Ingredients

150g Butter

150g Caster Sugar

3 Eggs

150g Self-Raising Flour

3/4 Tsp Baking Powder

1 Tsp Vanilla

For Buttercream

250g Unsalted Butter

500g Icing Sugar

1 Tbsp Milk

1 Tsp Vanilla

Simple Vanilla Cupcakes

Method

1. Preheat your oven to 160 degrees Celsius and place cupcake liners in a 12-hole muffin tray. I like to use large white cases.

2. Cream together butter and sugar in a bowl until pale.

3. Add the eggs and vanilla and blend until combined.

4. Sift in the flour and baking powder and mix to combine. Make

sure not to overmix the batter at this stage or the gluten will seize and your cakes will be dense.

5. Using a large ice-cream scoop, split the batter into your cases evenly.

6. Bake for 24 minutes, or until a skewer inserted into the cakes comes out clean.

7. In a stand mixer, beat your softened unsalted butter until white and fluffy. You can do this with a hand mixer but it will take much longer. Once fluffy add your icing sugar. vanilla, and a tablespoon of milk, then mix until combined.

8. Fit a piping bag with a large nozzle. I like to use an open star tip. Fill the bag with buttercream and pipe a swirl, or blob, on top of your cupcakes. Finish with sprinkles, edible flowers, fresh fruit, or whatever else you fancy!