Preparation

• 1
  1. Preheat the oven to 180 degrees, 160 degrees fan oven.
• 2
  2. Soften the butter, place in a bowl with the sugar, and cream them well together.
• 3
  3. Crack the eggs into a small bowl and beat. Drop the beaten egg a little at a time into the sugar mixture and mix until it is all incorporated.
• 4
  4. Sift the flour in and stir gently until the mixture is nice and smooth.
• 5
  5. Drop the milk in gradually, mixing to blend it in, followed by the vanilla extract.
• 6
  6. Place 12 paper cases in a bun tin and spoon the mixture into the cases, dividing the mixture equally between them. Bake in the preheated oven for 15 - 20 minute until risen and cooked through. Allow to cool as you prepare the icing.
• 7
  <strong>Buttercream icing:</strong>
• 8
  Ensure that the butter is really soft. Place it in a bowl and sift in the icing sugar, then beat them together well until it forms a thick paste.
• 9
  Either pipe the icing on top of the cake or, as I did, just spoon a portion onto the cake and use a knife to spread it on roughly. It does not need to be smooth, but should have little peaks. Press a sugar flour into the centre straight away.