Fairy Cakes
Fairy cakes are the British equivalent of American cupcakes. A common variant on fairy cakes is butterfly cakes, where the top of the cake is cut out and shaped to look like butterfly wings.
- Time
- 1 hour
- Yield
- 18 cakes
Ingredients
- 125 g (4.4 oz) butter
- ¾ cup (165 g / 5.8 oz) caster sugar
- 1 tsp vanilla or lemon extract
- 2 eggs
- 2 cups (275 g / 9.7 oz) self-raising flour
- ½ cup (125 ml / 4.2 oz) milk
- ½ cup (140 g / 4.9 oz) jam (optional)
- ½ cup (125 ml / 4.2 oz) cream (optional), whipped
- Icing sugar for dusting (optional)
Method
- Beat the butter, sugar and vanilla until creamy.
- Beat in the eggs one at a time.
- Fold in the sifted flour alternately with the milk.
- Transfer batter to 18 greased or lined muffin cups, filling the cavities about ¾ full.
- Bake at 180 C for 12–15 minutes until well risen and golden. Cool on a rack.
- Cut out a small circle in the top of each cake (using a small knife), and cut each circle in half to make the butterfly "wings".
- Spoon a little jam in the centre hollow, and top with whipped cream.
- Arrange the wings into the cream.
- Dust with icing sugar before serving.