So little, so tasty, so cute!

Well what to do when you can’t decide what sort of cakes to make and only have enough ingredients for one batch of cupcakes – half the mixture and make mini ones!

These are so much fun to make and eat, there is a real feeling of satisfaction when quite so many little cakes can be made by so little mixture, only half the ingredients for each batch – they are so cute!

Both recipes came from ‘Cupcake Heaven’ Anthem Publishing, Volume 1

Coconut cherry cupcakes

115g butter, 115g caster sugar, 2 tbsp milk, 2 free-range eggs, 85g self-raising flour, 1/2tsp baking powder, 85g desiccated coconut, 115g glacé cherries (this is the full quantities, I halved these).

Preheat oven to 180° and put the tiny little cases in the mini bun tin.

Place the butter and sugar in a bowl and beat until light and fluffy, stir in the milk and then gradually beat in the beaten eggs.  Sift the flour and baking powder, and then fold in along with the coconut. Gently fold in most of the quartered cherries.

Spoon the mixture into the paper cases and scatter the raining cherries on the top.

Bake in the oven for 20-25 minutes, transfer to a wire tray to cool.

Top with vanilla frosting a sprinkle of coconut and glacé, fresh or maraschino cherries on the top (I used a ¼ of a glacé cherry)

 Adapted valentine heart cupcakes

85g butter, 85g caster sugar, ½ tsp vanilla extract, 2 free range eggs, 70g plain flour, 1tbsp cocoa powder, 1tbsp baking powder (no need to half these quantities).

Preheat the oven to 180°, put the tiny little cases in the tray.

Place the butter, caster sugar and vanilla extract in a bowl and beat together until light and fluffy.  Gradually beat in the beaten egg.  Sift in the flour, cocoa and baking powder and using a metal spoon, fold into the mixture.

Spoon the mixture into the paper cases.  Bake for 20-25 minutes, transfer to a wire rack to cool.

To make the frosting - Put 55g butter in a bowl and beat until fluffy. Sift in 115g of icing sugar and beat together until smooth.  Add 25g of melted plain chocolate and beat together. Spread frosting on the top and these are meant to have a marzipan heart and sugar flower on, I didn’t make the marzipan hearts but used a giant chocolate button instead, I think a white one would work better.

They were great little cakes and I found that they were brilliant for taking away that sweet craving and I felt like I'd had a treat even when only having one little tiny cake.  They also went down great with the children I was with. 

The large (normal size) chocolate cupcake was for a friend who enjoys wobblymouse cakes and cards.