Fluffy Lemon Fairy Cakes

preheat oven to 170C/Fan 150C/Gas 5

Cream / beat butter or marg with caster sugar until its blended and creamy, i use muscle and wooden spoon, you can use an electric whisk.

Beat in the eggs 1 at time, try room temp eggs to stop curdling but dont worry too much if does curdle. Beat in one at time, vanilla, lemon zest and juice, milk and baking powder.

Gradually add the sefted self raising flour, or sprinkle from height as i do to get air into it. Beat the mixture until its smooth, creamy but firmish. Something like "Angel Delight"

Fill 12 cupcake cases.. i put the case into a fairy cake tin to keep the caked in position as they are rising. Each case will require a generous dessert spoon full until just below the cake case. Cook in middle of oven for around 15 min.

You will know the cakes are ready when they are golden and spring back after a light press.

Allow cakes to cool on a rack for around 10 - 15 min.. you can start making icing.

For the icing, first mix in the butter into the icing sugar, be patient it will seem like too little butter but keep working it. Then add the water and vanilla essence, work the mixture until a smooth, firm but workable paste. You may need to add more water / icing sugar as you go.

Take a generous amount on a wide knife put on cake and rotate cake around until you have an even coated amount of icing sugar.

Allow to set for 5 / 10 min and enjoy!!