TheRecipeWorks News » Christmas Cupcakes

Christmas Cupcakes

These cupcakes are delightful for a Christmas gathering. You can serve them on Christmas Eve (when the kids are tucked into bed, they get quite enough good things this time of year…).

225 g (8 oz) unsalted butter, softened
225 g (8 oz) caster sugar
225 g (8 oz) self-raising flour
4 eggs
1 tsp vanilla essence
for the icing
115 g (4 oz) unsalted butter, softened
225 g (8 oz) icing sugar, sieved
1 tsp vanilla essence
2 tsp pale dry sherry
4 tbsp dessicated coconut

Preheat the oven to 175C (350F / Gas mark 4). Place 18 paper baking cases in muffin tins. Combine all the cupcake ingredients in a large bowl and beat with an electric whisk until smooth and pale, about 2 to 3 minutes.
Spoon the batter into the cases. Bake for 20 minutes. Remove tins from the oven and cool for 5 minutes. Then remove the cupcakes and cool on a rack.
For the icing, beat the butter, icing sugar, vanilla and sherry in a
medium bowl until smooth and creamy. Spread on top of the cupcakes.
Sprinkle a little coconut on top to resemble snowflakes.
Store without icing in an airtight container for up to 3 days, or
freeze for up to 3 months.