Today was another day of staying indoors. It was just too damned cold for little Max. So Charlie and I donned our baking caps again, rolled up our jumper sleeves and made some Moonut cakes. Hands up – this is the kind of ‘cake’ Mums pretend is cake but just isn’t. A bit like pretending there’s pudding throughout dinner when really there’s just some bruised fruit and a wedge of cheese. These are ‘Mum Lies’ that are officially allowed in order to maintain healthy teeth, gums and body weight.
Moonuts are muffins (which are of course generally lower in sugar than most cakes, unless littered with chocolate and other delights) with sugar laden, jammy, hidden centres. They’re very easy to make, use stuff most of us have knocking about in the fridge/cupboards and should be treated with caution when warm as the jam stays hot, hot, hot for some time. This recipe makes 6 muffins. Enough for eating a couple warm and saving some for Daddy’s lunch box.
Ingredients:
- 155g self raising flour
- 30g castor sugar
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1 egg
- 180ml whole fat or semi skimmed milk
- 80g butter
- 6 tsp raspberry jam (Or any jam you fancy, lemon curd is very good too.)
Preheat the oven to Gas 7. Instruct your toddler to put paper cases into your muffin tin. Take all the dry ingredients and place into a bowl. Ask toddler to stir carefully, without spilling any of the ‘magic rising dust’ on the floor.
Meanwhile take the butter and microwave on high for about a minute or until melted. Tip the butter, milk and the egg into the mixed dry ingredients and ask toddler to stir until he/she has a gloopy mix. This should take about 2 mins. Don’t over stir!
Pop a tablespoon of Moonut mixture into each muffin case, then carefully place a teaspoon of jam in the middle of the half filled cases. Might be best for Mummy/Daddy/Granny/Grandpa to do this bit. Then put another tablespoon of Moonut mixture on the top. The muffin case will be almost full to the brim – about 1cm left of room.
Bake on the top shelf of the oven for about 20 mins until peaked and golden and muffiny. Cool on a wire rack for about 20 mins before little mouths are allowed near the hot jam. Mr B says these are very good with a cup of tea after a snowy drive home.
After thought: for a slightly more authentic doughnut experience the tops could be laced with granulated sugar pre cooking.
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Holly Bell 
Love these, we used chocolate spread instead of jam. It sunk because the mixture was very runny, but delicious anyway. Husband insists on calling them doughnut cakes though.
I quite like his name for them. Rather less embarrassing than Moonuts! x
Could you use Nutella instead of jam? And also add some cocoa powder to make it a real chocolatey treat?!
I haven’t tried but I don’t see why not?! Sounds yum. X
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They're good fun for making with little ones but be warned they're not 'treat' food in my sons head! Bit too healthy I think! xx
Ooh, these sound gorgeous. Just found your blog after watching gbbo on v+!. Might try these tomorrow with my 4 yr old sous chef ;)
Thanks Claire – though if you saw the state of our house you'd see that something has definitely slipped for the sake of writing the blog! Please the flapjack turned out well! xx
You're on fire! A five week old baby and so many recipes. I'm very impressed. Love your blog, have made flapjacks twice now and they're delicious! Claire
I keep meaning to do that Nick, good call – I will endeavour to in future!
Could you include temperature conversions?
Gas 7 – 425°F – 220°C
About those temperatures, it will vary from oven to oven.