Grape nectar baby cakes

I have made several recipes from this adorable little book and loved each and every one of them. Now, Julie Le Clerc strikes again – the cakes are very simple, but the grape syrup... Yum! I bet it tastes great over ice cream, too – too bad there was none left for testing. :D

Grape nectar baby cakes
from Little Cafe Cakes

Cakes:
¾ cup (150g) caster sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
½ cup + 1 tablespoon (127g) unsalted butter, room temperature
2 eggs
½ cup (120ml) whole milk
1 ¾ cups (245g) self rising flour, sifted

Grape nectar syrup:
1 ½ cups (360ml) grape juice
juice of 1 lime
1 cup (200g) caster sugar

Preheat the oven to 160°C/320°F. Butter and flour twelve individual cake of muffin pans or one 20cm springform cake pan*.
Cream sugar, vanilla and butter together. Beat in eggs and then milk. Gently stir in flour.
Divide the batter between prepared pans and bake for 15-20 minutes (muffin pans; if using the large pan oven time will vary) or until a skewer inserted comes out clean. Cool completely on a wire rack then unmold.
Make the syrup: combine all the ingredients in a small saucepan over medium heat, stirring until sugar dissolves. Bring to a boil then simmer for 10-15 minutes or until thick and syrupy.
Pour hot syrup over cold cakes and serve.

* I made the recipe above and got 4 mini Bundt cakes (1 cup capacity pans) + 3 small cakes (1/3 cup capacity muffin pans)

Makes 12