Hot Cross Bun Muffins

This is my second attempt at Hot Cross Buns.  These were a cross between a bun and a muffin - and  were soft, sweet and tasty.

(Last week I previously tried to make Chocolate Chip Sourdough Hot Cross Buns. I will not be sharing that recipe - although they looked lovely, they were too bread-like and were not sufficiently sweet.)

Ingredients:

• 135g dried craisins
• 1 cup (150g) currants or dates (diced)
• 2 1/2 cups (375g) self-raising flour
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 2/3 cup (165ml) canola oil
• 1 cup (250ml) buttermilk (or 1 tablespoon vinegar + 1 cup milk)
• 2 eggs
• 200g sugar
   
• 2 tablespoons sugar & 2 tablespoons water
• 1/2 cup confectioners sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon vanilla
• 2 teaspoons milk

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 350°C. Grease two 24 hole muffin pans with cooking spray.
2. Soak dried fruit in just enough boiling water to cover for 10 minutes. Drain well, then pat dry with paper towel.
3. Sift the flour, soda and spices into a large bowl. 
4. In a different bowl, whisk together the oil, buttermilk, eggs and sugar until combined. 
5. Mix wet ingredients into dry ingredients and stir to combine. 
6. Gently stir in the fruit. 
7. Using a small cookie scoop, scoop into mini muffin tins.
8. Bake for 12-15 minutes until lightly browned and a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean.
9. While baking, place 2 tablespoons sugar in a pan with 2 tablespoons water and simmer over low heat, stirring, until sugar dissolves.
10. Brush the glaze over the muffins while still warm and in pan.
11. Remove from pan, cool buns on a wire rack.
12. After buns are cooled, mix together confectioners' sugar, vanilla, and milk. 
13. Place in ziplock bag, cut off corner. Pipe crosses on buns.

Carole's Notes: 

These bun-muffin versions were much more treat-like. I would make these again.
The recipe is lightly adapted from http://www.delicious.com.au/recipes/hot-cross-muffins/7973e807-d603-4c5a-8067-6c7d2c20f25c

fwiw, here's what the Sourdough Mini Chocolate Chip Hot Cross Buns looked like: