Cupcakes:
- 200g unsalted butter, chopped at room temperature
- 1 3/4 cups caster sugar
- 2 teaspoons vanilla essence
- 4 eggs, at room temperature
- 2 3/4 cups self-raising flour, sifted
- 1 cup of milk
- 10 drops pink food colouring, to tint
- Butterfly and snowflake cake decoration sweets (see note)
Strawberry Icing:
- 2 x 453 tubs Betty Crocker Vanilla Icing
- 1 2/3 cup icing sugar mixture
- 2 teaspoons strawberry essence
- Pink food colouring, to tint
What to do:
- Preheat oven to moderate (180 degrees C). Line two x 12-hole muffin pans with patty cases.
- With an adult's help, beat butter, sugar and vanilla in the small bowl of an electric mixer until light and fluffy. Add eggs one at a time, beating between additions, until well combined. Transfer to a large bowl.
- Add flour and milk alternately in two batches, stirring until combined. Drop food colouring into batter. Using a skewer, swirl colouring through cake mixture. Divide mixture evenly among patty cases.
- Ask an adult to place pans in the oven. Cook for about 20 minutes, or until golden, then ask an adult to remove pans and leave to stand for 10 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
- For strawberry icing, combine vanilla icing, icing sugar and essence in a large bowl. Add enough food colouring into mixture for desired colour. Transfer to a piping bag, fitted with a 2cm star nozzle and pipe onto cooled cakes. Decorate with butterflies and snowflakes.
Hints:
- You can find butterfly and snowflake cake decoration sweets in the baking aisle of your local supermarket.
- Cupcakes can be made up to two days ahead. Ice them 1-2 hours before serving.
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