Vanilla Butterfly Cakes

Makes 18-24

For the Fairy Cakes:

• 3 eggs at room temperature, weighed in their shells
• unsalted butter, softened – preferably the same weight as the eggs. Default 175g/6oz.
• caster sugar – preferably the same weight as the eggs. Default 175g/6oz.
• Self-raising flour – preferably the same weight as the eggs. Default 175g/6oz.
• 2 tablespoons milk
• 1 tsp vanilla extract

For the English Buttercream:

• 88g/3oz unsalted butter, softened
• 175g/6oz icing sugar, sieved
• 1-2 tablespoons milk
• 1 tsp vanilla paste (or the seeds of one vanilla pod)

Pre-heat the oven to 200ºC/180ºC Fan/Gas Mark 6/400ºF

Line shallow bun tins with good quality ‘Fairy Cake’ paper cases.

Weigh your eggs, sugar, butter and flour.

‘Cream’ the unsalted butter and caster sugar together until smooth, pale and fluffy. Then sift over a couple of tablespoons of the flour.

Break the eggs into a jug and add one at a time, beating well between each addition.

Sieve over the rest of the flour and incorporate it into the mix. Scrape down the sides of the bowl and loosen the mix with a couple of tablespoons of milk, if necessary, to give a ‘dropping consistency’.

Pipe or spoon the mixture into the paper cases. Bake for around 12-15 minutes until risen and springy to the touch. Immediately transfer to a cooling rack.

Weigh the butter for the buttercream into the mixer bowl and lightly ‘beat’. Then sieve over twice the weight of icing sugar. Beat until super smooth, then add the vanilla paste. Beat again. Finally, beat in a little milk.

Cut off the tops of the fairy cakes, leaving a well for the buttercream. Pipe or spoon into the cavity. Split the ‘lids’ in two and arrange the ‘wings’ on top of the buttercream.

Just before serving, dust with icing sugar.

Eat.