MAKES 12
INGREDIENTS
For cakes
100g unsalted butter, softened
100g caster sugar
2 free-range eggs, at room temperature – slightly beaten
100g self-raising flour
1tsp vanilla extract
For buttercream
125g unsalted butter, softened
200g icing sugar, sifted
1tbsp milk
1tsp vanilla extract
Lemon curd/Jam for topping (optional)
METHOD
Preheat oven to 180C and line 12-hole bun tin with 12 paper fairy cake cases (or 6 muffin cases in muffin tin)
Place softened butter in large bowl then beat with electric hand-whisk until pale and fluffy.
Gradually add sugar and continue to beat until fully combined.
Add a little beaten egg to butter mixture, then whisk again.
Gradually add egg, little by little, whisking after each addition. Important to go slowly as adding too much egg at once can cause mixture to split (if does split, add tbsp of the flour and whisk until batter is smooth again).
Sift flour into bowl. Using large metal spoon/spatula, fold flour into cake mix.
Add vanilla and salt and stir to combine.
Add milk to get cake mix to soft dropping consistency where a heaped spoonful of mixture falls off spoon after tipping for a few seconds.
Using 2 dessert spoons (one to scoop, the other to push the mix into the tin), fill the paper cases half full with batter, filling them equally.
Bake fairy cakes for 15 mins in middle of the oven, until golden-brown and cakes spring back when pressed lightly (bake cupcakes for 18-20 mins).
When cool enough to handle, lift cakes onto cooling rack and leave to cool completely.
Cakes can be frozen for up to 1 month or will keep fresh in airtight tin for a few days.
To make buttercream, put butter into large bowl and beat with electric hand beaters until smooth and creamy. Sift in icing sugar, then work into butter, starting slowly at first, then beating more vigorously once all sugar is combined.
Add milk and vanilla then beat until creamy and smooth. If mixture is too stiff, add a little more milk.
Can colour buttercream at this stage
