Cupcakes was the first thing I learnt to make with my Mum as a child. And whipping up a batch is still a very fun experience; though I try not to eat so much of the icing nowadays. Cupcakes can be as messy or neat as you want. Sometimes, I go for a nice swirl of buttercream, but sometimes I just crave a cake overflowing with glace icing and sprinkled with all the sprinkles in my baking cupboard.
Ingredients and Method
- For the cupcakes:
- 6 oz / 150 g caster sugar
- 6 oz / 150 g softened, unsalted butter
- 6 oz / 150 g plain flour
- 3 eggs
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- For the icing:
- 8 oz / 200 g icing sugar
- cold water
- Cake sprinkles/sweets/edible glitter
- Preheat your oven to 180C / 350F / Gas 4. Line a muffin tray with cupcake cases.
- Put the butter, sugar, vanilla, baking powder, flour and eggs in a large mixing bowl and mix with an electric whisk until smooth. If you don’t have an electric whisk, I recommend creaming the butter and sugar together until smooth first, then add in the vanilla extract and baking powder, followed by gradual additions of flour and egg. Mix until all the flour and eggs have been incorporated and you have a smooth batter.
- Spoon the batter into the cupcake cases (about 2 tbs per cupcake). Bake in the oven for 15-20 minutes. They’re done when they’re springy to the touch or a skewer inserted into the sponge comes out clean. Allow to cool.
- For the icing, sieve the icing sugar into a large bowl and gradually add in some cold water, mixing after each addition. You want to achieve a thick syrup consistency. You want it thin enough to spread over your cupcake but not too thin that it’s watery. Colour your icing if desired.
- Spoon the icing onto your cupcakes and sprinkle with whatever decorations you want.
- Allow to set before eating one with a cup of tea or coffee.
Baking Cupboard Journal 