Little Cakes

Cupcakes, or as they were called when I was a little girl Patty Cakes are a delightful substitute to the common birthday cake, when arranged on a tower they look magnificent and have those that admire at them "oohing" and "Arhing" at the sight of them.

I woke at 7am yesterday morning and baked four dozen butter cup cakes for my friends children's birthday parties, I used a foundation recipe that I had originally taken from the "Cookery the Australian Way" cook book which was first published in 1966,  being over forty years old the recipes in this book are easy to follow, with the sweet treats simple, delicious old fashioned delights.

I beat into a frenzy 185 grams of butter with 3/4 a cup of caster sugar using an electric mixer until it is a delightful creamy texture, I then add three lightly beaten eggs a small amount at a time, until the mixture is as smooth as a babies bottom, this is an ideal time for tasting, the smooth, rich buttery mixture can't be topped in my books for taste. Using a wooden spoon I then add 2 1/2 cups of self raising flour a small amount at a time alternating with 1/2 a cup of milk, the batter will be thick yet smooth in texture, I add extra milk allowing the batter to fall from a spoon if held in the air, it should still be thick enough for a wooden spoon to stand in it. I then spoon the batter into prepared patty pans and bake in my tired old oven until they are golden at 160 degrees. Once cooled I pipe butter icing onto my little cake creation and decorate them with pride.

After decorating my brightly coloured creations I packed them into my new best friend the cupcake carry container and my husband and I then travelled to our friends place for one of the most extremely high energy children's parties I have ever experienced. As we pulled into the driveway on arrival we could hear the children's squeals of delight as they played. We had an adult cause a diversion to distract the kids as my husband and I along with some friends smuggled containers of brightly coloured little cakes into the kitchen.

After dinner we arranged the little cakes on a four tier cupcake stand, we surprised the birthday boys and girl with an exciting assortment of delicious morsels, their eyes widened and fingers twitched as they belted out "Happy Birthday" at the top of their lungs before diving at the cakes with haste.

Cupcakes are a perfect mouthful of cake for children, keeping their sugar intake to a minimum whilst at the same time wowing the kids with their presentation. Not only are they delicious and moreish to eat, they are fun to create, I challenge you to take the plunge and bake some "from scratch" cupcakes today, if you can tear open a packet cake sachet and pour powder into a bowl you can definitely bake a butter cake with no added preservatives. Go on, get to it, happy baking, I promise that you will love it!