Prep time:

Cooking time: 15 minutes

Total time:

Serves: 12

Daisy cupcakes

200g self-raising flour

200g butter

200g sugar

1tsp baking powder

2 large eggs

1tsp vanilla essence

1tbsp milk

vanilla buttercream

250g softened butter

500g sifted icing sugar

1tsp vanilla essence

1tbsp milk (if needed)

½tsp green food colouring

fondant daisies to decorate – I used a cutter and modelling paste to make them, but sugar flowers can be bought at the supermarket or online.

These are an indulgent treat after the fasting of Lent. Change the amount of buttercream if needed – the ratio is twice the amount of icing sugar to butter, which makes it easy to adjust.

  1. Pre-heat the oven to 160°C and place cupcake cases into a 12 hole muffin tin. Beat together butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add the eggs one at a time, beating well to prevent curdling. Add the rest of the ingredients and combine carefully. The mixture should just about drop off a spoon. Carefully spoon into cases and bake in a pre-heated oven for approximately 12 minutes (ovens vary so check and bake for a little longer if needed).
  2. Make the buttercream by combining all the ingredients bar the milk, mix slowly at first, to stop an icing sugar cloud going all over the kitchen, then beat to the right consistency by adding milk, a little at a time. Pipe or spread onto cupcakes and decorate with sugar daisies.

  • words:
  • pictures: David Merewether

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