Flower Pot Cupcakes

Method

1. Heat the oven to 180°C (160°C fan, gas mark 4).

2. Place the butter and sugar in a mixing bowl and beat with a wooden spoon or electric mixer until light and fluffy.

3. Gradually beat in the eggs a little at a time until smooth, adding a little flour if the mixture curdles.

4. Stir in the flour, baking powder and cocoa until smooth.

5. Place a dessertspoon full in each ice cream cup, and place them inside a cupcake tin to keep them standing upright, bake for 15-18 minutes until golden brown and just firm to the touch. Allow to cool completely.

6. To make the buttercream, place the butter in a bowl with 1-2 tsp boiling water, add the icing sugar and cocoa, and beat until smooth. Spread each cake with a little of the icing.

7. To decorate, roll small balls of green icing into oval shapes, flatted slightly into leaf shapes then score with the back of a knife to make veins. Roll the pink sugar paste icing thinly on a work surface dusted with icing sugar and use flower cutters to cut out blossoms. Add little balls of complimentary coloured icing for the centre of the flowers and arrange on top of the leaves.