Gorgeous Girly Fairy Cakes Recipe

Whether you're throwing a special party or just having the girls round for tea - this special Easter cake recipe for girly cupcakes are the perfect choice that look great on the table too!

HOW TO MAKE GIRLY CUPCAKES

Ingredients

• 225g (8oz) plain flour
• 1 level tsp baking powder
• pinch salt
• 150g (5oz) caster sugar
• 85g (31/2oz) butter, softened
• 2 eggs, lightly beaten
• 150ml (1/4pt) milk

For the frosting

• 300g (10oz) full-fat cream cheese
• 150g (5oz) golden icing sugar, sifted
• a little lemon juice

For colouring

• crème de menthe (green)
• Camp coffee essence (cappuccino)
• melted dark chocolate
• grenadine (pink)
• blue curaçao
• Dulce de Leche (toffee)
• orange juice
• vanilla extract
• lemon zest

To decorate

sugar or rice paper flowers. You can buy sugar flowers from Jane Asher's shop (020 7584 6177; www.jane-asher.co.uk) or Squires (0845-2255671; www.squires-shop.com)

You will also need

mini muffin trays and paper cases. Mini muffin trays are available from John Lewis, Lakeland Limited and all good cook shops.

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 180 C, 160 C fan, 350 F, gas 4.
2. Sift the flour, baking powder and salt into a large bowl. In a separate bowl, whisk the sugar and butter with an electric whisk until light and fluffy.
3. Gradually whisk in the eggs, then add a little of the flour mix and milk alternately until the mixture is smooth. Be careful not to overbeat the liquid.
4. Line a mini muffin tray with mini paper cases and fill each with a large teaspoon of the mixture. Place in the preheated oven and bake for 18 to 20 minutes or until slightly golden on top. Remove from the tin and leave to cool on a wire rack. If you need to bake them in batches, the mixture will happily sit at room temperature.
5. To make the cream cheese frosting, mix together the cream cheese, icing sugar and lemon juice in a large bowl. Divide the mixture among the same number of small bowls as you want colours. Add a little of the colour or melted chocolate gradually until you achieve the shade you require.
6. Decorate each cupcake with cream cheese frosting and sugar flowers. The easiest way to decorate is to use a small palette knife with a blob of frosting on it, spread it over the cupcake then gradually build it up.