Mini cupcakes recipe

Perfect for sharing, this recipe makes 32 mini cupcakes each with a golden sponge flavoured with fresh lemon.  

It takes just 30 minutes to prepare and 20 minutes to bake a batch of these delicious mini cupcakes. Ideal for birthday parties bake sales, afternoon tea, and even weddings, delicately top these mini cupcakes with rosewater infused cream cheese frosting and serve. Colour the frosting with pink terracotta and grape violet paste food colouring.

Ingredients

• 150g (5oz) unsalted butter, softened
• 150g (5oz) golden caster sugar
• 3 medium eggs
• 150g (5oz) self-raising flour
• Finely grated zest and juice of 1 lemon

For the buttercream:

• 250g (8oz) unsalted butter, softened
• 500g (1lb) icing sugar, sieved
• Few drops of rose water, optional
• 250g tub mascarpone cheese
• Pink terracotta and grape violet paste food colouring
• Crystallised rose petals and violets, to decorate
• 3 x 12-hole mini muffin trays, lined with paper cases
• Piping bag and star nozzle

Method

1. Set the oven to Gas Mark 5 or 190°C. Mix the butter and sugar in a bowl with an electric mixer, until light and fluffy. Gradually beat in the eggs, fold in the flour and lemon zest and juice. Gently mix until smooth.
2. Divide the mixture between the paper cases and bake in the centre of the oven for 10-15 mins, until risen and firm to the touch in the centre. Take out to cool on a wire rack.
3. To make the buttercream: Whizz the butter in a food processor until smooth, slowly add the icing sugar, rose water, if using, and mascarpone and whizz until just smooth.
4. Divide the mixture between 2 bowls. Colour a batch pink and the other violet by dipping a cocktail stick into the paste food colourings and mixing it in until evenly coloured. Pipe large swirls of the buttercream on top of the cooled cupcakes, using the piping bag and star nozzle. Top with crystallised roses and violets.

Top tips for making mini cupcakes

If you don’t have three mini muffin trays, you could always bake the mini cupcakes in batches of 12 at a time to fit into the muffin tray.

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