Tuesday

I dont feel very well today, and G has gone to work with the sniffles too.  Inbetween a few loads of washing, and updating the blog I've made fairy cakes with silky vanilla butter frosting, as a treat for us this evening. 

I took the recipe from my favourite baking cook book - "Good Housekeeping - Great Baking" and thought I would share;

For the cakes;

2 cups (280g) of self raising flour

1 teaspoon of salt

1 cup (200g) of butter

1 1/4 cups (240g) of sugar

3 large eggs

1 teaspoon of vanilla extract

1 cup (240ml) of milk

1) Preheat oven to 180/gas mark 4

2) In medium bowl, stir together flour and salt

3) In large bowl, mix together butter and sugar until light and fluffy (using a whisk is good here) Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition (or you can beat the eggs together in a bowl and add the mixed egg mixture in stages) Add in vanilla.  Add the flour mixture and the milk alternatively until all in, start and end with flour. Beat until smooth, scraping the sides frequently with a spatula to keep hold of all of the mixture.

4) Spoon mixture into muffin cake cases and bake in the oven for about 30 mins (if fan assisted 20/22 mins should be sufficient)

Silky Vanilla Butter Frosting

1 cup (190g) of sugar

1/2 cup (70g) of all-purpose flour

1 1/3 cups (320ml) of milk

1 cup (200g) of butter

1 tablespoon of vanilla extract

1) In saucepan stir together sugar and flour until evenly combined.  Gradually stir in milk until smooth.  Cook over a medium-high heat, stirring often until mixture thickens and boils. Reduce to low and cook for 2 minutes stirring constantly. Remove from heat and leave to cool completely.

2) In a large bowl beat softened butter until creamy, gradually beat in milk mixture and vanilla.

(I added a couple of drops of red food colouring to make it pink!)

So here are the ones I made today ...... (I may add that I havent made these before and being artistic isnt a strong point, so I am very sorry the topping has been kind of slopped on ... I need to work on my presentation ....)

I will make these again next week looking for a more of a buttercream topping I think, I dont think I made what I thought I was making, I wanted it to sit high and proud, stiff and swirly, but it slopped on like just plain icing sugar and water .... hmmmmm S - if you have any good fairy cake topping recipes, i'd be grateful as I think I need something more substantial in consistency ... oh dear ....

Updated at 14.44 - I can confirm both cakes & mis-happed topping tastes fabulous! Yay! Having a nice cup of tea and a cake before I go to work.