Vickys Pear & Chocolate Cupcakes

• 2 medium sized firm but ripe pears, diced
• 240 ml pear, white grape or apple juice
• 150 grams (3/4 cup) soft brown sugar
• 3 tbsp sunflower spread / butter
• 60 grams (1/2 cup) raisins (optional)
• 210 grams (1.5 cups) plain / gluten-free flour
• 1 1/2 tsp baking soda / bicarb
• 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon (or ginger)
• 1/2 tsp xanthan gum if using gf flour
• 110 grams (3/4 cup) chocolate chips - I use the Enjoy Life brand or Moo-Free brand
• 65 grams (1/2 cup) chopped pecans, almonds or walnuts (optional)
• 1 tsp vanilla extract

1. Bring the diced pears, juice, sugar, butter and raisins (if adding) to the boil in a saucepan.
2. Turn down the heat and let simmer, uncovered for 5 minutes
3. Remove from the heat and let cool to room temperature
4. Meanwhile preheat the oven to gas 4 / 180C / 350F and line a 12 hole cupcake tin with paper liners
5. Mix together the flour, baking soda, cinnamon, chocolate chips and xanthan gum / chopped nuts if using those too - if not you don't need to replace the nuts or raisins, they're just an optional extra
6. Stir in the cooled pan mixture and vanilla until combined
7. Divide evenly between the cupcake cases and bake for 20 minutes or until a skewer inserted in the middle of a cake comes away clean
8. Let cool on a wire rack then enjoy!
9. Keep in an airtight container.
10. The juice content will make them a little sticky on top as time passes but they freeze well
11. Just for info, in my original apple cupcake recipe I use 1 large cooking apple, apple juice and a whole teaspoon of cinnamon.
12. The rest of the ingredients/directions are the same

pear, brown sugar, sunflower, raisins, flour, baking soda bicarb, ground cinnamon, xanthan, chocolate chips, pecans, vanilla

Taken from cookpad.com/us/recipes/342331-vickys-pear-chocolate-cupcakes (may not work)