Unwrap, dust with confectioners’ sugar, and serve in slices.
Fairy cakes
Fairy cakes are always so popular. These are a basic vanilla cake mix with lemon icing. Decorate them with creative flair. I like to use jelly beans, gum drops, and malted milk balls.
Makes 24
Special equipment 1 x 24-hole mini muffin pan, greased or lined with paper liners
Ingredients
10 tbsp butter, softened
2/3 cup granulated sugar
11/4 cups self-rising flour
11/2 tsp vanilla extract
3 large eggs
candies of your choice to decorate
Frosting
11/4 cups confectioners’ sugar
about 3 tbsp lemon juice
Method
1 Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C). Put all the ingredients for the cakes into a large mixing bowl and beat with a hand-held mixer until smooth. Spoon evenly into the pan.
2 Bake for 12–15 minutes or until risen and pale golden brown. Set aside to cool, then remove the cakes from the pan.
3 To make the frosting, sift the confectioners’ sugar into a bowl and add enough lemon juice to make a fairly stiff paste. Spoon a circle of the frosting on the top of each cake. While the frosting is still soft, decorate with the candies of your choice.
Chocolate chip fairy cakes
Add scant 1/4 cup dark chocolate chips to the basic cake mix.
Orange fairy cakes
Add the grated zest of 1 orange to the basic cake mix. For the frosting, use orange juice or orange blossom water instead of lemon juice.
Rose water fairy cakes
For the frosting, use 2 tbsp rose water and 1 tbsp water instead of the lemon juice.
Chocolate cupcakes
Makes 12
Special equipment 1 x 12-hole muffin pans and 12 paper liners
Ingredients
1/2 cup cocoa powder
about 1/4 cup boiling water
3/4 cup margarine
3 large eggs
2/3 cup granulated sugar
1 cup self-rising flour
Frosting
4 tbsp butter
1/3 cup cocoa powder
about 3 tbsp milk
13/4 cups confectioners’ sugar
Method
1 Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C) and line the muffin pan with paper liners. Sift the cocoa powder into a large bowl, pour in the boiling water, and mix into a thick paste. Add the remaining cake ingredients and mix with a hand-held mixer (or beat well with a wooden spoon).
2 Divide the mixture equally among the 12 paper liners. Bake for about 12–15 minutes until well-risen and springy to the touch. Cool in the liners on a wire rack.
3 Make the frosting: melt the butter, then pour it into a bowl. Sift in the cocoa powder and stir to mix. Stir in the milk and then sift in the confectioners’ sugar a little at a time to make a glossy, spreadable frosting. Spread the frosting over the cakes and let set before serving.
Clockwise from top left: Double-chocolate muffins, Best-ever brownies, Chocolate cupcakes.
Lemon cupcakes with lemon frosting
Makes 12
Special equipment deep 12-hole muffin pan and 12 paper liners
Ingredients
9 tbsp soft butter
1 cup self-rising flour
1/2 cup granulated sugar
2 tbsp milk
2 extra large eggs
finely grated zest of 1 small lemon
Lemon frosting
9 tbsp soft unsalted butter
21/4 cups confectioners’ sugar, sifted
juice of 1 small lemon
edible silver balls or glitter to decorate
Method
1 Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C) and line the muffin pan with the paper liners. Put all the cake ingredients into a bowl and beat with a hand-held mixer until evenly combined and smooth.
2 Divide the mixture among the paper liners. Bake for 20–25 minutes until well-risen and light golden brown. Transfer the cakes in their liners to a wire rack and let cool.
3 Make the frosting: put the butter and half of the confectioners’ sugar into a large bowl and beat with a hand-held mixer until evenly combined and smooth. Add the lemon juice and the remaining confectioners’ sugar, and beat again until light and fluffy. Spread the frosting over the cold cupcakes and decorate with silver balls or glitter.
Lemon cupcakes with lemon frosting
Coffee & walnut cupcakes
Cupcakes are the cake of the moment, with some shops specializing in just them. These are made in muffin pans, which are fairly large, but make them in mini muffin pans if you wish—you should get 18 mini cupcakes.
Makes 12
Special equipment 12-hole muffin pan lined with 12 paper muffin liners
Ingredients
1 tbsp instant coffee granules
1 tbsp boiling water
8 tbsp butter, softened
11/4 cups self-rising flour
2/3 cup granulated sugar
2 tbsp milk
2 extra large eggs
1/4 cup walnuts, chopped
Coffee frosting
2 tsp instant coffee granules
2 tsp boiling water
7 tbsp butter, at room temperature
13/4 cups confectioners’ sugar
12 walnut halves to decorate
Method
1 Preheat the oven to 350˚F (180˚C). Put the coffee granules and water into a large mixing bowl and stir until smooth. Add the butter, flour, sugar, milk, and eggs and mix with a hand-held mixer until smooth. Stir in the walnuts, then spoon into the muffin liners.
2 Bake in the center of the oven for 20–25 minutes or until risen and golden brown. Transfer to a wire rack and cool completely.
3 Make the frosting: put the coffee granules and boiling water into a large bowl and stir until smooth. Add the butter, sift in the confectioners’ sugar, and stir until smooth and free of streaks.
4 Spoon on to the cupcakes, then decorate each one with a walnut half.
Cook’s know-how
Softening butter
To make sure the butter is soft enough to work with, cut it into small cubes and pop into a bowl of lukewarm water. After 10 minutes or so, squeeze one of the cubes—it should be nice and soft. You can then drain the cubes and use them.
Coffee & walnut cupcakes
Cupcake tier
Arranged on a tiered cakestand, a dozen cupcakes make a spectacular centerpiece for any party.
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