West Berkshire & North Hampshire

Simple to make and children love them. Why not let them join in with the decorating?

Ingredients
For the cakes
150 g butter, softened
150 g sugar
3 eggs, beaten
150 g self-raising flour, sifted
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 tbsp milk

For the icing
75 g butter, at room temperature
150 g icing sugar
1 tbsp milk
1 tsp vanilla extract
a selection of pretty food colourings.

To decorate
A selection of:
Sweets – mini eggs look particularly nice
Sugar flowers
Sprinkles

Method
For the cakes
Preheat the oven to 180C/ 160C fan/ gas 4.
Cream together the butter and sugar until light, fluffy and pale.
Gradually beat in the egg, adding a little flour if the mixture looks like it might curdle.
Beat in the vanilla extract and milk.
Place 12 paper cupcake cases into a cake tin and divide the mixture between them.
Bake for 15-20 minutes until golden and springy to the touch. Remove from the oven and cool on a wire rack.

For the icing
In a mixing bowl beat the butter with a wooden spoon or in a mixer until smooth, then sift in the icing sugar, beating regularly.
Add the vanilla extract and milk and beat for five minutes. The frosting should be really light and fluffy.

Mix your chosen food colouring colours into the icing to give an even colour.  You can use one colour or split the icing and use several.

When the cupcakes are totally cool, spoon or pipe the icing on top. Finish with your chosen decorations.