Hungry Caterpillar Cupcakes

Preheat the oven to 180°C (160°C, 350°F, gas mark 4). Place paper cases in a 12 hole muffin tin. If you want to weigh it out, that's 50g per case.

Beat the butter and sugar in a mixing bowl until light and fluffy.

Beat in the eggs a little at a time until smooth. Sift in the flour and baking powder, lemon zest and juice and gently fold in until incorporated.

Spoon into the paper cases and bake for 17-20 minutes, until golden and springy to the touch. Remove from the tin and cool on a wire rack.

 

 

For the icing, sift the fondant icing sugar into a bowl and mix with the hot water as directed on the packet, until smooth. Add a few drops of green food colouring and spread over the top of the cakes. Stick an orange jelly bean in the centre of each cake for the nose.

Colour 3/4 of sugar paste icing with green food colouring (reserve some to make the mouth) roll into balls and stick on top of the frosting for the eyes. Attach chocolate buttons to the sugar paste icing balls with a small dab of frosting. Dilute a little green food colouring with water and paint onto the lower half of the sugar paste icing balls using a fine brush. Attach 2 strawberry lace bits above the eyes for the feelers. 

 

Sprinkle orange sprinkles on top of some of the cakes and attach strawberry laces to form legs.

Knead a small amount of red food colouring into the remaining sugar paste icing and cut into mouth shapes. Place on the cakes.