Elderflower Cupcakes
This is a lovely recipe taken from 'The Hedgerow Cookbook'. Easy to make, perfect for summer picnics or just as a sweet treat! You will need a 12 hole muffin tin lined with paper cases (the large muffin tins not fairy cake size!) 4 1/2oz self-raising flour 1 tsp baking powder 4 1/2oz softened butter 4 1/2oz caster sugar 2 large eggs 7 tbsp. elderflower cordial For the icing 3 1/2oz icing sugar 2 tbsp. elderflower cordial
1. Preheat oven to 180 degrees centigrade and put the muffin cases in the tin 2. Stir the flour and baking powder together, set aside. Cream together with an electric mixer the butter and sugar until pale and fluffy. Add the eggs one at a time, alternating with a spoonful of flour mixture and whisking thoroughly after each one. Finally stir in the remaining flour mix and the cordial (don't worry if your cake mixture looks a bit strange after adding the cordial, mine looked a bit like proving bread, the end result was fine!)
Divide the mixture between the 12 paper cases. Bake for 15-20 minutes until the cakes are golden and spring back when pressed lightly. Leave to cool in the tin for 5 minutes and then turn out onto a wire rack to cool completely. 3. To decorate, put the icing sugar in a bowl, add the elderflower cordial and stir thoroughly to make a thick paste (add the cordial a bit at a time as the full 2 tablespoons made my icing a bit too runny and I had to add more icing sugar!). Gently spread the icing over the cakes using a knife or back of a spoon. I decorated my cakes with sprinkles and sugar butterflies as that is what I had in the cupboard!
