Cupcakes

This Super Food Ideas recipe has been my go-to cupcake recipe for a while now. It makes about 2 dozen, so it goes a long way - it's easy and always delicious!  They are so fun, as pictured, with some coloured buttercream (recipe below) and smarties - these are a win every time :-)

Ingredients
200g unsalted butter, softened
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup caster sugar
3 eggs
2 1/2 cups self-raising flour, sifted
1/2 cup milk

Method
Preheat oven to 180°C/160°C fan-forced oven. Line muffin or mini-muffin pans with paper cases.

Using an electric mixer, beat butter, vanilla and sugar in a small bowl until light and fluffy. Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating after each addition (mixture will separate at this stage). Transfer mixture to a large bowl. Stir in half the flour. Stir in half the milk. Repeat with remaining flour and milk until combined.

For 1/3 cup-capacity muffin pans use 2 level tablespoons of mixture. Bake for 15 to 17 minutes. Alternatively, for 1 tablespoon-capacity mini muffin pans use 1 tablespoon mixture. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes.

Stand cakes in pans for 2 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack to cool.

Buttercream

125g butter, softened
1 1/2 cups icing sugar mixture
1 tablespoon milk

Method
Using an electric mixer, beat butter in a bowl until pale and fluffy (about 5 minutes).
Step 2

Gradually add icing sugar mixture and milk, beating constantly until combined.