Joe Wicks’ gingerbread cupcakes with date caramel recipe

“Who doesn’t like gingerbread? I’ve made these a few times for the kids at parties and they always go down very well,” says fitness expert and author Joe Wicks.

“The date topping is genius, too. When soaked in hot water, the dates soften and can be blended into a purée, which has a smooth, sticky texture and a caramel-like flavour.”

Gingerbread cupcakes with date caramel recipe

Ingredients:

(Makes 6)

90g wholemeal plain flour

30g soft dark brown sugar or coconut sugar

25g ground almonds

½tsp baking powder

¼tsp bicarbonate of soda

½tsp ground cinnamon

1tsp ground ginger

⅛tsp ground clove

⅛tsp ground nutmeg

Pinch of salt

90g 0% fat Greek yoghurt

45ml water

1 egg

1½tbsp melted coconut oil

2tbsp crystallised ginger chunks, to decorate

For the date caramel:

100g pitted dates

60ml milk or non-dairy milk

1tsp vanilla extract

Method:

1. Preheat the oven to 200°C/180°C fan and line a standard muffin tin with six muffin cases.

2. Mix together the flour, sugar, ground almonds, baking powder, bicarbonate of soda, spices and salt in a medium bowl.

3. In a separate bowl or jug, combine the yoghurt, water, egg and coconut oil.

4. Pour the wet mixture into the dry mixture and stir together until just combined. Divide the mixture between the prepared muffin cases.

5. Bake for 20–25 minutes until lightly browned on top and a toothpick inserted into the centre of a cupcake comes out clean. Set aside to cool.

6. Meanwhile, make the caramel. Place the dates into a small jug and cover with boiling water. Set aside for 15 minutes to soak.

7. Drain the dates and return to the jug, then add the milk, vanilla and salt. Blend until smooth with a hand blender, or in a food processor or free-standing blender.

Feel Good Food by Joe Wicks is published by HQ, priced £20. Photography by Dan Jones. Available March 17.