United Kingdom / Cakes & baking
Fairy Cakes
Fairy cakes are the British equivalent of American cupcakes. A common variant on fairy cakes is butterfly cakes, where the top of the cake is cut out and shaped to look like butterfly wings.
Ingredients
- butter, 4.4 oz125 g
- caster sugar, 165 g / 5.8 oz3/4 cup
- vanilla extract, or lemon extract1 tsp
- egg2
- self-raising flour, 275 g / 9.7 oz2 cup
- milk, 125 ml / 4.2 oz1/2 cup
- jam, 140 g / 4.9 oz; optional1/2 cup
- cream, 125 ml / 4.2 oz; optional; whipped1/2 cup
- icing sugar, for dusting; optional
Quantities are auto-calculated from the original recipe as a guide. Items without numbers (e.g. “to taste”) are not changed.
Method 9 steps
Beat the butter, sugar and vanilla until creamy.
Beat in the eggs one at a time.
Fold in the sifted flour alternately with the milk.
Transfer batter to 18 greased or lined muffin cups, filling the cavities about ¾ full.
Bake at for 12–15 minutes until well risen and golden. Cool on a rack.
Cut out a small circle in the top of each cake (using a small knife), and cut each circle in half to make the butterfly "wings".
Spoon a little jam in the centre hollow, and top with whipped cream.
Arrange the wings into the cream.
Dust with icing sugar before serving.
