Cupcakes

For the cupcakes (makes 12 large cupcakes)

• 4 eggs: weighed in shells (should be approx. 240g including shells)
• Caster sugar: same weight as eggs including shells
• Margarine: same weight as eggs including shells
• Self-raising flour: same weight as eggs including shells
• 1 tsp vanilla extract

For the buttercream (to ice 12 cupcakes)

• 250g unsalted butter, softened
• 500g icing sugar, sieved
• 2 tbsp water (optional)

1. Preheat oven to 180C/160C fan/360F.
2. Line a 12-hole muffin tray with paper cases and set aside.
3. Weigh eggs in their shells. Then weigh the sugar, margarine and flour to the exact same weight.
4. Cream the margarine with the sugar until pale in colour and fluffy.
5. Next, beat the eggs and add slowly. The mixture may curdle so add a spoon of flour if desired, however, once the flour is added in the next step the curdling will disappear.
6. Sieve the flour and add slowly to the mixture.
7. Once fully combined add the vanilla extract and pour the mixture into the lined cake tin.
8. Bake for 20-25 minutes until the cake is golden brown, springy to the touch and a skewer can be inserted into the centre and removed cleanly.

Buttercream method

If using a food processor:

1. Place butter and icing sugar into a food processor and whizz until fully combined and pale in colour.
2. If the icing is too stiff add 1 tbsp of milk/water, followed by a second if still too stiff.

(I prefer this method as it makes much less mess and doesn’t aerate the butter icing too much.)

If using a hand mixer or standing mixer:

1. Beat the butter first and slowly add the icing sugar until fully combined and pale in colour.
2. If the icing is too stiff add 1 tbsp of milk/water, followed by a second if still too stiff.

To decorate:

• Transfer the butter icing to a piping bag with the star-shaped nozzle in the bottom and decorate the cupcakes once fully cooled.