Pastry course part 1: Measuring and mixing - Cupcakes

Here's the recipe of the cupcakes we used this week. It's adapted from Nigella Lawson's cupcake recipe.

For 12 cupcakes

Ingredients:

180 g self raising flour
180 g caster sugar
180 g unsalted butter, softened
3 eggs
3/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
3 tablespoons milk

Icing (not too sugary so kids don't go crazy)
300 g cream cheese
150 g unsalted butter on room temperature
45 g caster sugar

Decorations
We used jelly beans and chocolate beans as I had these leftover from Christmas but for healthier options try:
Nuts - whole or crushed
Berries (if you use them, eat the cupcakes quickly, they don't store well)
Chocolate chips
Slices of apple, banana etc
Breakfast cereals

Method:

- preheat oven to 200'C/ fan oven 180'C
- line muffin tray with cupcake cases
- measure out all the ingredients
- soften the butter
- cream softened butter with sugar
- add eggs one at a time
- add vanilla extract
- fold in flour
- add milk
- spoon into cupcake cases and bake for 15-20 minutes

- remove cupcakes from tin and leave to cool
- meanwhile mix icing ingredients till smooth
- ice cupcakes and decorate

And a few tips:
- let eggs and butter come to room temperature before you start (if baking in the afternoon, leave them out in the morning)
- if like me you don't have a microwave oven, cut the butter in cubes and put it in the preheating oven for a few minutes to soften

*The bold text in the recipe shows the steps that the Little Chefs did (with supervision).*