple per cupcake
Cream cheese frosting
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30g butter softened
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80g cream cheese
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1 1/2 cups icing sugar sifted
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1 tablespoon of lemon juice
Step 1 - First make the Pineapple flowers, they are time consuming and fiddly.
Step 2 - Preheat oven to 150c fan forced or 170c non fan forced.
Step 3 - Add all ingredients into a mixing bowl and mix on low speed until combined and then a higher speed until batter becomes pale. Spoon into patty tins.
Step 4 - Bake for 20-25 minutes. Cool in tin.
Step 5 - Make cream cheese frosting. When cupcake has cooled (it must be cool) spread with cream cheese frosting and then add fold three pineapple flowers into a flower shape and using the traction from the frosting secure them onto the cake.
Making the Pineapple Flowers
Step 1 - Heat oven to 100°c fan forced. Dissolve sugar in water together in a small saucepan on low heat and then boil for 1-2 minutes (do not allow to caramelise). Using a pastry brush, brush each sides of pineapple slices with this sugar syrup. Place these candied slices in a single layer on a wire racks over a baking sheet. Leave to dry in low oven for one hour (approximately, do watch these as they can catch and burn). As soon as your time is up remove slices from rack, and shape into flowers inverting them over the bottom of small cups until they set that way.
Making the Cream cheese icing
Beat butter and cream cheese in a small bowl with electric mixer until light and fluffy, gradually beat in sifted icing sugar and lemon juice.