A clementine is often called a Christmas orange because its growing season is from the middle of November through to the end of January. National Cupcake Day is celebrated in the winter on the 15th December. The clementine is a tangor, a citrus fruit hybrid between a willowleaf mandarin orange and a sweet orange.

Legend says the clementine was originally developed by a French missionary in Algeria, Marie-Clément Rodier, who first discovered and propagated two species of citrus fruits in 1902 to create this hybrid but phytologists believe that the clementine originated in China thousands of years ago as a variation of what today is called a mandarin orange.

Spain is Europe's biggest orange producer, and approximately two-thirds of these citrus delights come from orchards in the coastal region around Valencia, referred to as the Costa del Azahar (Orange Blossom Coast).

While cakes have been around for centuries, cupcakes arrived on the scene shortly after fairy cakes in the late 18th century. They were originally known as ‘number cakes’ because their ingredients were measured by the cupful, making the recipe simple to remember but later they became known as cupcakes as often made in teacups. The frosting swirl on the top is inspired by the classic soft-serve ice cream cones.

These fluffy cupcakes are flavoured with clementine zest and juice, topped with dried citrus peel and gilded with festive golden sprinkles. #ChristmasGift