Prep 15min (+35min cooling time)Bake 20-25minMakes 12

A good basic vanilla cupcake recipe is a must in anyone's repertoire. This one is not only super simple but also incredibly reliable – just make sure your butter is at room temperature and soft enough to make an indent when you press your finger into it lightly. The Vanilla Buttercream quantity will make enough for piping it onto your cupcakes, but if you prefer to spread it you only need to make half the quantity.

Ingredients

185g (1¼ cups) self-raising flour
165g (⅔ cup) caster sugar
125g butter, softened
80ml (⅓ cup) milk
2 eggs, at room temperature
2 teaspoons Queen Natural Vanilla Extract or Essence
Edible sprinkles of your choice (optional)

Vanilla Buttercream

250g salted butter, at room temperature
2 teaspoons Queen Natural Vanilla Extract or Essence 
60ml (¼ cup) thickened cream, plus extra if required
350g icing sugar mixture, sifted

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 180°C (160°C fan-forced). Line a 12-hole 80ml (⅓ cup) muffin tin with paper cases.
2. Place the flour, sugar, butter, milk, eggs and vanilla in a large mixing bowl. Use an electric mixer to beat on low speed until combined. Increase the speed to high and beat for 3 minutes or until the mixture is well combined, creamy and very pale in colour. Spoon the mixture into the paper cases, dividing evenly.
3. Bake for 20-25 minutes or until the cupcakes are golden and a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean. Cool for 5 minutes in the tin, then transfer to a rack to cool completely (this will take about 30 minutes).
4. To make the Vanilla buttercream, use an electric mixer to beat the butter and vanilla , scraping down the side of the bowl when necessary, until very pale and creamy. Add the cream and beat on medium speed for 1-2 minutes or until very creamy. Add the icing sugar and beat on low speed until combined. Increase speed to medium-high and beat for 2-3 minutes or until light, creamy and a good spreading or piping consistency. Beat in another tablespoon of cream if the buttercream needs thinning slightly.
5. Pipe or spread the buttercream onto the cooled cupcakes and decorate, if desired.

Prep 20min (+ cooling time)Bake 25-30minMakes 12

Based on a cake I have made for years as a wedding cake for friends, this recipe is incredibly simple but still has a wonderful celebratory feel. It also makes truly divine individual cakes like these sweet butterfly cakes.

Ingredients

Melted butter, to grease (optional)
200g good-quality white chocolate, chopped
150g unsalted butter, cubed
185ml (¾ cup) water
220g (1 cup) caster sugar
2 eggs, at room temperature, lightly whisked
1½ teaspoons natural vanilla extract or essence
225g (1½ cup) plain flour
50g (½ cup) almond meal
1½ teaspoons baking powder
125ml (½ cup) thick (double) cream
165g (½ cup) raspberry or blackberry jam
Icing sugar, to dust

Method

1. Preheat oven to 180°C (160°C fan-forced). Grease a 12-hole 80ml (⅓ cup) capacity muffin tray with melted butter or line with paper cases.
2. Put the chocolate, butter and water in a medium saucepan and stir over medium heat just until the chocolate and butter have melted and the mixture is smooth. Remove from the heat and set aside until cooled to room temperature.
3. Add the sugar, eggs and vanilla to the chocolate mixture and use a balloon whisk to stir until well combined.
4. In a medium bowl, use a clean whisk or fork to whisk together the flour, almond meal and baking powder, combining the ingredients evenly and breaking up any lumps of almond meal. Add to the chocolate mixture and stir with the whisk until just combined.
5. Divide the mixture evenly among the muffin holes and lightly tap the tin on the bench top to remove any large air bubbles. Bake in the preheated oven for 25–30 minutes or until a skewer inserted in the centre of a cake comes out clean. Leave the cakes to stand in the tin for 5 minutes before turning out onto a wire rack to cool completely.
6. When cool, cut a shallow cone-shaped piece out of the top of a cake, leaving about a 1cm border. Cut the piece of cake in half. Spoon a little cream and then some jam into the hole to fill. Arrange the two pieces of cake in the jam to form wings. Repeat with the remaining cakes, cream and jam. Dust with icing sugar to serve.