For todays craft I found some really cute christmas tree cupcakes -

This is my cupcake recipe

VANILLA CUP CAKES makes 9

Equipment :

1 x 12 deep muffin tin or ind.silicone cups

paper muffin cases

hand held electric food mixer or wooden spoon - use mixer with the help/ supervision on an adult

Ingredients :

120gr/4oz plain flour

140gr/5oz castor sugar

1.5 teaspoons of baking powder

a pinch of salt

40gr/1.5oz unsalted butter at room temperature

120ml. full fat milk - really important to have full fat

1 egg

vanilla extract

Frosting :

250gr/8oz sifted icing sugar

80gr/3oz unsalted butter (room temperature)

25ml. full fat milk

vanilla extract

Green colouring

coloured balls

decoration for top of the tree

To make the cupcakes:

Pre-heat the oven to 170° / gas 5.

Put the flour, sugar, baking powder salt and soft butter into a food mixer ( you can use a hand held food mixer) and beat on a slow speed until the ingredients are combined to a sandy texture.

Gradually pour in half of the milk and beat until everything is just mixed.

In a jug whisk the remaining milk, eggs and half a teaspoon of vanilla extract together.

Add the milk mixture to flour mixture and continue beating until everything is incorporated and smooth. Do not overbeat.

Spoon the mixture between your cases to about two thirds full and bake for approx. 20-25 minutes until light and springy..

Leave the cakes to cool slightly in the tray before turning out onto a wire cooling rack to cool completely. Do not decorate until cold.

To make the frosting :

Using a food mixer (or hand held mixer) cream together the butter and icing sugar until the mixture is mixed thoroughly.

In a jug add the vanilla extract to the milk and very gradually add to the icing sugar until all the ingredients are incorporated.

Mix at high speed for approx. 5 minutes until the frosting is light and fluffy.

The longer you beat the frosting the lighter and fluffier it will become.

Put your frosting into a piping bag and pipe in a large swirl onto the top of the cake getting smaller as you move upwards until they look like trees.

Decorate with the balls and add something to the top of the tree.

Eat and enjoy!!

I found the image from http://pinterest.com/izzyboosey/christmas/

recipe is one I was given a few years ago