Kids' Cooking - Butterfly Cakes

Butterfly cakes are a classic childhood memory for me. Delicate cupcakes topped with cream (or buttercream) with wings made from the tops of the cupcake, and dusted all over with icing sugar. So cute, and so delicious. They pretty much featured at every kids' birthday party I ever went to as a child. And I'm glad they did; they were definitely one of the top treats, alongside my other favourites fairy bread and chocolate crackle. So I guess it was no surprise that they popped into my head when I was trying to think of baking ideas for my four-year-old niece.

Making them again was like a flashback to my childhood, and it was extra fun teaching a new generation how to make them. If you've never heard of them you should give them a go, they are an ideal treat to make for, and with, kids. Or if you remember them from your childhood, why not give them a go, you never know what memories will come flooding back.

Do you have any favourite kids' party treats you remember from your childhood?

BUTTERFLY CAKES (makes 12)

Step One: Make the cupcakes 

Ingredients:

• 125 g butter
• 1 teaspoon vanilla essence
• 1/2 cup caster sugar
• 2 eggs
• 1 cup plain flour
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/4 cup milk

Method:

Cream butter, vanilla and sugar until light and fluffy. Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Sift the flour and baking powder together. Fold into creamed mixture. Stir in milk. Place 12 paper patty cases in patty tins. Spoon mixture evenly into paper cases. Bake at 190°C for 15 minutes or until cakes spring bake when lightly touched. Transfer to a cooling rack.

Step Two: Creating the butterflies

Once the cupcakes are cool cut a slice off the tops. Then cut the slice into halves:

Then to create the butterflies I piped about a bit of of pink buttercream into the centre of the cavity, added some colourful sprinkles and placed the wings on. Once they were all done I dusted with icing sugar.

To make the buttercream: Cream 50g of butter until fluffy, add a couple drops of vanilla essence and a drop of red food colouring. Gradually beat in 1 cup of icing sugar. Once smooth, mix in approx 1 tablespoon of hot water to create a consistency ideal for piping or spreading. This amount is small, just enough for a couple teaspoon's worth on each cupcake.

Btw, if you prefer, you can also use whipped cream instead of buttercream, another classic filling. You can also make them with or without sprinkles, you could also use glitter instead of icing sugar. You're only limited by your imagination.

Have fun!

- recipes adapted from the Edmonds Cookery Book