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cupcake with sprinkles on a plate with text overlay "vanilla fairy cakes"
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Vanilla Fairy Cakes

Vanilla Fairy Cakes are small British cakes, similar to an American cupcake. Perfect treat for birthday parties or afternoon tea.

Ingredients

  • 2 tablespoons butter
  • ⅓ cup caster sugar (superfine sugar) see note
  • 1 large egg
  • ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
  • ¾ cup all-purpose flour, sifted before measuring see note
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • pinch salt
  • ⅔ cup powdered sugar
  • 1 ½ tablespoon water or half water and half vanilla extract
  • food coloring and sprinkles optional

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line cupcake pan with wrappers.
  • In a mixing bowl, cream together sugar and butter. Add egg and vanilla and mix until fluffy. Sift flour, baking powder and salt into the butter mixture and mix to combine.
  • Fill cupcake wrappers ⅔rds full. Bake until done, 10-15 minutes, depending on size. Remove from pan and cool on a wire rack.
  • In a small bowl, combine powdered sugar and water. Add food coloring if desired. Pour over the fairy cakes and decorate with sprinkles.

Notes

I highly recommend using superfine sugar and sifting the flour before measuring and the shifting it again. I made this with granulated sugar and without pre sifting and they were hockey pucks.