VALENTINE'S DAY CUPCAKES

More Valentine's offerings from my kitchen!

The cupcakes are a basic sponge mix of 125g each of butter, caster sugar, self raising flour, 1 tsp vanilla extract, two large eggs and a couple of tablespoons of milk added after the initial 'all in one' mixing of the ingredients. Twelve muffin cases are placed in a muffin tin and filled with the cake mixture. Bake at 200°C/Gas 6 for approximately 20 minutes.

As the cupcake tops need to be flat, if they peak, just cut some of the cake off. After cooling make up some royal icing to cover the tops, allow to set a little, and top with fondant shapes.

I decorated mine with red and white fondant icing, coloured sprinkles, gold disco dust and sugar roses. Let your imagination run wild to put the necessary Valentine's Day pizazz into them.

SPIDERMAN BIRTHDAY CAKE

My grandson celebrated his 5th birthday a couple of months before Christmas, but somehow the cake didn't make it to the blog. I've rectified this now and here is Spiderman............

It had to be chocolate cake, I then brushed the cake with apricot jam and topped it with blue fondant icing. The Spiderman figure came complete with his own web and my husband made a cake band, cut carefully from Spiderman wrapping paper.

My grandson loved his cake and only this week proudly showed me his Spiderman figure. He even said I make lovely cakes - they learn very early in life!!!

If you need an idea for a boys birthday cake this is easy to make, colourful, and even comes with a toy...............a definite winner.