Butterfly Cakes
A choice of vanilla or chocolate for this easy but striking take on a classic cupcake
14
200°C/fan 180°C/gas mark 6
45 minutes
“Add an extra teaspoon of vanilla extract for vanilla butterfly cakes or add 25g cocoa powder for chocolate butterfly cakes”
Ingredients
175g butter, softened
175g caster sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract (2 tsp for vanilla butterfly cakes)
175g gluten-free self-raising flour
3 medium eggs
5 tbsp milk
optional: 25g cocoa powder (for chocolate butterfly cakes)
Buttercream
75g butter, softened
150g icing sugar
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1-2 tbsp milk
Method
Preheat the oven to 200°C/fan 180°C/gas mark 6. Place your paper cases in the tin ready. First cream the butter and sugar (using an electric whisk) until light, fluffy and pale in colour. Add the correct amount of vanilla extract into the mix.
Beat in the eggs one at a time (then it won’t curdle the mix). Add the gluten-free flour (with the optional cocoa powder for the chocolate version) and milk. Give a final mix with the electric whisk until well-combined.
Spoon the mixture evenly into your cake cases. Bake for 15-20 minutes or until they’re golden and light to touch. Leave the cakes to cool.
Angle a small sharp knife and cut to within about 1 cm of the edge of each cake to remove a cone shape, leaving a cavity in the centre. Cut the cone in half and set aside for later.
Fill the centre with buttercream. This is made by beating the butter with an electric whisk until soft. Then gradually sift in the icing sugar beating continuously. Add a few drops of vanilla extract along with the milk and give a final beat. Spoon the buttercream into the cavity made in the cake and arrange the 'wings' on top to create the butterfly effect. Enjoy!
