Ingredients
Cupcakes
Buttercream icing
To decorate
Method
Cupcakes
1.Preheat oven to 180°C/160°C fan-forced. Line a 12-cup muffin tray with paper or foil cases.
2.Using an electric mixer, beat butter and sugar in a bowl until pale and creamy.
3.Add eggs, one by one, beating lightly after each addition until combined. Stir in essence, flour and milk.
4.Spoon into prepared holes. Bake for 20 minutes or until a skewer inserted at centre comes out clean.
5.Stand in tray for five minutes. Transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
6.Meanwhile, to make the buttercream icing, use an electric mixer to beat the butter in a large bowl until as white as possible. Gradually beat in icing sugar and milk until fluffy.
To decorate
7.Spread cupcakes with buttercream
8.Roll out red fondant between two sheets of baking powder until 0.5cm thick. Using a 7cm round cookie cutter, cut six discs from the fondant.
9.Roll out green fondant beween two sheets of baking paper until 0.5cm thick. Using a 7cm round cookie cutter, cut six discs from the fondant.
10.Top each iced cupcake with a red or green fondant disc.
11.Decorate with white writing gel and cachous to create a snowflake pattern. Allow to dry.
It may not be necessary to use all of the buttercream icing; any leftovers will refrigerate in an airtight container for up to one week.
Note
