Fiona’s Floral Fairy Cakes
Pretty as a picture - decorate with fresh, seasonal (edible*) flowers
For the cakes:
100g self-raising flour
½ tsp baking powder
100g unsalted butter, very soft
100g caster sugar
2 large eggs, lightly beaten
Finely grate zest of 1 lemon and 1 tbsp lemon juice
for the SYRUP:
Juice 1 lemon
3 tbsp caster sugar
FOR THE ICINg:
100G icing sugar
2/4 tbsps lemon juice or water pink/ yellow/ blue food colouring
TO DECORATE:
Edible* flowers and petals pesticide free, eg. primulas, primroses, daisies, violas, violets, rose petals.
TO CRYSTALISE FLOWERS: Using a small paint brush, paint each fl ower or petal with egg white that has been lightly whisked until slightly frothy. Sprinkle over caster sugar, gently shake off excess and lay out on a sheet of baking parchment. Leave overnight to dry. Can be made a few days in advance.
TO MAKE THE CAKES:
Line a cupcake tray with 12-15 paper or foil cases.
Preheat oven to 180C/fan 160C/350F/gas mark 4.
Place all ingredients, except lemon juice, into a food processor and whiz until just mixed together, add juice and mix again. Alternatively beat together in a bowl.
Divide mixture between the cases (cook in batches if necessary) and bake 10-12 minutes or until the cakes spring back to the touch. Repeat until all mixture is used.
Whilst baking place syrup ingredients into a small pan and heat to dissolve sugar. When cakes come out of the oven prick tiny holes using a cocktail stick and using a teaspoon drizzle over the syrup.
To decorate, sift icing sugar into a bowl and stir in lemon juice or water gradually until a thick pouring constituency. Divide into another bowl or two and stir in a drop or two of desired food colour to make pastel icing colours.
Cool completely before icing. Pour a large tablespoon or so of icing over each cake, allow to set and decorate.
“Alternative decorations could be ready made sugar flowers, tiny sweets or edible sprinkles.
When making the icing, if too thin sift in more icing sugar, stirring until correct consistency.”