Red Nose Day Cakes

If you have children, sooner or later you will be faced with a request for cakes at very short notice. Many people dread those words:   " I need to take some cakes into school tomorrow".  In fact, one of my friends admitted that she fees physically sick when she gets home from work and her daughters want her to bake cakes for them.  On day my daughter came home from school and announced that the following day was to be French day at her school.  She casually said
 "I told my teacher you would bake a cake like the French flag."  When I rang my sister she marvelled at how children have so much faith in their parents that they take it for granted they can create a cake, model or whatever is required.  Needless to say, I donned my apron and  cracked on with the task and judging by the feedback I received the following afternoon I don't think I let her down.
Anyway, If you are faced with a similar situation, such as a charity or school cake sale, her is my foolproof recipe for fairy cakes and in my experience these do sell like the proverbial hot cakes.  As it is Red Nose Day today get baking and raise some money for this wonderful charity that helps so many people. I find that the following recipe makes 12-14 cakes.  I used glace cherries for the red noses, but feel free to decorate you cakes as you wish.

Ingredients

115g/ 4oz self raising flour

115g/ 4oz unsalted butter

115g/ 4oz caster sugar

2 eggs, beaten

1tsp vanilla extract

Icing sugar

Food colouring

Equipment

Cupcake tray

Paper cake cases

Large mixing bowl

Spatula

Metal tablespoon

Sieve

Cooling rack

Hand whisk

1.   Line a cupcake tray with paper cases.

2.    Preheat the oven to gas 4, 180c, 400F.

3.   Cream together butter and sugar.

4.   Add the eggs and vanilla.

5.   Add the sieved flour and baking powder and fold in with a metal spoon.

6.  Fill the paper cases about 2/3 full.

7.  Bake for 15 minutes.

8.  Remove from oven and leave to cool on a rack.

9.  To make the glace icing sieve the icing sugar into a bowl and gradually add cold water, beating all the time to avoid lumps, until you have a smooth spreadable icing.  If you wish, you can add colouring.

10. When the cakes are cold, pour some boiling water into a jug or cup and dip your palette knife into it. Put a large teaspoon of icing on each cake and

Quickly spread it over the cake with you hot palette knife, dipping the knife back in the hot water between each cake. Decorate each cake with  edible glitter, sprinkles, or small sweets.