Cream tea cupcakes
Soft and springy vanilla sponge with clotted cream and fresh strawberries
Ingredients
200g butter, at room temperature
200g golden caster sugar
3 eggs
1 tsp vanilla extract
200g self-raising flour
½ jar strawberry jam
300g clotted cream
Icing sugar to dust
A handful of strawberries
Method
Preheat the oven to 180C. Line a 12-hole muffin tin with cupcake cases.
Cream the butter and sugar together until smooth and pale, then add the eggs one at a time, beating well between each addition.
Add the vanilla and flour to the bowl, stirring them in until you have a lovely smooth batter.
Use an ice cream scoop to administer the mixture to the cases. This should give you beautiful even sized cakes. Use all the mix up, then bake for 15-20 mins until springy and golden. Cool the cakes.
Once cool, use a teaspoon to scoop a conical-shaped piece from the top of the cake. Set these aside while you fill the cavity with the jam and then the clotted cream. Sit the little hats back on and dust generously with icing sugar.
Serve with a few extra strawberries, a fork and a refreshing cup of tea.
Recipe: Lesley Holdship
Images: John Holdship