Monogrammed cupcakes

Serves:

Ingredients

• 200g unsalted butter, softened
• half a cup caster sugar
• 4 eggs
• 2 and a half cups plain flour
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 cup milk
• 1 tablespoon vanilla extract

Icing

• 50g unsalted butter
• 2 cups icing sugar
• 2 tablespoons milk

Decoration

• 700g ready-to-roll fondant icing*
• blue, pink or yellow gel or paste colouring (liquid food colouring not compatible with the fondant icing)*
• icing sugar, for dusting

*from cake decorating shops

• You will need 48 large cupcake papers (base 44mm x height 25mm) 24 for baking and 24 for display

Method

Preheat oven to 180C. Place cupcake papers in two 12-hole muffin trays.

In an electric mixer, beat butter for 2-3 minutes until pale in colour and creamy. Add sugar one third at a time, beating well between each addition. Add the eggs one at a time, beating for about a minute between each addition. Add the vanilla essence and beat until combined. Sift flour and baking powder and add half to butter mixture with half the milk, beat until well combined. Repeat with remaining flour and milk.

Spoon into cupcake papers (I use an ice cream scoop) and bake for about 15 minutes until a skewer inserted into the middle of a cupcake comes out clean. Transfer to wire racks and allow to cool completely.

Icing

Cream butter until pale and smooth. Add the milk and half the sifted icing sugar. Beat until well combined. Add the remaining icing sugar and beat until mixture is light and fluffy. The mixture should be a spreadable paste; if it is too dry add some more milk, if too wet add more icing sugar.

Decoration

Remove papers from cupcakes, trim the top of the cupcakes so they are level, turn the cakes upside down on a work surface. Spread a tablespoon of icing in a thin layer on the top and sides of each cupcake.

Chop the fondant icing into small pieces and knead until starting to soften. Add a small amount of chosen colouring using a toothpick. Knead until the colour is even, add more colour if required, knead again. Dust the work surface with icing sugar to prevent the icing sticking and roll out to 5mm thick. Use a large scone cutter, saucer or egg ring to cut out circle shapes (needs to be large enough to cover the top and sides of your cupcake). Place a circle of icing over a cupcake, smooth the icing down using fingers dusted in icing sugar. Trim ends around base of the cake and place into a clean cupcake paper. Knead scraps and repeat until all cakes are covered.

For the initials, place 1 cup of white chocolate pieces in a reasalable bag (unsealed). Microwave for 1 and a half minutes in 30 second bursts, massaging between bursts to evenly distribute melted chocolate. Seal bag and snip a tiny triangle from one corner of the bag. Pipe letters onto a sheet of non-stick baking paper (you will need to do a few practice letters!) and leave for 30 minutes to set. Stick to the top of the iced cupcakes with some leftover butter icing or melted chocolate. Dont they look fantastic!

Notes:

• Preparation time: 20 minutes, baking time: 15 minutes, decorating time: 50 minutes.
• These cupcakes are simple to make and decorate, but spectacular and sophisticated! Perfect for a first birthday party, where many of the guests are often adults Older kids are also very pleased to have individualised surprises.
• For variation, I make chocolate mud cupcakes and ice with chocolate ganache.
• To make a variety of coloured fondant icings, divide the icing into 2-3, work with one piece of icing at a time (leave the remainder wrapped in plastic until needed) and colour each separately.
• Make the cupcakes in advance and freeze (undecorated) until needed; it is also easier to ice the frozen cupcakes.
• Preparation time: 20 minutes, baking time: 15 minutes, decorating time: 50 minutes.

Serving Suggestions

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