For my nieces 3rd birthday, I decided to try my hand at baking and decorating cupcakes. The recipe is real simple: basicly similar to a victoria sandwich.



cupcake recipe:
225g butter, softened
22g caster sugar
4 eggs
225g self-raising flour

method:

1. preheat the oven to 180C/gas mark 4. line 2 x 12-hole bun tins with 24 paper baking cases.
2. place the butter, dugar, eggs and flour in a large bowl and beat together until just smooth.
3. spoon mixture into paper cases. (make sure you only fill half full so they dont rise to high- it helps when decorating them)
4. bake in the preheated oven for 15-20 min or until well risen, golden brown and firm to the touch.
5. transfer to a wire rack to cool

once the cupcakes are cool, you can start to decorate them.

to make the icing:

175g butter, softened
350g icing sugar

place the butter in a bowl and beat ntil fluffy. sift in the icing sgar and beat together until smooth and creamy.
A tip: if you don't have a splatter cover for your mixer, wrap a tea towel arond it while it mixes the icing sugar, so it doesn't fly all over the place.

to decorate:
spread the icing on top of each cake and decorate as you like with edible sugared flowers, sweets, choclate shapes, dried fruits, sugar strands, cake decorating sprinkles, hundreds and thousands, coloured writing icing, candles and candleholders.