Ok, Birthday Fairycakes really, but the other has such a nice alliterative feel to it.

I’m following the course of action that suggests a way to a mans heart is through his stomach. If the EDLO’s reaction to the cakes is any way to judge, he’s halfway to proposing marriage already, but then are so are the rest of my team! Never have I seen 15 fairy cakes vanish so rapidly. I was going to take a picture but by the time I remembered to reach for the camera-phone, they were inhaled!

These really are insanely simple to make – just four (five if you’re feeling fancy) ingredients, half an hour, and they’re done – but are remarkably effective. The following amounts make 15 standard fairy cakes or 8 to 10 muffin-sized cakes.

Ingredients (cake)

• 100 g margarine
• 100 g caster sugar
• 100 g self raising flour
• 2 medium eggs
• 1 tsp ground ginger/cinnamon/nutmeg to taste

Ingredients (frosting)

• Approx 50 ml whipping cream
• 1 bag Maltesers (crushed)

Method

1. Cream the margarine and sugar
2. Beat in the eggs, one at a time, adding a spoonful of flour with each egg
3. Gently fold in the remaining flour and stir until smooth
4. Pour into paper cases (about halfway full as the mix will rise)
5. 190⁰ C / GM5 oven for 15 minutes (until golden and firmly spongy to the touch)

1. Whilst the cakes are cooling, whip the cream till nice and stiff
2. Crush the Maltesers and fold into the cream
3. Ice the cakes
4. Eat…

Tips
Usually I have tips/suggestions at the end of a basic recipe. Not this time; it is that straight forward. You could try playing around with flavourings (the cinnamon bit), maybe adding some cocoa powder? Or play around with the frosting some. You’re limited only by your imagination. And ability to stop from scoffing the results of your labours before they’re iced…