Karen Fraser's vanilla cupcakes

ingredients:
For the cupcakes

• 175g self raising flour, sifted
• 175g caster sugar
• 175g butter or margarine (your preference)
• 1.5tsp baking powder
• 3 large eggs, beaten
• 1tsp of vanilla extract

For the butter cream

• 250g unsalted softened butter
• 500g icing sugar
• food colouring

For the decorations

• sugar paste
• food colouring

Method

For the cupcakes

1. Put all the ingredients into a bowl and whisk until all blended and light and fluffy.
2. Spoon cake mix into 12 muffin cases.
3. Put into a pre-heated over 180ºC/350ºF/Gas Mark 4 for 20 mins.
4. When cooked place on cooling rack.

For the butter cream

1. Using a balloon whisk, whisk the butter until light, fluffy and pale.
2. Gradually add the icing sugar until its all mixed in.
3. Add vanilla extract if desired.
4. Add a small amount of milk if butter cream is too thick. I use Sugarflair concentrated colouring which I add very small amounts using a tooth pick and mix until the colour required.
5. Place butter cream into a large disposable icing bag and use a 1M nozzle.

For the decorations

1. To make decorations, roll out some sugar paste and using various cutters, cut out the flowers, butterflies etc.
2. I also colour the sugar paste using concentrated colouring. To finish off I use edible glitters.