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Cupcakes with Amusing Faces

Recipe Submitted By: bakingmad

Why not try these cupcakes, decorating them with amusing/funny faces is the perfect activity to do with children.

2	Free Range Eggs (Happy Eggs)
110 grams	Self Raising Flour (Allinson Nature Friendly)
0.50 tsp	Baking Powder
110 grams	Butter softened
110 grams	Golden Caster Sugar (Billington's)
1 tsp	Pure Vanilla Extract Blend (Nielsen-Massey)

For the Icing & for the Buttercream:

	For the Icing:
250 grams	Icing Sugar (Silver Spoon Homegrown)
3.50 tbsp	Lemon Juice
1 tsp	Water Hot
	Yellow Food Colour (Silver Spoon Create)
	For the buttercream:
110 grams	Butter unsalted
225 grams	Icing Sugar (Silver Spoon Homegrown)
	Pure Vanilla Extract Blend (Nielsen-Massey) a few drops
0.50 tbsp	Cocoa Powder
	Pink Food Colour (Silver Spoon Create)
	Yellow Food Colour (Silver Spoon Create)

For the Decoration:

	liquorice, 1 stick, cut into tiny rounds
	coloured chocolate beans
	Jelly Beans
	White Chocolate Buttons
	Pink Sparkling Sugar

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For the cupcakes: heat the oven to 170°C,325°F, gas 3. Place paper cases in a 12 hole bun tin.
For the cupcakes: put all the ingredients into a mixing bowl and whisk with an electric whisk until well combined. Alternatively beat well with a wooden spoon.
Spoon the mixture into the paper cases and bake for 20-25 minutes until golden and springy to the touch. Remove from the tin and place on a wire rack to cool.
For the icing: sift the icing sugar into a bowl and gradually stir in the lemon juice and water until smooth and thick. Add a few drops of yellow food colouring.
Spread the frosting over the cakes.
For the buttercream: beat the butter in a large bowl until soft. Sift in the confectioners’ sugar and beat well. Stir in the vanilla. Divide between 3 small bowls, leaving 1/4 of the buttercream in the large bowl.
Sift the cocoa into one bowl and beat well. Add pink food colouring to another bowl and beat well. Add yellow food colouring to the third bowl.
Spoon the buttercreams into 4 small piping bags and pipe \'hair\' onto some of the cakes.
Decorate the cakes with the sweets, using chocolate buttons and liquorice for the \'eyes\'; jelly beans for the\' noses\' and chocolate buttons for the \'ears\'.