Birthday cupcakes
- Preparation and cooking time
- Prep:
- Cook:
- plus cooling
- Easy
- Serves 12
Ingredients
- 180g unsalted butter, softened
- 180g caster sugar
- 3 eggs, beaten
- 180g self-raising flour
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- ½ tsp baking powder
- 80g sprinkles, plus extra to decorate (ensure vegetarian, if needed)
For the buttercream
- 200g unsalted butter, softened
- 400g icing sugar, sifted
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
Method
- STEP 1
Line a 12-hole muffin tin with paper cases and heat the oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6. Beat the butter and sugar together in a stand mixer, or use an electric whisk. Slowly whisk in the egg, a little at a time, along with a spoonful of the flour and the vanilla extract. Fold in the remaining flour, the baking powder and sprinkles. Divide the batter between the cases and bake for 18-20 mins until lightly golden and a skewer inserted into their centres comes out clean. Leave to cool for 5 mins in the tin, then transfer to a wire rack to cool fully.
- STEP 2
For the buttercream, beat the butter using an electric whisk or in a stand mixer until softened slightly, then beat in the icing sugar in three additions until fully incorporated. Add a splash of water to loosen, then the vanilla extract. Spread the buttercream over the cooled cupcakes or spoon into a piping bag and pipe swirls on top. Decorate with more sprinkles. Will keep in an airtight container for three days.
