how to frost a seriously awesome cupcake

For the cupcakes

• 3½ oz unsalted butter
• 9 oz caster or brown sugar
• 2 fl oz sunflower oil
• 1 oz arrowroot or cornflour
• 2 tsp vanilla extract
• 4 medium free-range eggs
• 2½ fl oz milk
• 3½ fl oz double cream
• 10½ oz plain flour
• 3 tsp baking powder

For the buttercream

• 10 ½oz icing sugar
• 1 oz liquid glucose
• 1¾ oz condensed milk
• 2 tsp vanilla extract or other flavoring
• 7 oz unsalted butter, softened
• 3½ oz baking margarine, softened
• 7 oz icing sugar
• 3¾ fl oz double cream
• few drops food coloring or flavoring
• sugar sprinkles, to decorate

PREPARATION

1. For the cupcakes, preheat the oven to 350F. Line a muffin tin with cases {we like how ADios Cafe lined their muffin tins with oversized paper}.
2. Melt the butter over a low heat in a small pan, pour it into a bowl with the sugar, oil, cornflour (or arrowroot) and vanilla. Beat well until smooth, then whisk in the eggs followed by the milk and cream.
3. Sift and beat the flour and baking powder into the butter mixture in batches until smooth.
4. Spoon the mixture into the paper cases until about two-third full, then bake for 20-25 minute or until the top is springy to the touch. Remove the cupcakes from the oven and set aside to cool.
5. Meanwhile, for the buttercream, mix the icing sugar, glucose, condensed milk, flavoring and butter with an electric mixer in a bowl until smooth and light, then beat in the baking margarine until smooth.
6. In a jug, stir the icing sugar into the cream until dissolved, then add any coloring or flavoring you want, or just leave it plain. Beat this gradually into the butter mixture until light and fluffy. (This buttercream keeps very well covered at room temperature for 2-3 days and can be warmed slightly and re-beaten if the texture is too firm.)
7. To decorate the cupcakes, you can either dollop on some icing and swirl it with a knife or use a piping bag. Either fill a disposable piping bag with the icing and snip off the end or fill a piping bag fitted with a large star nozzle.
8. To pipe on the icing, start at the outside edge piping round the edge of the cupcake in a spiral towards the centre. When you reach the top, pull up quickly to finish the swirl. Decorate with sprinkles.