Cupcakes with Raspberry Cream

Preheat your oven to Gas Mk 4. Then cream the butter and sugar until pale and fluffy.

Then beat the eggs and add the vanilla. To the butter and sugar, add half the flour and half the beaten eggs. Mix, then mix the remainder of flour and eggs into the mixture, making sure there are no lumps. (here feel free to add your optional flavours) If you wish to make the cupcakes into more than one different flavour, divide the mixture into the amount of flavours you want before adding flavouring.

Spoon the mixture into 12 muffin cases, making sure they are evenly distributed. Bake in the oven for 15-20 mins or until golden brown. (test with a skewer) Once done take out of the oven and cool completely. (otherwise the cream will melt and create a soggy mess.)

Whip the cream to just dropping consistency before adding the jam, and whip again to between soft and stiff peaks. Make sure you taste before fully whipping in case you do not have enough flavour in the cream.

Now spoon the mixture into a piping bag (or sandwich bag if you don't have one) with the sandwich bags, cut a small hole in one corner off so the amount that comes out is about the size of between a 5p to 1p coin. Ice the cakes in a spiral shape and top with a raspberry or blackberry and a sprinkle of icing sugar. If you do not want to pipe the cream, you can always get a spatula and paste it on the cakes instead. Feel free to get creative with the decoration e.g sprinkles, flaked almonds, chopped pistachios.

Chill in the fridge if you want to keep for a special occasion or enjoy straight away! :D