Sparkly lemon cupcakes

Ok, so I know these have been done to death but I still quite like the tooth achingly sweetness of the cupcake. I am lucky that I have a lovely friend who has her own cupcake business so I rarely make them myself.

This afternoon (can you tell I'm on holiday this week ?!) I felt like baking and dug out my trusty Wilton 1M "Mr Whippy" icing nozzle. The base is a simple lemon sponge and piped with lemon buttercream. There is a theme here - I do love lemon cakes !!

SPARKLY LEMON CUPCAKES
makes 12 (or slightly more) average sized cakes

6oz soft butter
6oz golden caster sugar
3 large eggs
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
6oz self raising flour
juice 1 lemon

for the icing

8oz soft butter
1lb icing sugar
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
juice approx 1/2 lemon to taste

Beat the butter and sugar until light and fluffy, add the vanilla and mix
Add the eggs one at a time with a spoonful of flour each time
Add the lemon juice and then mix in the flour
Spoon into cases and bake at 180C for approx 20 minutes

For the icing beat the butter until very soft, sift in the icing sugar and beat hard
Add the vanilla and lemon juice and a tiny amount of yellow food colouring if wanted.

I used a large piping bag and a Wilton 1M tip.

For the swirls start at the outside and work inwards building height as you work in.
For the roses start in the centre and work outwards keeping the icing quite flat.
For the flowers use blobs of icing and work in concentric circles

Decorate as you wish. I used multi-coloured sugar stars, white chocolate stars and edible glitter.