Butterfly Cupcakes Recipe

This recipe is for a classic British butterfly cake adapted to be prepared as a cupcake rather than the more usual fairy cake, though the basic ingredients and methodologies are the same, these are much larger than the original fairy cake variety.

In essence it's subverting the form ever so slightly in presenting the large cupcake in the way that the mini cupcake was traditionally served in the past.

Butterfly Cupcakes

Serves: 12

Ingredients:

200g (1 1/2 cups) sponge cake flour (00 grade flour)

200g (1 cup) caster sugar

200g (1 cup) unsalted butter, softened

4 medium eggs, beaten

1 tsp vanilla extract

450g (1 lb) lemon curd

24 pieces of red and/or black shoestring liquorice (each 5cm [2 in] long)

Method:

Sift the flour into a bowl then set aside. With an electric whisk, cream together the sugar and butter until light and fluffy.

Gradually add the beaten eggs and vanilla extract, a little at a time, beating thoroughly to combine after each addition (add a little flour each time to prevent the mixture from splitting). Fold in the remaining flour, stirring until the ingredients are combined.

Line the wells of a 12-hole muffin tin with paper cases then spoon in the batter. Transfer to an oven pre-heated to 160ºC (Gas Mark ??) and bake for about 25 minutes, or until lightly golden brown and springy to the touch.

Allow to cool in the tin then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely before decorating. With a bread knife cut off the top quarter of each cupcake. Now cut each cake top piece in half (these are the butterfly 'wings').

Spread 1 tbsp of the lemon curd over the top of each cupcake then arrange the two cake half pieces on top of the filling for the wings. Insert two pieces o liquorice to form the antennae and serve.

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