Vanilla cupcakes

Friends will recognise these from my daughter's recent fairy princess birthday party where they were set upon by a throng of polyester-clad, four-year-old princesses-in-training!

This is my standard cupcake recipe which we make at least once a week. It is quick to whip up (even with little helpers) if you have friends calling round. They keep well (if you don't eat them!!) and are as light as a fairy to eat, and pretty to the eye! If you ice with a water icing they are much lower in fat than a normal cupcake. We tend to use a water icing on a day-to-day basis as the cakes don't have to be completely cold before you ice them.

The original recipe (which I have adapted) comes from The Hummingbird Bakery Cook Book.

Makes 12

12 hole fairycake size (NOT muffin) tin with paper cases
Preheat oven to 170C

Cupcakes
130g plain flour
120g caster sugar
1 1/2tsp baking powder
50g soft butter
120ml full fat milk
1 egg
1/2 tsp vanilla extract

Water icing
200g icing sugar
2 tsp water
1 drop red food colour

With a handheld electric whisk mix the butter into the flour, baking powder and sugar until it resembles breadcrumbs. Add the milk, egg and vanilla. Whisk for 2 mins until well combined. It will look much runnier than a normal cake mix! Divide between 12 fairy cake cases. Bake for 15-20 min - keep a careful eye on these, they need to be light golden and springy. They will be dry if they get to the dark golden stage.

Leave in the tin for 5 mins then transfer to a wire cooling rack. Leave for at least 15 mins until quite cool to the touch.

Make the icing...
Sieve the icing sugar. Add 1 drop of red food colouring very carefully (I use a skewer). Then the water a little at a time, stirring as you go, to be sure it doesn't get too runny. It should be stiff enough to hold the trail from the spoon. You may need an extra tablespoon of sugar if it is a little on the runny side.

If you want to add sprinkles be sure to do it as you go, as this icing firms up quite fast.

Enjoy!