In pictures: step-by-step recipe for The National cupcake

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  Add the butter at room temperature.

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  Mix until the texture becomes soft.

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  Add three eggs to the mixture one at a time.

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  Add the vanilla, baking powder and salt.

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  The sifted flour gets added to the mixture. Next, the milk is added a little bit at a time until the mixture becomes smooth.

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  Fill cases about two-thirds full with batter.

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  Bake the cupcakes for 12 to 15 minutes or until golden in an oven preheated to 160°C.

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  For the icing, whip 500ml fresh cream and 1 tsp almond extract or essence.

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  Check to see if icing has reached the right consistency.

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  Pipe the icing on the cupcakes.

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  The last step: garnish the cupcakes with crushed almonds.

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  The special almond-flavoured cupcake created for The National by Mama’s Cupcakes, the winner of our Best Cupcake in Abu Dhabi contest.

Faiza Taha, the owner of Mama’s Cupcakes, who was named the winner of The National’s Best Cupcake in Abu Dhabi contest, created a new cupcake especially for The National – almond-flavoured, with a blue-and-white swirl of fresh cream-based icing, topped with crushed almonds.

Ingredients

250g almond paste

200g caster sugar

200g butter

3 eggs

1 tsp vanilla extract or essence

320g (2 cups) flour, sifted

2 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 cup milk (add more as needed)

Ingredients for icing

500ml fresh cream

1 tsp almond extract or essence

Whole almonds for garnish

Food colouring (optional)

All photos by Mona Al-Marzooqi / The National.