Rhubarb Compote Cupcakes – Baking On A Budget

Energy And Money Saving Baking

With the cost-of-living crisis, this recipe has been developed to reduce energy and/or cost. With the price increase of caster sugar (UK equivalent to extra/super fine sugar), this recipe uses granulated sugar, (which hasn’t had such a noticeable price increase).

Frozen rhubarb can be used and works well, which can mean availability throughout the year, as well as in some cases, lower costs. If you are lucky enough to have rhubarb in your garden, or are gifted some, even better! Don’t forget you can easily freeze rhubarb too. Don’t forget you can easily freeze rhubarb too.  Here is an article on how to prepare and freeze rhubarb, by Lynn @ Tasty Bakes Kitchen. (Note tin/canned rhubarb is usually already cooked, which also saves energy).

Butter is used in the recipe, as it is really needed for the lightness and taste of the cupcakes, but since there is no buttercream, you are saving on the cost of extra butter and sugar, as well as saving a few calories. (You could try my Butter & Egg-free Chocolate Layer Cake recipe if you want to skip the butter.)

You can also make your own butter, if you see double (heavy/whipping) cream on offer and about to pass its sell by date. I will have a recipe and video for that soon, but it can work out so much cheaper, with the added bonus of some free buttermilk too.

UK readers, I recommend buying your unsalted butter from Farmfoods – the packs are slightly smaller at 227g, but this is a common amount used, and per gram, it works out less expensive than 250g blocks from even the cheaper stores like Aldi or Lidl.

It is often on offer for 2 packs too. At this time, (May 2023), it is £1.29 per 227g block. I buy in bulk and freeze the butter for later use.

Farmfoods also offer vouchers, if you sign up for an email newsletter. Not only being notified of their current offers, but your own unique vouchers depending on the amount you spend. You don’t even need to print them off, as staff are happy to scan the code from your mobile. So really worthwhile when stocking up.

Full disclosure, I am in no way sponsored by Farmfoods, or been gifted any products, I just shop there often, and have never had any issues with their butter or other baking items.

You will further save by cooking the rhubarb in the oven, at the same time as the cupcakes are baking. So no need to cook on the hob, saving electricity or gas, not having to wash a saucepan, and not having to stand mixing or checking the rhubarb. Bake in the oven and only check when the cupcakes are ready. I have also successfully cooked the rhubarb in the air fryer, taking about 15 minutes @170°c/325°f. No need to blitz or process the stewed rhubarb either, as it will bake till fork tender, and only require mashing with a fork.

See another Baking On A Budget recipe – Air Fryer, Oven Or Stovetop Stewed Rhubarb.

These little steps, will save time, energy and money, and the more you apply to activities in the kitchen, the more it mounts up and becomes habit. Just like if you wanted some stewed rhubarb to have with your granola and yoghurt for example, just cook the rhubarb in the oven, at the same time as cooking something else. When using the oven, try and use more than one shelf, or just the centre of the oven. If you have it on, you may as well get the most out of it. Just don’t put too many things in at the same time, or cooking will take longer and not save you any money.

If in the market for a new oven, I recommend a fan assisted oven, which uses a little less energy and you cook at 20°c lower.

Look out for more budget friendly, energy and money saving recipes and tips, in the coming weeks. (Air Fryer, Oven Or Stovetop Stewed Rhubarb)

The flour used is Plain Flour (All Purpose), with some baking powder for leavening. And flavourings come from the vanilla and ginger. The ginger taste is subtle, and comes through more with ginger added to the rhubarb filling. Learn how to make your own Vanilla Extract at home.

And finally the star of the show – rhubarb! You can use fresh or frozen (in these photos I used frozen as it is never around long in the shops). Just make sure to defrost and drain the liquid well. I have since seen that you can get ready cooked rhubarb in tins/cans, (Princes being a UK brand) in which case no stewing is required, only draining and mashing to make the filling.

Can’t get rhubarb, good alternatives would be red plums, cherries or strawberries. Check out my Rhubarb Pie With A Twist recipe if you love rhubarb.

Recipe Card

You can skip to the recipe card (an abbreviated version of the recipe), by clicking below. Or continue reading on, for detailed step-by-step instructions & process shots to guide you. This is advised for beginner bakers & those following the Baking Lessons plan, where this is Sweet Lesson No.2. Note the ingredient amounts are found in the recipe card below.

Prepare The Cake Batter

1. Begin preparing a 12 hole cupcake or muffin tin/tray by lining with cupcake or muffin paper cases. Next add the softened cubed butter and sugar to a mixing bowl or stand-mixer. (Tip – cube your butter to pieces about 1cm (⅓”) before softening. A smaller surface area will come to room temperature and soften quicker for you. If you are short on time, or forget, try this video hack for softening butter in 12 minutes, that I reviewed.)

2. Next ‘Cream’ the softened butter and sugar together with a hand/stand-mixer until beyond combined, is soft, spreadable & paler in colour. This will take a few minutes & vary depending on the power of your mixer, but a little ‘grittness’ to this mixture is fine and the cakes will still rise. (See Photo 2). Next mix in one egg at a time, and only mix until combined. Beat in the vanilla extract and 2 tbsp of the reserved rhubarb juice, (alternatively fruit juice, milk or hot water), mixing just till combined.

2. Bake both the cupcakes and the rhubarb, in the pre-heated oven, for about 15 – 20 minutes. (My cupcakes were baked after 17 minutes, and I turned them after 15 minutes, before baking for 2 more minutes). The cupcakes will be ready when a wooden cocktail stick, inserted in the centre, comes out clean of crumbs. Remove the cupcake tray from the oven and leave on a cooling rack. Check the rhubarb with a fork, but it will probably need more baking, so increase the oven to: 200°c/180°c Fan Oven/400°f/Gas Mark 6 and continue baking until fork tender. (My rhubarb needed another 10 minutes)

3. Remove the rhubarb from the oven and leave to cool on the cooling rack. Remove the cupcakes from the tin and leave to cool completely, while out of the tin.

Assembling

1. Once the rhubarb is cooled enough, use a fork to mash down. (See Photo 4). If you want your rhubarb filling to look more ‘red’, you can either add a tiny bit of red food colouring after mashing, (Sugarflair paste colouring is very good), or add some natural colouring by including some cherries or strawberries before cooking the rhubarb, (black cherries giving off the most colour). You can leave the rhubarb to cool more at room temperature, place in the fridge, or leave in the fridge to fill the cupcakes the next day.

2. To assemble the cupcakes, carefully remove the paper cases, before slicing off the top of the cake. (Alternatively, you can peel back just the top of the cupcake case slightly if you want to keep in the paper cases). See Photo 5.

3. Make a hole in the centre of the base layer of cake, being careful not to go all the way down, (you can use a cake corer, apple corer, or a piping tip for this – see Photo 5). Remove the cake piece, fill with some of the stewed rhubarb before placing the cake piece back on top. (See Photo 6).

4. Spread some more of the rhubarb filling on top of the cake, place the top cake back on and finally sieve over a dusting of icing/powdered sugar. (See Photo 7).

Alternatively, you can omit coring the cake and just cut and fill as a mini layer cake. Note slicing the cake rather than making a hole directly from the top of the cake, was harder and less neat a job.

5. Repeat slicing, coring & filling the rest of the cupcakes and they are ready to be served.

Serving, Storage & Freezing

1. Serve the cupcakes with a fresh dusting of icing/powdered sugar if you didn’t serve right after assembly. These cupcakes are lovely on their own, or you can serve with any rhubarb that may be left-over, with whipped cream, custard or ice-cream. (See my Pastry Cream recipe that you can make a little thinner in place of custard). Lemon Curd, or my Fig Anise Curd, would also make a lovely filling. Or my salted caramel sauce!!!

2.Store the assembled cupcakes in an airtight container (I favour cake tins), at room temperature and they will be fine for about 2 or 3 days. In warmer months, store in a cooler darker place but not in the fridge, to avoid condensation. Alternatively, unfilled cupcakes will last up to 5 days if properly stored.

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