These fairy cakes are made using a simple sponge recipe, but then you can take the basic cakes in so many different ways by making a variety of icings and toppings – far too many to mention here! So I'm going to give you one of my favourites. See what you think and then have a go at making up some of your own toppings.

makes 18 cakes

Ingredients

• for the sponge
• • 225g unsalted butter, at room temperature, plus extra for greasing
• • 225g caster sugar
• • 4 large eggs, preferably free-range or organic
• • 225g self-raising flour, plus extra for dusting
• • 1 lemon
• 
  
• for the fresh fruit icing
• • 100g fresh berries (raspberries, strawberries or blackberries)
• • 150g icing sugar

To make your sponge

• 
• 
• 

• Preheat the oven to 190ΊC/375ΊF/gas 5
• You can make your cakes like this (by hand), or in a food processor
• Beat the butter and sugar together with a wooden spoon, until very light and fluffy

To make your sponge

• 
• 
• 

• Add the eggs one at a time, beating each one in well before you add the next
• Sift in the flour
• Finely grate in the zest of the lemon then fold the mixture together

To bake your cakes

• 
• 
• 

• Place 18 paper cake cases into muffin tins
• Use tablespoons to evenly divide the mixture between the paper cases
• Put the muffin tins into the oven and bake for 15 minutes
• You can check to see if the cakes are cooked by sticking a cocktail stick right into one of them

To bake your cakes

• 
• 
• 

• Remove it after 5 seconds and if it comes out clean they’re cooked; if it’s slightly sticky they’ll need a bit longer, so put them back in the oven for another 5 minutes, or until cooked through and golden on top
• If you cook them for too long, though, they will go dry so keep an eye on them
• Remove the cakes from the tins and transfer to a wire rack to cool

To make your icing and ice your cakes

• 
• 
• 

• Mash up 50g of your chosen berries with a fork or whiz them in a food processor
• If the fruit has pips you may want to pass it through a sieve to make it lovely and smooth • Sift over the icing sugar and mix until you have a smooth paste

To make your icing and ice your cakes

• 
• 
• 

• When the cakes have cooled completely, drizzle a teaspoon of your icing over each one then top with the rest of the fruit – if you’re using strawberries, slice them up first


PS: The icing won’t keep for long, so eat these cakes up quickly.