Lemon Elderflower Cupcakes

Every little girl loves a cup cake. I'm not sure our little blossom has actually eaten very many beyond the frosting, but the decorations are always irresistible! I made these some time ago, hence the raspberry decoration; I made our own elder flower cordial this year, but the commercial stuff is available in good supermarkets. Thanks to the lovely, and very clever Jo Grams for taking the shots of the finished cup cakes! 

Lemon Elder flower Cupcakes

125g butter
2/3 cup caster sugar
zest of a lemon
2 eggs
1 1/2 cups plain flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 cup elder flower cordial

Preheat the oven to 175deg. C. and lay out approximately small paper cupcake cases. 

Cream the softened butter and sugar until pale and fluffy. Beat in the lemon zest. Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. 

Fold a third of the sifted flour and baking powder into the butter mixture, followed by a third of the elder flower cordial. Continue to fold in the remaining thirds until a soft batter is formed. 










Half fill the cup cake cases. 

Bake them for approximately 12 to 15 minutes until they are well risen and a skewer inserted in the centre comes out clean.

Leave to cool. 








Elder Flower Frosting

200g softened butter
1 cup icing sugar
3 tablespoons elder flower cordial
the juice of a lemon

Beat all the ingredients using an electric beater until it is pale and fluffy. 

Use a piping bag to pipe rosettes onto each cup cake. Decorate as required. 

If our Little Miss is having buddies around I leave the frosting un-decorated and put out little dishes of Hundreds and Thousands, chocolate pieces, sweets, marshmallows and fruit so they can decorate their own. Happy faces!