Fairy Cakes

I am convinced there are faeries residing in my gardens ~ they leave their evidence here and there. But I had never known the pleasure of 'Fairy Cakes' until Nigella Lawson introduced them to me.

I adore these little cakes, and they can be decorated in any way you like.

In the spring, I like to decorate them using edible, organic flowers from the garden.
Of course you don't have to eat the flowers, but you may if you wish, and I love their fresh look.
Pansy and Viola blossoms arrive in a wide array of colors, I believe they are my favorites.

But others add a bright variety ~

Still, I seem to be drawn to the blues and purples.

These are dense little cakes, with flat tops, unlike the cupcakes I knew as a child ~

The flat tops with wide surface area, spread with soft Royal Icing make them perfect for decorating. Added bonus, the batter is mixed in a food processor, or may be mixed by hand.

Fairy Cakes~

Recipe makes 12 cupcakes

Adapted from Nigella Lawson's cookbook "How to be a Domestic Goddess"

Ingredients

1/2 cup butter (unsalted if you wish), softened
7 tablespoons sugar
2 large eggs
3/4 cups self-rising cake flour, or ~

ALTERNATELY~ If you want to use regular (non-self rising) All Purpose flour, or Cake Flour then add a scant 1/2 teaspoon baking soda, with a scant 1 teaspoon baking powder.
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
2-3 tablespoons milk

Icing
1 cup powdered (confectioner's) sugar
1 egg white
3-4 drops lemon juice
food coloring

Method:

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. (I set my oven to 375-degrees (F)

Line a 12 cup muffin tin with baking cups.
Put all the ingredients except for the milk into a food processor and blend until smooth. Pulse while adding the milk down the funnel to make for a soft consistency.

Nigella commented that this will not seem like enough batter for 12 cupcakes but surprisingly, it is. Scrape the processor bowl thoroughly and divide equally into the 12 paper cups.

Bake for 15-20 minutes or until they are golden on top.
Cool on a wire rack, but remove from the tin as soon as possible.

Before you decorate, slice off any mounded tops so you have a flat surface to decorate. (Sometimes the cupcakes form humps or peaks as they bake, I use a small serrated knife to remove the mounded tops ~ baker's treat!)

Icing:

Mix the sugar, egg white and lemon juice in a small bowl until smooth and creamy, it should have the consistency of heavy cream. Tint with a small amount of food coloring or leave white.

If desired, divide the large batch into smaller portions to tint each one a different color.

Use your imagination to decorate any way you like!