Icings

Buttercream Icing

250g Trex (this is a vegetable based fat much better for icing than butter if you want a white colour) 
2 tsp flavouring (Vanilla, coffee etc)
3 tbs Water
500g sifted icing sugar
1 tbs Meri-white powder (optional)

Cream together in a large bowl all the wet ingredients. Add the icing sugar a little at a time. I now do this in my electric mixer but you can do using a hand electric mixer. I always find this goes everywhere. Once mixed you had add any colouring you want. Remember a little goes a long way. The more water you add the less stiff it will become. This can be frozen and will keep in the fridge for as long as the trex shelf life.

The Meri-White adds stability to the frosting so when you pipe your swirls they hold their shape, even on a warm day.  For white frosting use Trex (a white vegetable fat) with flavours.  White frosting also is better if you need to add colour; if you use butter which is yellow if for example you wanted baby blue it would turn green or if you wanted pink it would turn a salmon colour.

Royal Icing

1 tbs Meri-white powder (optional)
500g sifted icing sugar
6-9 tbs water

Make sure you are using a grease free bowl. Put the icing sugar in a bowl with the Meri-white powder and add the water, mix on a low speed for 7-10 minutes until the icing has lost it's sheen remember you can always add a little more water if you need it slightly thiner, if you make it slightly too thin add some more icing sugar. Use straight away or cover the top of the icing with no air gap with cling film and store in an airtight container for up to 2 weeks. When you want to use just mix again. Add any colouring you may want. 

Never fail cup cakes

I thought I'd actually share my never fail cup cake recipe I was given a few years ago. It has to be the best recipe for cupcakes I have found and recently I have been experimenting with it.

You will need:
Mixing bowl
Electric hand whisk or food mixer
Wooden spoon
12 cupcake cases
12 hole yorkshire pudding tin
Cooling rack

125g caster suger
125g softened unsalted butter
125g Self raising flour
1/2 tsp baking powder
2 large eggs beaten
2 tsp milk
1tsp Vanilla extract (or other flavouring)

Preheat oven to 190c 

In a bowl mix together the butter and sugar until very pale and fluffy. Next mix in the egg a little at a time and give a good mix in-between, if it starts to curdle add a little of the flour. 

Next mix in the flour and baking powder I tend to fold this in with a wooden spoon, add the vanilla extract (or other flavouring) and milk.

Place the cupcake cases in the yorkshire tin and divide the mixture between the 12 cases. Bake in the oven for approx 17 minutes until the sponge when pressed in the centre with your finger springs back.

Leave to cool slightly before transferring cases onto the cooling rack.

Once completely cool decorate how you wish. 

Some of mine :