Prep time: 40 minutes
Cook time: 15 minutes
Makes : 12 Cupcakes
Ingredients
For the cakes
110g/4oz softened butter110g/4oz self- raising flour
110g/4oz caster sugar
2 medium eggs
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 tbsp milk
For the buttercream
140g/5oz butter
280g/10oz icing sugar
1-2 tbsp milk
Method
1. Preheat the oven to 180C/350F/Gas 4 and line a cupcake tin with 12 cupcake cases.
2. Mix the butter and sugar in a bowl until creamy and pale. Then, beat in the eggs one at a time and then stir in the vanilla extract until thoroughly mixed.
3. Next, fold the flour into the mixture a little at a time using a spoon or spatula and, if necessary, add 1 tbsp milk until the mixture is of the right consistency (it drops off the spoon).
4. Split the mixture evenly into different bowls, one for each colour of food colouring. Add tiny amounts of colouring to each bowl and mix until you get the desired colour.
5. Layer the colours of mixture evenly into the cupcake cases until half full or all the mixture has gone.
6. Bake for 12-15 minutes in the oven, or until a skewer inserted into a cupcake comes out clean. Set aside to cool for 20 minutes.
7. While the cakes are cooling, make the buttercream. Beat the butter in a bowl with half the icing sugar and beat until soft.
8. Then add the remaining icing sugar with 1 tbps of milk and mix again until smooth and completely mixed together.
9. Once the cakes are cooled, spoon the icing into a piping bag with a star nozzle and pipe the icing in a spiralling motion starting on the outside of the cake and making your way inwards.
10. Add your choice of decoration to the cakes and Voila, Rainbow cupcakes!
