Pink-iced Cupcakes Recipe

Today's sweet recipe is for a pink-iced cupcake that appeals to the gril in every woman (and every girl!).

Tasty but with that slightly twee nature that makes them irresistible.

Pink-iced Cupcakes

Serves: 12

Ingredients:

125g (4 oz) self-raising flour, sifted
125g (4 oz) margarine, softened
125g (4 oz) golden caster sugar
3 large eggs
1 tsp vanilla extract
pinch of salt

For the Topping:
250g (9 oz) icing sugar, sifted
a few drops of red food colouring
a mix of sugar-paste flowers
hot water
ping dragée balls

Method:

In a large mixing bowl, combine the flour, salt, sugar, margarine, eggs and vanilla extract. Beat with an electric mixer for between 1 and 2 minutes, or until smooth and even.

Line the cups of a 12-well muffing tin with cupcake cases and spoon in the batter. Transfer to an oven pre-heated to 180ºC (350ºF, Gas Mark 4) and bake for between 15 and 20 minutes, or until golden brown and well risen. Remove from the oven and set aside to cool in the tin for a few minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.

For the icings, place 2/3 of the icing sugar in one bowl and the remaining 1/3 in another. Add a little hot water to each bowl, whisking until you have a smooth, spreadable icing.

Add a few drops of red food colouring to the bowl with the least icing and stir until smooth and light pink in colour. When the cupcakes are cool, roughly spread the tops of 4 with the pink icing. Spread the white icing over the remainder.

Decorate the tops of the cupcakes with sugar paste flowers and dragée balls (do this before the icing sets and hardens). Allow the icing to set completely before serving.

For more cupcake recipes, why not visit the cupcake and cupcake recipes pages found here.