The Evolution of my Mother's fairy cakes

Anyone that knows me will not be surprised, that I have just pulled out of the oven, a tray of twelve, dinky, little fairy cakes. They are now cooling down, awaiting probably a dusting of icing sugar as the offspring have decided that that is the most appropriate topping. Keep it simple they say.

As this is my first ever blog I think I will keep this simple also.

The basic recipe I used for these little cakes is the recipe my Mum taught me when I was little. I have then tinkered with it to create these perfect little gems ( modest aren't I!! )

Basic fairy cake recipe.

100g/4oz unsalted butter (softened)
100g/4oz caster sugar
2 medium free range eggs
100g/4oz self raising flour
1 tsp vanilla extract

Method.

Cream the sugar and butter together till the mixture is pale, light and fluffy. You can use an electric mixer for this or a wooden spoon and some muscles!
Next, in a jug beat your eggs. To the eggs add the vanilla extract.
Then slowly add the egg and vanilla mix to the sugar and butter mixture. You can add a spoonful of the flour to this as you go to make things a little easier (it stops the eggs curdling the mixture).
Now is the time to gently fold in the flour. Mix gently and speedily until combined.
This mixture could now be spooned into little fairy cake cases and baked in a fairly hot oven, 180ºc for around 15 minutes.

This recipe is perfectly acceptable and I used it for many years very successfully. I based all of my children's birthday cakes on this recipe and have made several 100 (probably) teeny,tiny,iced fairy cakes. My Mum used to say to me all you need to remember is 4,4,4 and 2 (it doesn't trip off the tongue quite so nicely with the metric system!!!) and you'll be sorted and she was right. Cocoa can be added ( replace 25g/1oz flour with same cocoa) glace icing can be lovingly poured on top or butter icing generously splodged, jelly tots and chocolate buttons for decoration or whatever my offspring had not already consumed!

However times move on and the offspring became teenagers and I now have more time to experiment. I also like to bake for grown ups and also for cash for charity. Cakes are now made on a weekly basis for my colleagues who gladly (it seems) pop money in the tin in exchange for cakey goodness.

I digress, no surprise there!!!!!

The fairy cake recipe I detailed above was waiting for a little tweaking. I found that when you have incorporated the flour you can add a good dollop or two of buttermilk to the mixture and stir in, this adds a lightness to the cakes, not really sure of all the technical reasons why, I am sure Heston Blumenthal could enlighten us but all I know is it works a treat and on pretty much any cake or muffin that I bake.

To make these cakes lovely lemony almondy yumminess you need to add a dash of almond essence to the egg/vanilla extract stage and also replace 50g/2oz flour with ground almonds. You will also need to add 1 tsp of baking powder to help give these cakes a lift as you have reduced the flour. To add lemon flavour grate zest 1 large lemon into the mixture and fold in the juice. You can also add a few drops of lemon extract if you really want to give it some welly! The mixture will be quite sloppy but this is good.
Pop the mixture into cake cases, I actually find muffin cases are the best, a bit more room for all that lovely cake mixture. Bake as before again for around 15 minutes but as always with cakes check and give more time or less depending on your oven. My oven can take round 18 minutes for these but have taken less in other ovens.

When these cakes are done pop them onto a cooling tray and leave to cool (if you can, 1 or 2 of mine are usually eaten long before we have even thought about toppings) Once cool my youngest recommends a light dusting of icing sugar. Serve with raspberries if you are feeling a little Nigellery! or just scoff till gone.

This is my first ever blog/recipe so please be gentle with me.

Happy Baking