Quick Butterfly Cupcakes Recipes

Steps:

• Heat the oven to 180C/160C fan/gas 4. Line a cupcake tin with 10 cases. To make the sponge, tip the butter, sugar, eggs, vanilla, flour, baking powder and milk into a large mixing bowl and beat with either a hand whisk or electric mixer until smooth, pale and combined. Divide the batter between the cases and bake for 15 mins until golden brown and a skewer inserted in the middle of a cake comes out clean. Leave on a wire rack to cool.
• While the cakes are cooling, make the buttercream by beating together the icing sugar, butter and vanilla until pale and fluffy. Mix in the extra milk if the icing feels too stiff.
• Once the cakes are cool, use a sharp knife to slice off the tops, then cut the tops in half. Pipe or spread the buttercream on top of the cakes, then gently push two semi-circular halves into the buttercream on each cake, doing this at an angle to look like butterfly wings. You can serve the cupcakes at this stage, or decorate them with a little blob of jam in the centre and a scattering of sprinkles, if you like.

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C). Grease or line 20 muffin cups with paper liners.
• Beat white sugar and 7 tablespoons butter together in a bowl using an electric mixer until smooth and creamy; add eggs, vanilla extract, and baking powder and beat until smooth. Sift flour into creamed butter mixture until batter is smooth. Spoon 2 tablespoons batter into each muffin cup.
• Bake in the preheated oven until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, about 15 minutes. Cool cupcakes in the tin for 3 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.
• Mix confectioners' sugar and 1/2 cup butter together in a bowl until frosting is smooth; spread onto cooled cupcakes.

Steps:

• Heat oven to 180C/160C fan/gas 4 and line two 12-hole cupcake tins with paper muffin cases. Put all the cake ingredients in a large bowl and whisk with an electric whisk for 3-4 mins or until pale and light. Divide the mixture evenly among the 24 cases and bake for 20 mins or until a skewer inserted into the centre of a cake comes out clean. Leave to cool on a wire rack.
• While the cupcakes bake, make the syrup. Put the sugar, lavender and 300ml water in a medium pan over a low heat. Bring gradually to the boil, cook for 2 mins, then turn off the heat and leave to infuse. When cold, strain through a sieve into a small jug.
• To make the icing, put the butter, icing sugar and 100ml of the syrup in a large bowl. Mix with a wooden spoon, then switch to an electric whisk and whisk until smooth and fluffy. Divide the mixture between three bowls. Add a tiny dot of food colouring gel to each bowl to make three different colours of buttercream - stir to mix, then transfer half of each colour to disposable piping bags.
• Use a cocktail stick to poke a few little holes in the top of the cupcakes, then drizzle each with 1 tsp of the syrup. Put 1 heaped tsp of icing onto each cake (do eight of each colour) and swirl it round with the back of the spoon to completely cover the top. Next, use the matching piping bag to pipe a straight line about 2-3 cm long across the middle of each cake.
• To make the wings, melt the white chocolate in a heatproof bowl over a pan of simmering water. Divide into three smaller bowls and add the same gel colours as before. Cut 8cm squares of baking parchment and, using a pen, draw a pair of butterfly wings on each square so that the design shows through on the other side or, if you prefer, trace the design below. Turn the paper over and, using the line as a guide, paint on the melted chocolate. Sprinkle crushed biscuits on the edges to create patterns, then leave to set. Once set, gently push the wings into the cupcakes at a 45-degree angle.

Steps:

• Line a muffin tin with cupcake papers. Heat the oven to 350 degrees F. Sift the already sifted cake flour with the baking soda, baking powder and salt. Cream the butter in a mixer fitted with a whisk attachment until soft, then add the sugar and mix. Add the yolk, the egg and the vanilla and whip at medium-high speed until light and fluffy. With the mixer running at low speed, add a third of the flour mixture and mix. Then add half of the sour cream and mix. Add another third of the flour and mix. Add the remaining sour cream and mix, then the remaining flour. Give it one last mix to make sure everything is blended in. Pour the batter into the muffin cups, filling them 3/4 full. Bake until firm to the touch in the center, 20 to 25 minutes. Set the pan on a wire rack and let cool.
• To make the butterflies, spread a thick layer of rainbow sprinkles on a plate. Cut off the top rounded "cap" (like the cap of a mushroom or a muffin) of each cupcake. Spread the flat top of each "beheaded" cupcake with frosting. Cut a "V" shape wedges out of the center of each cap, creating 2 semicircles that will serve as the butterfly wings. Spread the flat cut side of the 2 semicircles with frosting, then dip in rainbow sprinkles to coat. Place the 2 wings on top of each cupcake, sprinkles side up, so that the curved sides meet in the middle.
• Lay 3 strands of red licorice down the center of each one to make the body. Use two pieces of black licorice to make the antennae. Pipe 2 black dots for the eyes, placing one white sprinkle in the center of each eye.
• Over medium heat, cook the flour and milk until thickened. Let cool. In the bowl of an electric mixer, cream together the butter, sugar and vanilla until light and fluffy. Beat in the flour mixture.

Steps:

• For the wings: Dust the work surface lightly with confectioners' sugar. Roll the yellow fondant out to a thickness of 1/8 inch, moving the fondant occasionally as you roll to make sure it does not stick. Cut out 24 hearts with a 2-inch heart cookie cutter.
• Arrange the pencils, pens or chopsticks on the work surface. Pair hearts together by overlapping their points by an inch. With a small brush, dab a little water on the overlapping area between the 2 fondant pieces and press gently to adhere. Drape each pair of wings over a pencil to shape the butterfly. Allow to dry until stiff, about 2 hours.
• For the antennae: Unroll the licorice and cut into twelve 1 1/4-inch-long pieces. Separate the two strands of each licorice piece, leaving them attached at one end. Roll 2 small (1/4-inch) balls of green fondant for each pair of antennae and attach the balls to one end of the licorice. Enclose the remaining fondant in plastic wrap so it does not dry out. Repeat with the remaining pairs of antennae. Set aside to dry.
• For the bodies: Shape about 2 teaspoons green fondant into a butterfly body, about 2 inches long, with a head at one end and the other end tapering to a point. Attach a pair of antennae by sticking the licorice into the head. Using a small brush, moisten the front of the body with a little water and attach 2 yellow sprinkles for eyes.
• To assemble and decorate: When the wings are dry, turn them over and place between 2 pencils for support. Brush the center of each with a little water; add a body and press gently to adhere. Brush the wings lightly with water and stick on the multicolored sprinkles to decorate. Let dry 30 minutes.
• Melt the chocolate. Add pupils to the eyes by dipping a skewer into the melted chocolate and making a small dot on each yellow sprinkle.
• Frost each cupcake with about 2 tablespoons buttercream. Top each cupcake with a butterfly and press them gently into the frosting to adhere.

Steps:

• Cream butter and sugar together in a bowl until light and fluffy.
• Add eggs one at a time, beating each in until combined. Add sifted flour, milk and vanilla essence.
• Spoon mixture into patty tins lined with paper patty cups. Bake in moderate oven (190C.) towards the top of the oven for about 20 minutes or until golden brown.
• Slice tops off cooled cakes, and fill cakes with freshly whipped cream. Carefully cut tops in half lengthways and arrange these 'butterfly wings' on the cream.
• Place a strawberry half in the centre of the wings. Dust with icing sugar before serving.
• and EAT! :D.

Steps:

• Heat oven to 350°F. Place mini paper baking cup in each of 24 mini muffin cups. In medium bowl, mix flour, baking powder and salt; set aside.
• In large bowl, beat shortening with electric mixer on medium speed 30 seconds. Gradually add granulated sugar, about 1/3 cup at a time, beating well after each addition and scraping bowl occasionally. Beat 2 minutes longer. Add egg whites, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in vanilla. On low speed, alternately add flour mixture, about one-third at a time, and milk, about half at a time, beating just until blended.
• Fill each cup with about 1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon batter or until about two-thirds full. (Cover and refrigerate remaining batter until ready to bake; cool pan 15 minutes before reusing.)
• Bake 18 to 20 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool 5 minutes. Remove cupcakes from pans; place on cooling racks. Cool completely, about 15 minutes. Repeat with remaining batter to make an additional 48 mini cupcakes. When cupcakes are cool, remove paper baking cups.
• In 2 1/2 quart saucepan, beat glaze ingredients until smooth. Heat over low heat just until lukewarm. Remove from heat. If necessary, add hot water, a few drops at a time, until glaze is pourable.
• Working in small batches, place cupcakes upside down on cooling rack over large bowl. Pour enough glaze over tops to cover tops and sides. (Reheat glaze, if necessary.)
• Place 3 mint candy drops in a row and next to each other in center of each cupcake. Press 2 pretzels, one on each side of row of mint drops, to look like butterfly wings. Use pastel candy pieces for heads and licorice pieces for antennae.