Creative Stores Creativestores November Magazine | Page 18

Mini Christmas Tree Cupcake Recipe

1 cup (2 sticks) sweet butter, softened

1 cup Caster sugar

2 cups self-raising flour

4 eggs

1 tsp. vanilla extract

For the frosting

2 oz ready rolled white fondant frosting

2 oz ready rolled green fondant frosting

2 tbsp raspberry jam

colored candy balls

Preheat the oven to 350 F. Place 18 paper mini baking cups in muffin pans. Dust 2 cookie sheets with confectioners sugar. Combine all the cupcake ingredients into a large bowl and beat with an electric mixer until smooth and pale, about 2 to 3 minutes. Spoon the batter into the cups. Bake for 20 minutes. Remove pans from the oven and cool for 5 minutes. Then remove the cupcakes and cool on a rack.

To make the frosting, roll the white fondant frosting to 1/8 in (3mm) thick. Cut 18 circles using a 1 3/4-in. (4 1/2-cm) cookie cutter and set them on one of the cookie sheets. Roll the green fondant frosting to 1/8 in. (3mm) thick. Using a small Christmas tree cookie cutter, cut shapes out of the frosting and place them on the other cookie sheet to firm a little. Brush each cupcake with a little raspberry jam, then place a white fondant disc on top. Top with a Christmas tree and decorate with the colored balls. Store unfrosted in an airtight container for up to 3 days, or freeze for up to 3 months.

Makes 1 1/2 dozen

Why not make one for Santa and his reindeers.

I love baking with the kids at Christmas time and these lovely cupcakes are so easy for even little ones to have a go at making.

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