Fayerie Fairy Cakes

 Fancy dusting some fairy magic over these delicious fairy buns today?

A fairy cake blog just wouldn't be complete without some light as a butterflies wing fairy buns! 

I have lovely memories of being sat on the kitchen counter by my Grandma so I could reach to dust some fairy magic over my first batch of these magical buns. Family and baking - I couldn't wish for a happier childhood memory!

Recipe

230g / 8oz butter (room temperature or Stork because it is honestly made of yummy cake making magic)

230g / 8oz golden caster sugar (I'm convinced it is yummier than plain caster)

230g / 8oz self-raising flour

4 eggs (only free-range will do - or befriend someone who keeps chickens!)

2 level tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp vanilla essence

Icing/ Filling

75g / 2.7oz unsalted butter (room temperature or good old Stork again)

175g / 6.2oz icing sugar

Strawberry Jam

Extras: Milk, a few drops vanilla essence

Method: Sponge

Option A (traditional): 
1.      Beat butter and sugar together with wooden spoon.
2.      Alternate cracking and stirring in an egg with sieving in a 4th of the flour and baking powder.
-> Add the vanilla essence for a little flavouring.

            Option B: Throw it all in the bowl and zap it with a  hand mixer. (The traditional wooden spoon wielding way makes me think of my Grandma, but sometimes if I want a quick spell in the kitchen then the magical hand mixer is the way forward).

             3.       Fill bun cases to between 1/2 and 2/3 full.

            4.       Bake in oven for 10 mins (ish) at 175C (165/170C for fan assisted fairy cake makers).

Cakes are done when the top is lightly golden and springy to the touch.

            5.      Cool on a cooling rack while you make magical fairy icing!

           Method: Icing/ Filling

Mix the butter and icing sugar together with a trusty fork and use the milk very sparingly to thin the mixture if you are having real trouble stirring or if you have refrigerated the icing mixture and need to revive it.

-> You might like to add a few drops vanilla essence to flavour. (Be sparing though! It'll taste magical enough without).

            6.       Once cakes are cooled - cut a circular hole in the top of each bun with the knife angled diagonally to remove some of the cakes centre. Cut these circles in half (these will be the pretty little wings).

            7.       Fill each cake with a tea spoon of strawberry jam.

            8.      Cover the jam centre with a blob of icing and place the wings on top of the buns. 

            9.      Finally, it is time for some fairy dust! - place some icing sugar into a sieve and shake it gently over the cakes to add some fairy magic to their appearance.

You might like to pop them in a tin so you can keep them fresh, take them to share at a party or even to make co-workers smile! (It never hurts to weave a little enchantment in the office). I wouldn't recommend eating them all yourself at any rate - I haven't quite worked out a spell for removing all the calories just yet! 

Clean up! You will have made a massive mess if you have done it right! You can't go leaving the fairies to tidy up for you when you've already borrowed their cake making magic. 

Cake Love, Fayerie Faye x