Vanilla cupcakes with swirly icing

Ingredients:

• 175g butter (room temperature), cut into large pieces
• 175g self-raising flour
• 175g caster sugar
• ½ tsp baking powder
• 3 large eggs
• ½ tsp vanilla extract

For the icing

• 175g butter (room temperature), cut into large pieces
• ½ tsp vanilla extract
• 2-3 tbsp milk
• 350g icing sugar, sifted
• Pink edible colouring
• Edible pink hearts or other sprinkles, to decorate

Method:

1. Preheat the oven to 180°C.
2. Line a 12-hole muffin tin with paper cupcake or muffin cases.
3. Put all the cake ingredients into a large bowl and beat with an electric hand whisk or a wooden spoon until smooth and evenly mixed.
4. Divide the mixture evenly between the paper cases.
5. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, or until the cakes are well risen and firm on top.
6. Transfer to a wire rack to cool.
7. Meanwhile, make the icing. Put the butter, vanilla extract, two tablespoons of the milk, and half the icing sugar in a large bowl and beat until smooth. Beat in the remaining icing sugar, and pour in the rest of the milk if needed to make the icing the right consistency.
8. Put half of the icing into another bowl and colour it pale pink with the edible colouring.
9. Carefully spoon this down one side of a piping bag fitted with a number eight star nozzle, then spoon the non-coloured icing down the other side of the bag. Twist the end of the bag to seal the icing in.
10. Pipe swirls of the icing on top of each cupcake.
11. Scatter with the edible pink hearts or other sprinkles to decorate.

Recipe by Mary Berry – Mary Berry’s Cookery Course