Butterfly Cupcakes

Who would’ve thought cupcakes would’ve become so popular?  My poor old Nanna would be rolling over in her grave. In my day (and hers) we called them ‘patty cakes’ here in Australia and they were very common.  I felt like baking some cakes to take to my Mother’s for morning tea and instead of using my usual recipe from my high school Home Economics text book “Day to Day Cookery”, I used a recipe for “patty cakes” from “Classic Country Collection” by Flo Bjielke Petersen, wife of Queensland’s longest serving Premier, Joh. It’s a wonderful collection of old fashioned baking, recipes for quick, frugal, tasty meals and home hints. I really should cook more from it.

So, the verdict? One of the best cupcake recipes I’ve ever tasted. (I had to taste test, didn’t I?) I made them into Butterfly Cakes. Always a nice way to decorate and enjoy. I hope you will too.

Butterfly Cupcakes
(from “Classic Country Collection” Patty Cakes recipe)

3/4 cup castor sugar
pinch salt
2 cups self raising flour
125g butter, melted
1/2 cup milk
1/2 tsp vanilla essence
2 eggs, beaten

To decorate:
1/2 cup cream, whipped to stiff peaks
sliced strawberries
strawberry jam
icing sugar

1. Preheat oven to 180 deg C.
2. Sift all ingredients into bowl.
3. Add remaining ingredients and beat for 3 minutes.
4. Spoon mixture into paper patty cases within cupcake pan.
5. Bake for 12 to 15 minutes.
6. To decorate, once cakes have cooled, slice off top of cake and reserve.
7. Spoon a small amount of strawberry jam into the cavity of the cake and top with whipped cream.
8. Cut top piec of cake in half and place on top of cake to resemble butterfly wings.
9. Insert a small slice of strawberry and dust with icing sugar.