Fairy cakes are hard to beat for simple bliss. What I like about them, apart from their yumminess, is that they are completely unpretentious. Anyone and everyone can make them – young, old, man, woman!
Sometimes, I think baking can be a bit daunting, I know it is to me, when I see recipes for stunning cakes and creations, but I know the likelihood of it ending up in the dog or bin is very high.
And you know what, sometimes all you want is to dive into the simple, fluffy lightness of a sweetened fairy cake with a huge mug of tea!
Here’s my take on the classic. I always use cups for Fairy Cakes because it's so damn easy! I’ve made these with buttercream icing (the recipe yields tonnes of it!) and sprinkles, but they are just as good with a dollop of jam in the middle either!
For the Fairy Cakes
¾ cup Self raising flour
Handful ground almonds
¾ Cup Softened butter
3 Large free range eggs
1tsp Vanilla extract
¾ cup Caster sugar
For the Buttercream Icing
1.5 cups softened unsalted butter
4-5 cups of icing sugar
2tsp Vanilla extract
2-4tsp buttermilk
Preheat the oven to 160c
Cream the butter and the sugar together until light and fluffy using a hand mixer.
Add in the eggs one at a time and mix each in well before starting the next.
Fold in the flour and the ground almonds until smooth.
Add in the vanilla extract.
Pour into a fairy cake tin with some cupcake liners.
Bake in the oven for 20-25 mins until done.
Leave them to cool and get on with the icing.
Whip up the soften butter for about a minute with the hand mixer, then add in the icing sugar one cup at a time, whipping for at least 30 seconds each time.
Add in the vanilla and the buttermilk and mix it up once more.
Once the cupcakes are cooled, pile them high with the icing and sprinkles, or cut a little hole in the middle and add in jam and put the 'hat' back on, or just gobble them prairie.