I make so many variations of cupcakes and these are the easiest and so delicious.

See bottom on how to turn these into an instant desert


Ingredients

125g butter, softened
3/4 cup caster sugar
3 Eggs
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 cups ( 300g) self-raising flour
1/4 cup (60mls) milk
12 Maraschino cherries optional

Icing

2 cup's Icing Sugar
20g ( 1 tablespoon) butter melted
2 tablespoons hot water , Approximately
Pink and Green food colouring

METHOD

1.Preheat oven 180°C / 160 fan-forced . Line a 12 hole muffin tin with patty cases

2. Beat butter, sugar, eggs,vanilla extract, flour and milk in a medium bowl using low speed of an electric mixer until Ingredients are combined. Increase speed to medium and beat for 3 minutes or until mixture is smooth and paler in colour.

3. Spoon mixture into patty cases. Bake cakes for 25 minutes. Cool in pans for 5 minutes then turn out onto a wire rack abd cool completely

4. Make Icing and ice each cake once they are completely cool. Top with a cherry.

Icing

1. Sift icing sugar into a small glass/ ceramic bowl, add butter and enough water to make a paste.
2. Bring a small saucepan of water to the boil , the turn down low . Place bowl with Icing over simmering water . Stir until Icing is spreadable.
3. Divide Icing between two small bowls. Tint one pink and the other green or colour of choice . Spread onto cakes.


Cake Variations

Berry n Orange

Stir in 1 teaspoon of finely grated orange rind and 1/2 cup mixed berries (fresh or frozen is good) at the end of step 2.

Citrus

Stir in 1/2 teaspoon each of finely grated lemon, orange and lime rind at the end of step 2.

Passionfruit and White Chocolate

Stir in 1/4 cup Passionfruit pulp and 1/2 cup of white chocolate bits at the end of step 2.

Icing Variations

Coconut and Lime

Stir in 1/2 teaspoon coconut essence and 1 teaspoon finely grated lime rind at step 3 . Leave out food colouring

Orange

Stir in 1 teaspoon of finely grated orange rind and replace half the hot water with orange juice at step 1. Leave out food colouring

Passionfruit

Stir in 1 tablespoon of Passionfruit pulp at step 1. Leave out food colouring


Turn these into an easy delicious desert by splitting un iced cakes in half then sandwich together with Neapolitan or vanilla icecream. Top with fresh cream and a drizzle of chocolate and top with a cherry.

Variations

Caramel

Using Caramel ice-cream sandwich cakes together and cakes with cream and drizzle Caramel syrup on top .

Strawberry

Using Strawberry ice-cream sandwich cakes together then top with fresh whipped cream and top with a cherry

Don't put together until ready to serve