Christmas honey and orange cupcakes

cupcakes:
230 g wheat flour 
½ tbsp baking powder
½ tbsp baking soda
pinch of sea salt
1 tsp ginger
1/4 tsp cardamom
2 eggs
100 g Demerara sugar (cassonade in France)
50 g honey
60 ml mild oil
60 ml butter melted
1/2 orange zest, finely grated
160 ml buttermilk

filling:
bittersweet orange jam (preferably not a marmalade)

cream:
300 g mascarpone
50 g honey
pinch of sea salt
210 g sweet cream


Preheat oven to 180°. Butter a muffin pan generously (I use butter). Or you can use paper moulds. 

In a large bowl, whisk the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, ginger, and cardamom until thoroughly combined. Set aside.

In a medium bowl, whisk the eggs, sugar, oil, butter, and orange zest until combined.

Mix the dry ingredients with half of the wet ingredients and half of the buttermilk. Gently whisk for a few seconds, then repeat with the remaining wet ingredients and buttermilk. Stir until combined, but do not overmix—the batter will be thin. 

Pour just a bit more than half (around 2/3) into the prepared muffin tin, but do not add more, or they will lose their shape. Place in the centre of the oven and bake for 16-18 minutes, testing with a toothpick when ready (there should not be any crumbs). Remove and leave to cool in a pan for a while, then carefully remove. Cool completely. 

Cut out the centres of the cupcakes, fill them with jam, and prepare the cream. 

Add the mascarpone, honey, and salt to a bowl. Whisk for 30 seconds to loosen the mascarpone and incorporate the honey. With the mixer running, slowly add the cream and continue whisking until the cream holds its shape, which will take 3-5 minutes. 

Pipe the cream on the filled cupcakes and decorate with honeycomb and rosemary. 

Since you will most likely have some leftover cream, you will also have those cut-out pieces of cupcakes, which you can turn into a beautiful dessert.