Cookbook:Fairy Cakes

Fairy Cakes
Category	Dessert recipes
Servings	18
Time	1 hour
Difficulty

Cookbook | Ingredients | Recipes | Dessert | Cake

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.

Ingredients

• 125 grams (4.4 oz) butter
• ¾ cup (165 grams (5.8 oz)) caster sugar
• 1 tsp vanilla or lemon extract
• 2 eggs
• 2 cups (275 grams (9.7 oz)) self-raising flour
• ½ cup (125 milliliters (4.2 US fl oz)) milk

For butterfly cakes (optional)

• ½ cup (140 grams (4.9 oz)) jam
• ½ cup (125 milliliters (4.2 US fl oz)) cream, whipped

• icing sugar to dust with

Procedure

A butterfly cake

1. Beat the butter, sugar and vanilla or lemon extract until creamy.
2. Beat in the eggs one at a time.
3. Fold in the sifted flour alternately with the milk.
4. Transfer batter to 18 greased or lined muffin cups, filling the cavities about ¾ full.
5. Bake at 180 °C (356 °F) for 12-15 minutes until well risen and golden. Cool on a cake rack.

To make butterfly cakes:

1. 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".
2. Spoon a little jam in the centre hollow and top with whipped cream.
3. Arrange the wings into the cream.
4. Dust with icing sugar before serving.