Valentine's Day Cupcakes

Heeeeyyy!

Unfortunately I'm giving up chocolate bars and jellies today for Lent, and Valentine's Day is tomorrow! Waaah!

Don't worry though, I'll be treating myself to sweet homemade vanilla cupcakes that I made.

Wanna know the recipe?

Keep reading.

CUPCAKES

Cupcakes is a very well known recipe, so you might already know the drill.

You will need (for 12 cupcakes):

115 g Self-Raising Flour

115 g Caster Sugar

115 g  Soft Butter

2 eggs

2 - 4 drops of vanilla essence

Tools:

Weighing scale

Large mixing bowl (to mix dry ingredients)

Bun tin

Cupcake paper cases

Wooden spoon

Grater

Sieve

Wire Rack

Small bowl (to whisk the eggs in)

Fork, Small Spoons, Knife

Not all ingredients and tools are shown in this picture. You can add red food colouring for pink cupcakes or icing, but I actually won't be doing that today.

Method:

1. Set the oven to 180 degrees Celsius.  Put the paper cases in the tin.
2. Grate the butter into the bowl and add the sugar. Mix together until light and creamy.
3. Crack the eggs into the small bowl and whisk them with a fork. Add them to the mixture when whisked fully.
4. Sift the flour into the mixture and fold it in gently. Add 2-4 drops of vanilla essence  depending on how sweet you would like your cupcakes to be.
5. When the mixture is smooth and creamy. spoon the mixture into each paper case.
6. Put the cupcakes in the oven for 10 mins if they are small or if they are big 15 - 20 mins.

The mixture should look like this when you are finished mixing.

I used these cute heart shaped cases (that are reusable) that I bought in M&S.
Aren't they so Valentin'es Day-y?

Here are my heart cupcakes filled with love!
I made an extra batch of round cupcakes too :)

ICING

I used a special can of cupcake icing from Tesco for this recipe, but if you would like to make your own, follow the steps below:

You will need:

115 g Icing Sugar

Very small amount of water (about 1 tbsp)

Several drops of food colouring (if you wish)

Sprinkles (again, if you want them)

Tools:

Weighing scale

Sieve

Small mixing bowl

Spoon

Icing bags (optional)

Method:

1. Sift the icing into the small mixing bowl. Add the tbsp of water, mixing it into the sugar to make a thick, smooth paste.
2. Add 1 - 2 drops of food colouring and mix.
3. Fill icing bags with the icing and carefully pipe the cupcakes to make designs. If you son't have icing bags, simply use a spoon.
4. Sprinkle the cupcakes with whatever sprinkles you like.

Enjoy your delicous cupcakes! I looove mine!