
Crafty Cupcakes
- Preparation and cooking time
- Prep:
- Cook:
- Decorating takes as long as your willing to spend on it!
- Easy
- Makes 12 cakes
Ingredients
For the sponge
- 175g self-raising flour
- 175g soft cooking margarine (I used Stork)
- 175g caster sugar
- 1 teaspoon of vanilla essence
- 3 medium eggs
For the buttercream
- 175g self-raising flour
- 175g soft cooking margarine (I used Stork)
- 175g caster sugar
- 1 teaspoon of vanilla essence
- 3 medium eggs
- 100g soft margarine (I used Stork)
- 225g of icing sugar
- 4tsp of milk
- 1tsp of vanilla essence
- A few drops of food colouring (optional)
Method
- STEP 1Heat the oven to 180 Celsius, 350 Fahrenheit or gas mark 4. Put a paper case in each hole in the tray.
- STEP 2Sift the flour into a large mixing bowl. Add the margarine, sugar and vanilla essence. Break the eggs into a cup and remove any eggs shell, beat them with a fork and then pour them into the bowl. Stir until you have a smooth mixture.
- STEP 3Spoon the mixture into the paper cases, dividing evenly between them. Bake for 20-25 minutes or until firm and golden on the top.
- STEP 4Leave the cakes to cool in the tray for a few minutes then put them on a wire rack to cool. Meanwhile make the buttercream.
- STEP 5For the buttercream put the margarine in a large mixing bowl and beat with a wooden spoon (or use a Kenwood mixer if you have one). Do this until it becomes soft a fluffy. Sift one third of the icing sugar into the bowl and stir it in. Then, gradually sift the rest of the icing sugar over the mixture. (Depending on how runny you want the buttercream you may not need all of the icing sugar.)
- STEP 6Add the milk and vanilla and beat quickly until you have a pale and fluffy mixture. If necessary add the drops of food dye and mix well.
- STEP 7For the swimmers I made my buttercream fairly runny and, using a piping bag, swirled the water texture across the cake. I then used ready to roll icing and food dye to make the mini swimmers and the lane ropes. Go mad with you imagination and design your own funky topping as well!