Cupcakes
by Nigella. Featured in HOW TO BE A DOMESTIC GODDESSIntroduction
At about the time I started getting into top cupcake mode, ostensibly for children, I noticed that the people who really seemed to get excited by them were the children's parents.
Instant Royal Icing can be tricky to find in the US, in which case you can make your own Royal Icing by mixing a 1lb box of confectioners' sugar with 3 tablespoons of meringue powder. Add 6 tablespoons of warm water and beat with an electric mixer on low speed until the icing has thickened and forms soft peaks.
For US cup measures, use the toggle at the top of the ingredients list.
At about the time I started getting into top cupcake mode, ostensibly for children, I noticed that the people who really seemed to get excited by them were the children's parents.
Instant Royal Icing can be tricky to find in the US, in which case you can make your own Royal Icing by mixing a 1lb box of confectioners' sugar with 3 tablespoons of meringue powder. Add 6 tablespoons of warm water and beat with an electric mixer on low speed until the icing has thickened and forms soft peaks.
For US cup measures, use the toggle at the top of the ingredients list.
Ingredients
Makes: 12 cupcakes
- 125 grams self-raising flour
- 125 grams caster sugar
- 125 grams soft unsalted butter
- 2 large eggs
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 tablespoons milk
- 1 packet instant royal icing
- food colouring (for preference colour pastes)
- cake decorations (wafer roses, sugar flowers, sprinkles, or your favourite sweets/candies)
- 1 cup self-rising flour
- ⅔ cup superfine sugar
- 9 tablespoons soft unsalted butter
- 2 large eggs
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 tablespoons milk
- 1 packet instant royal icing
- food colouring (for preference colour pastes)
- cake decorations (wafer roses, sugar flowers, sprinkles, or your favourite sweets/candies)
Method
- Preheat the oven to 200ºC/180ºC Fan/gas mark 6/400ºF and line the tin with the muffin cases.
- It couldn't be simpler to make cup cakes: just put all the ingredients except for the milk in the processor and then blitz till smooth.
- Pulse while adding milk, to make for a soft, dropping consistency, down the funnel. Or using a bowl and wooden spoon, cream the butter and sugar, beat in the eggs one at a time with a little of the flour.
- Then add the vanilla extract and fold in the rest of the flour, adding the milk to get the dropping consistency as before.
- I know it looks as if you'll never make this scant mixture fit 12 bun cases, but you will. I promise you this mixture is exactly right to make the 12 cup cakes, so just spoon and scrape the stuff in, trying to fill each case equally, judging by eye only of course.
- Put in the oven and bake for 15-20 minutes or until the cup cakes are cooked and golden on top. As soon as bearable, take the cup cakes in their cases out of the tin and let cool, right way up, on a wire rack.
- Once they're cool, make up a big, uncoloured batch of royal icing, and then remove a few spoonfuls at a time to small bowls.
- Using a bamboo skewer, add small dots of colours from the paste-tubs, stirring with a teaspoon and then adding more colouring, very slowly, very cautiously (pastel works best here, whatever your everyday aesthetic) until you get the colour you want.
- Use teaspoons to coat the cupcakes with icing and leave each a moment to dry only slightly, on the surface, before sticking on a rose, daisy or whole stash of decorations.
- Preheat the oven to 200ºC/180ºC Fan/gas mark 6/400ºF and line the tin with the muffin cases.
- It couldn't be simpler to make cup cakes: just put all the ingredients except for the milk in the processor and then blitz till smooth.
- Pulse while adding milk, to make for a soft, dropping consistency, down the funnel. Or using a bowl and wooden spoon, cream the butter and sugar, beat in the eggs one at a time with a little of the flour.
- Then add the vanilla extract and fold in the rest of the flour, adding the milk to get the dropping consistency as before.
- I know it looks as if you'll never make this scant mixture fit 12 bun cases, but you will. I promise you this mixture is exactly right to make the 12 cup cakes, so just spoon and scrape the stuff in, trying to fill each case equally, judging by eye only of course.
- Put in the oven and bake for 15-20 minutes or until the cup cakes are cooked and golden on top. As soon as bearable, take the cup cakes in their cases out of the tin and let cool, right way up, on a wire rack.
- Once they're cool, make up a big, uncoloured batch of royal icing, and then remove a few spoonfuls at a time to small bowls.
- Using a bamboo skewer, add small dots of colours from the paste-tubs, stirring with a teaspoon and then adding more colouring, very slowly, very cautiously (pastel works best here, whatever your everyday aesthetic) until you get the colour you want.
- Use teaspoons to coat the cupcakes with icing and leave each a moment to dry only slightly, on the surface, before sticking on a rose, daisy or whole stash of decorations.
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Show more commentsThe best recipe ever for perfect cupcakes! Been making for 8years now and it's become everyone's favourite. Thank you Nigella!
Thank you these have become our favorite recipe. My 5 year old makes these in the processor - great fun for the kids and really light and delicious.
Great article with beautiful pics this is very rare combination, this is my goodness that I found it on google, brilliant idea you have shared thank you so much
Made these quite a few times and I have to say it is my favourite, such a fluffy mixture, not received a complaint yet
Just made these and they are so much nicer than recipes I've tried previously. This one is going in my recipe 'bible' right now and will be my go to for cup cakes every time. Made my own icing using 75g icing sugar, few drops of vanilla extract and a little water to mix. Perfect, fluffy, comforting cup cakes. Thanks Nigella, you're mint!
Made these yesterday for a last minute order I had and I definitely will be sticking to this recipe, they came out perfect!!
Nigella, you are an angel. Don't ask me how but I've been absolutely annihilating cupcake recipes for years. Just never could quite get the hang of it. I tried your recipe and the very first time, they were bang on! I was so pleased I did a little kitchen dance. Thanks for bringing cupcake joy to our home at long last!
This is one of the simplest yet the most delicious cupcakes I have ever made or tasted.....I had put up these cupcakes for small function at my home and everyone simply loved it....thank you so much and hope to see more recipes from you.....
I have been making same at my home and my both son and daughter love this,and they feel proud on their mom. Thanks for sharing this beautiful recipe of cupcake....your cupcakes are looking so yummy...http://bit.ly/1L4g7Wb
Made these cupcakes today, different recipe from my usual and I must say this will be my go to recipe from now on. They are so light and fluffy - delicious, hubby even commented on how nice they were, thanks Nigella.
This looks like the same recipe I have for your lemon cupcakes which I usually make with vanilla instead anyway. I double the mixture and make larger cupcakes than photographed. Oh I am always so impressed with the colour when I tear open and the taste is simply heavenly. Ideal to bake and freeze.
I love love love these cupcakes!! Thank you Nigella!! You are the best! <3