My son had to have a few fairy cakes with a cherry on the top
Fairy cakes may not be as big, bold and outlandish as their American cousin the cupcake, but they are simple, dainty and a great first baking recipe for kids. They don't take long to bake so there's you don't need to hang around before the fun decoration stage.
Time: 20 minutes preparation, 20 minutes for baking and cooling, 15 minutes decorating
Age: Any Age
Level: Medium
Materials
110g softened butter or margarine
Decorations (e.g sprinkles)
Pre heat the oven to 180 degrees C
Cream the butter and sugar together, until fluffy and pale. My toddler is too young to hold the electric whisk on his own but was very excited about putting his hand over mine while we did it together. You can also do this by hand.
Gradually add in the eggs until combined.
Fold in the flour with a metal spoon.
Folding in the flour for the fairy cakes
Add a little milk if the mixture is too firm. You should be able to drop it off a spoon but not pour it off.
Place the paper cases in each section of the baking tray.
Divide the mixture equally between the 12 paper cases. Using two teaspoons works well. Use one to scoop up the mixture and the other to scrap it into the case.
Bake in the oven for around 10 minutes. The sponge should be turning golden and if you stick a skewer in, it should come out clean.
Leave in the tin for 10 minutes and then place on a wire rack until cool.
Fairy cakes fresh from the oven and cooling on a wire wrack
Add water to the icing sugar and mix.
If you want coloured icing sugar then add the food colouring. I split mine into 2 and coloured half the cakes pink and half yellow.
Dribble the icing sugar over the fairy cakes and sprinkle on decorations. We used some colourful strands and shimmer sugar from
Dr Oeteker
Fairy cakes are fun to decorate and putting on the icing sugar requires intense concentration from a toddler
Decorate your fairy cakes with anything from sprinkles to mini marshmallows
If you're doing this with younger kids then just relax and let them splat away with the icing sugar. It's impossible to make really neat ones and keep them happy. After all, it's about the kids, isn't it?
Delicious fairy cakes
