Mary Berry’s vanilla cupcakes with swirly icing recipe

Mary Berry's Vanilla Cupcakes With Swirly Icing Recipe

by Lorna White |
Updated on

Searching for the best vanilla cupcake recipe?

When it comes to cupcakes, we look to the queen of baking herself, Mary Berry to help us bake the perfect cakes for every occasion.

These cute cupcakes are perfect for baby showers, christenings and baby birthday parties, and you can customise the icing and decorations to match your theme.

Preparation Time

45 minutes

Serves

12

Finger Food

Use mini cupcake cases for extra small cakes that are perfect for little hands.

Ingredients

  • 175g butter, cut into large pieces

  • 175g self-raising flour

  • 175g caster sugar

  • ½ tsp baking powder

  • 3 large eggs

  • ½ tsp vanilla extract

  • For the icing:

  • 175g butter, cut into large pieces

  • ½ tsp vanilla extract

  • 2-3 tbsp milk

  • 350g icing sugar, sifted

  • Pink edible food colouring

  • Edible pink hearts or sprinkles for decoration

  1. Preheat the oven to 180C/gas mark 4. Line a 12-hole muffin tin with paper cupcake or muffin cases.

  2. Put all the cake ingredients into a large bowl and beat with an electric hand whisk or a wooden spoon until smooth and evenly mixed. Divide the mixture evenly between the paper cases.

  3. Bake for 20-25 minutes, or until the cakes are well risen and firm on top. Transfer to a wire rack to cool.

  4. Make the icing: put the butter, vanilla extract, two tablespoons of the milk, and half the icing sugar in a large bowl and beat until smooth. Beat in the remaining icing sugar, and pour in the rest of the milk if needed to make the icing the right consistency.

  5. Put half of the icing into another bowl and colour it pale pink with the edible colouring. Carefully spoon this down one side of a piping bag fitted with a star-shaped nozzle, then spoon the non-coloured icing down the other side of the bag. Twist the end of the bag to seal the icing in.

  6. Pipe swirls of the icing on top of each cupcake. Scatter with the edible pink hearts, or other sprinkles, to decorate.

This vanilla cupcake recipe is taken from Mary Berry’s Cookery Course.

All the equipment you need to bake your own cupcakes

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Gallery

Baking products

Kitchen scales1 of 10

Salter Digital Kitchen Scales

It's impossible to produce a successful bake without properly weighing out all your ingredients. Salter is a reliable brand when it comes to kitchen scales and accurate scales should stand the test of time!

cupcake baking tray tin2 of 10

2 Pack Cupcake Baking Tin

To make sure your cupcakes keep their shape well while cooking in the oven, it's a good idea to use a sturdy muffin tin for your cakes to sit in.

Electric hand mixer3 of 10

Electric hand mixer

Make whisking a breeze with this simple to use electric hand whisker and all your ingredients will be combined in no time!

mixing bowl4 of 10

Mixing bowl

This chip resistant ceramic bowl is sure to stand the test of time in your baking cupboard. Microwave and dishwasher safe, this bowl should also make the washing up a little easier too!

cupcake cases5 of 10

Cupcake cases

Add a pop of colour to your cupcakes with some bright cupcake cases that are perfect for every occassion.

wooden spoon6 of 10

Wooden spoon

Fans of The Great British Bake Off are bound to love this 'Star Baker' wooden spoon making it idea if you're the best baker in your house!

food colouring7 of 10

Food colouring

This edible food colouring set comes with 18 different colours of food colouring. Whether you want your bake to be full of vibrant colours or pastel shades, these drops can be added gradually to achieve the result you want.

wire cooling rack 8 of 10

Wire cooling rack

Cool your cupcakes down ready for icing with this wire cooling rack, ideal for cakes, biscuits and cupcakes.

piping kit and nozzle9 of 10

Piping kit and nozzles

With 48 different nozzles to choose from plus reuseable piping bags, you can really practise and perfect those piping skills with this huge kit!

Edible heart sprinkles 10 of 10

Edible hearts

Add that extra special finishing touch to your cupcakes with some edible heart sprinkles!

Find more recipes from Mary Berry here.

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