Heat the oven to 180°C, 160°C fan, gas 4. Line a cupcake tin with 6 paper cases.
Beat the butter and sugar together until very soft and fluffy. Gradually beat in the egg, buttermilk, oil, and vinegar.
Add the flour, bicarb and cocoa and beat everything together until smooth. Lastly beat in the red food colouring and orange zest.
Spoon the mixture into the paper cases and bake for 12-15 mins. Leave to cool.
Meanwhile, make the frosting. With an electric whisk, gradually beat together the icing sugar, butter and soft cheese. Beat together for a good 5 minutes until light and fluffy.
When the cupcakes are cool, cut the tops off with a serrated knife. Use a small heart-shaped cookie cutter to stamp out a heart from the tops.
Spread a spoonful of conserve on top of each cupcake and press the tops back on.
Pipe or spread the cupcake edges with the frosting and spoon the remaining conserve into the heart-shaped centres.
It’s easier to stamp out the hearts if you turn the tops over first. For larger, muffin-sized cakes, simply double the recipe, use muffin paper cases and bake for 15-20 mins.
If you have no buttermilk, use whole milk with a squeeze of lemon juice.
