Guest Recipe: Chikumo's Christmas Cupcakes

• Prep Time: 10-12 min
• Cook Time: 10-12 min
• Total Time: 20-24 min

Serves: 12 cupcakes

Category: Dessert,Cakes

Ingredients

For the cupcake batter you will need 
• 200g self-raising flour
• 100g caster sugar
• 3 large eggs
• 200g soft unsalted butter
• 1tsp vanilla
• 12 cupcake cases (Christmas theme optional)

For the butter cream you will need

• 175g soft unsalted butter
• 400g icing sugar sifted
• 1tsp vanilla

For the decoration you will need

• 125g red/green icing and/ or Christmas sprinkles (optional)
• 1 star tip nozzle
• 1 piping bag
• 1 cookie cutter
• 68mm round or flowered cookie cutter
• 1 rolling pin
• Extra icing for dusting your surface
• Cocktail stick (optional)

Method

Vanilla cupcakes

1. Preheat the oven to 200C/180C for fan-assisted ovens. 
2. Place the flour, sugar, vanilla, butter and eggs into a bowl. 
3. Beat together with an electric whisk for 40 secs. Stop, scrape down the bowl and mix for a further 40 secs.
4. Line a 12 holed cupcake tin with paper cases. 
5. Divide the batter between the 12 cupcake cases, filling three-quarters full. Bake for 10-12 mins until risen and when your skewer comes out clean. 
6. Transfer to a cooling rack and leaving to cool completely before decorating. 

Butter cream

1. Place the butter, icing and vanilla into a bowl.
2. Beat together with an electric mix for 1 min. Stop, scrape down the bowl and mix for a further minute or until the buttercream is smooth.
3. Place the buttercream into the piping bag and set to one side.

Decoration

1. Cut approximately 1cm up the piping bag to create a hole – you can check if the hole is large enough by placing the nozzle inside until enough fits through the bag.
2. Add the buttercream to the cupcakes in a circle motion going up to make a swirl that resembles a Christmas tree.
3. Sprinkle 6 of the cupcakes with your sprinkles (if this is your chosen option) and place the cupcakes into the fridge.
4. Sprinkle some icing onto your surface and roll the icing sugar out until it is about the thickness of a pound coin.
5. Once you have the required thickness, use your cookie cutter to cut out 6 circles/flower shapes and using the cocktail stick, gentry write your Christmas message.
6. Remove the cupcakes from the fridge and place the icing toppers on top of your cupcakes
7. Repeat step 6 if you do not want to use sprinkles.

We just love the look of these scrummy Christmas cupcakes! If you liked this recipe, you'll find more amazing ideas on Chikumo's food and lifestyle blog Diary of a Chik.