Ice Cream Cup Cakes

Keep the little ones entertained with these fun, ice cream themed bakes. This recipe has been taken from our recipe book.

INGREDIENTS
Makes 12 Cupcakes

For the Cupcakes:

• 100g unsalted butter, softened
• 200g golden caster sugar
• 3 medium eggs, lightly beaten
• 100g ground almonds
• 120g self-raising flour, sifted.

For the Lemon Buttercream:

• 240g unsalted butter, softened 
• 500g icing sugar, sifted
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• Zest of 2 unwaxed lemons
• Up to 2 tablespoons whole milk.

To serve:

• 6 chocolate flakes, halved.

METHOD

Preheat the oven to  180C / fan 160C / gas mark 4 and line a 12-hole cupcake tray with paper cases.

For the cupcakes, using  an electric mixer, beat together the butter and sugar for 5 minutes until light and fluffy. Beat in the eggs, a little at a time, until well combined. Fold through the ground almonds and flour. Spoon the mixture into paper cases, filling them no more than three-quarters full.

Bake for 15-18 minutes, or until a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean and the tops are lightly browned. Transfer to a wire rack and allow the cupcakes to cool completely before icing.

To make the buttercream, beat the butter in a bowl until light and fluffy. Slowly mix in the icing sugar. Once combined, and with the mixer on low, add the vanilla, lemon zest and just enough milk to make the mixture creamy and of a soft piping consistency. Increase the speed to high and continue to beat for a further 2-3 minutes until the buttercream is very light and fluffy.

Spoon into a piping bag fitted with 1cm (1/2 inch) star nozzle and pipe the buttercream onto the cooled cupcakes. Insert a chocolate flake half into the buttercream on each one, and serve.