Very Berry Cupcakes

I adapted these as I didn't have any dried berries, only frozen mixed berries and I gave it a buttercream icing instead of the cream cheese icing in their recipe as I didn't have any cream cheese in the fridge. I used the Magnolia Bakery's Buttercream icing but I halved the sugar as I find the original recipe way too sweet.

The icing was the important bit as I wanted to try out my new Tonkin Thermo Tubes star nozzles and piping bag. Now perhaps you aren't supposed to use frozen fruit for the sugared fruit because mine turned out to be a runny mess, nothing like the frosted beauties in the Womens Weekly cookbook. If anyone knows how to perfect sugared fruit please drop me a line!

The icing is not perfect, its an ok first attempt at using my new star nozzles which will hopefully improve over time.

Berry buttercake

• 125 butter softened

• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

• 2/3 cup (150) caster sugar

• 2 eggs at room temp

• 1 cup fresh or frozen mixed berries

• 1/2 (70g) slivered almonds

• 2/3 cup (100g) plain flour

• 1/3 cup (50g) self raising flour

• 1/4 cup (60ml) milk

Sugared fruit

• 150g fresh blueberries

• 120g fresh raspberries

• 1 egg white beaten lightly

• 2 tablespoons vanilla sugar

• Prepare sugared fruit

• Preheat oven to moderately slow (170C/150C fan forced). Line 12 hole standard muffin pan with paper cases

• Beat butter, extract, sugar and eggs in a small bowl with electric mixer until light and fluffy

• Stir in fruit and nuts then sifted flours and milk. Divide mixture among cases and smooth surface

• Bake for about 35 minutes. Turn cakes onto wire rack to cool.

• Make frosting

• Spread cooled cakes with frosting. Decorate with sugared fruit.

Sugared fruit

Brush each berry lightly with egg white, roll fruit in sugar. Place fruit on baking paper lined tray. Leave about 1 hour or until sugar is dry.

Magnolia Bakery's Buttercream frosting

Makes enough for one 2-layer 9-inch cake or 2 dozen cupcakes

• 1 cup (250grams) unsalted butter, softened

• 6 to 8 cups icing sugar (I halved this to 3 cups)

• 1/2 cup milk

• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Place the butter in a large mixing bowl. Add 4 cups of the sugar and then the milk and vanilla. On the medium speed of an electric mixer, beat until smooth and creamy, about 3-5 minutes.

Gradually add the remaining sugar, 1 cup at a time, beating well after each addition (about 2 minutes), until the icing is thick enough to be of good spreading consistency. You may not need to add all of the sugar.

If desired, add a few drops of food coloring and mix thoroughly. (Use and store the icing at room temperature because icing will set if chilled.) Icing can be stored in an airtight container for up to 3 days.