Spring has finally shown its beautiful face and Mother Nature appears to have given us all a welcome breather from the ferocious battle of the elements that we fondly refer to as the “Irish winter “. Daffodils are blooming , the evenings are getting longer , the winter chill has left the air and the Irish people in general seem to have given a collective sigh of relief .

I adore this time of year ! The anticipation of the summer to come,the longer evenings , ice cream, salads, cocktails, holidays, and everything else that comes with it !
Having spent yesterday out and about shopping  in the balmy March sun, I took to the kitchen for the evening ..
Before  we proceed , I must note that this is by no means a cooking blog of any description; ( in fact , I have, in the past been  lovingly referred to as an extreme hazard in the kitchen!! ) . I do, however , love to bake , and every now and then some nifty foodie bits may appear, if the mood strikes me !
With easter, little over a week away , Easter cupcakes were on the menu …

Disclaimer : the tool box will not in any way enhance your cupcakes !

This is a foolproof recipe .

Seriously !

If (a) you have access to a kitchen, (b) operating an oven is among your skill sets, and (c) if trying your hand at some decorating is something that appeals to you, then this is for you !
Also, if there so happens to be any small humans nearby said kitchen , go grab them , they will lap up the latter part , and this will be a fun way of punching in an hour or two of their holidays !
I have used the Odlums recipe for cupcakes for years , and find it works really well ! I decorate the cupcakes to my own liking , with whatever materials I can get my hands on. Creativity is key ! Go for it ! I find Decobake, just amazing for all things baking related ! I always buy my cupcake boxes there for just over €1 each ! They really add to the end result , and make the perfect present for someone special ! They also have an endless supply of bits to decorate cakes with! dr.oetker materials can be purchased at most tesco stores nationwide for a small price! You can get anything from daisy wafers,  to hundreds and thousands . I love their buttercream icing, and it’s easy peasy to use ! I will post pictures below to guide you through what materials I used !

Heres what you will need …
4 oz self raising flour
4 oz caster sugar
4 oz margarine (stork works great ! )
Teaspoon of vanilla essence
2 eggs
teaspoon of water .

To decorate :
2 packs mini eggs
dr. Oetker vanilla buttercream
dr oetker hundreds and thousands
decorative chickens .

METHOD
1. Preheat oven to 180°C/350°F/Gas 4. Line cup cake tin with baking cases.
2. Beat the butter and sugar together until light and fluffy. Gradually beat in the eggs and the vanilla essence. If mixture starts to curdle, add a little of the flour.
3. Gently stir in remaining flour with a spoon. Place spoonfuls of the mixture into the baking cases and bake for 15 – 20 minutes until firm to the touch.
Remove from the oven and leave on a wire tray to cool.
….. And now for the fun bit ! Decorate your cupcakes , be as adventurous as you wish !

Happy baking, and thanks for reading my first blog post!

Thelittlestcupcake xo