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1
Preheat the oven to 350 F and line a 12 hole cupcake tin with paper liners. Set aside.
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2
Place butter and sugars into a large bowl or the bowl of your stand mixer and beat on medium-high speed until light and fluffy. Add the eggs and vanilla, scraping sides as necessary, and mix on medium-high speed until well incorporated. Add the salt if using, flour, baking powder, spices and milk and mix on medium speed until well combined and smooth.
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3
Divide the batter between the cupcake liners, filling them 3/4 full. Place in the oven for 18-23 minutes, until risen, golden and a skewer inserted in the middle comes out clean.
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4
Immediately transfer cupcakes to a wire rack to cool (yes, this is a bit painful, but in my experience if you leave them in the cupcake tray the liners peel away from the cupcakes).
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5
Once the cupcakes are completely cool, use a cupcake corer or small knife to remove a one inch circle from the top centre of each cupcake. Don't go all the way to the bottom of the cupcake liner, you still want a base in there.
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6
With each cupcake core, slice it in half, so you still have a top for your cake once you've filled it. Discard (or eat) the leftover cores.
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7
Place marmalade/jam and sugar into a small heatproof bowl and mix together. Place in the microwave for 10-20 seconds, just to make it a little easier to work with. Place 1 to 1 1/2 teaspoons of jam into each cupcake and top with your halved cores.
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8
For the frosting: Place butter, cream cheese, vanilla and icing sugar into a large bowl and beat on low until it begins to combine. Then turn the speed up to medium-high and beat until smooth, light and fluffy. You may need to place it in the fridge for 30 minutes to firm up, once you've mixed it in a warm kitchen!
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9
Either pipe or spoon frosting onto each cupcake and then top with sprinkles, if desired.
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10
Cupcakes will keep in an airtight container, in the fridge for 4 days.
