Mia's Luscious Little Lemon Cakes (includes Thermomix method)

It's not often I'm this naughty, but it was for a good cause so it's allowed, right?

My daughter wanted to make some little cakes to sell at school to raise money recently, and we wanted to make something simple, and universally appealing.

Fairly cakes seemed like a simple solution, so we made this lemony version, and iced them with a little lemon-flavoured buttercream, and they turned out absolutely delicious! If you want to make plain / vanilla fairy cakes, simply swap the lemon for 2 tsp vanilla extract.

Makes 24 cakes, and plenty of lemon buttercream to pipe on top! We only put a small amount on, which meant we had the same amount again left, so you could easily cover the cakes with it - whether you pipe it in with a small nozzle, or swirl on with the back of a spoon (much easier!).

Ingredients

For the cakes

• 180g golden / raw caster sugar (Thermomix, any size grains, preferably raw / unrefined)
• 200g softened butter (room temp), cubed (I use lightly salted. Add a pinch of salt if using unsalted)
• 4 medium eggs (c58g each)
• 2 tsp lemon extract* (or use 2 tsp vanilla extract for plain cakes)
• 200g self-raising flour
• 1/2 tsp baking powder

For the lemon buttercream frosting

• 200g butter, softened, cubed
• 500g icing sugar (Thermomix, any size grains, preferably raw / unrefined)
• 2 tsp lemon extract (or to taste)*

Optional decorations

• Sprinkles, candied lemon slices, white chocolate curls, any decorations you fancy!

Useful equipment

• A food processor or electric hand mixer. 
• Trays to hold two batches of 12 fairy cakes (so one 12-hole tray, or two 6-hole trays will be fine, as you can bake one batch after the other)

*Re. lemon extract - I recommend Nielsen Massey brand. If you can't get this, go for a natural, alcohol based extract (85%) with lemon oil, no additives, and make sure it's suitable to bake with (some aren't and it will say on the back). If you prefer, use the finely grated zest of two lemons, and a tbsp of lemon juice instead.

Method
(See below for Thermomix method)

1. Pre-heat the oven to gas mark 4 / 180C / 160C fan oven. Set out the 24 paper cases for the fairy cakes into the trays.

2. Cream together the butter and sugar in a bowl (or in your food processor). Sift in the flour and baking powder, then add the eggs and lemon extract, and mix everything together into a thick, smooth batter.

3. Divide the batter between the cake cases (I find around two and a half heaped teaspoons works well) and then bake in the middle of the oven for around 20 minutes, depending on your oven (check after 15) until turning a very light golden colour and a skewer comes out clean. I bake mine in two batches one after the other, but if you're lucky enough to have an oven that cooks evenly, or you can fit them on the same shelf, then go for it!

4. Allow the cakes to cool completely, and then top with the lemon buttercream - see below - and add any decorations you fancy!

Lemon buttercream method

5. Give the softened butter a good stir / mix until creamy, then sift in the icing sugar, add the lemon extract, and mix until thoroughly incorporated and smooth. Swirl or pipe on top of the cupcakes, and decorate as desired.

Thermomix Method

1. Pre-heat the oven to gas mark 4 / 180C / 160C fan oven. Set out the 24 paper cases for the fairy cakes into the trays.

2. Mill the sugar 20 seconds / Speed 10. Add the butter and mix 5 seconds / Speed 8. Scrape down.

3. Insert the butterfly whisk, and cream together, turning the speed up a little slowly for 1 minute / Speed 4. Scrape down, and cream again 1 minute / Speed 4.

4. Add the eggs and lemon extract, and mix together 20 seconds / Speed 3.

5. Add the flour and baking powder, and mix everything together into a thick, smooth batter, turning up the speed slowly 30 seconds / Speed 4. (Scrape down and repeat if necessary, although you shouldn't have to)

6. Divide the batter between the cake cases (I find around two and a half heaped teaspoons works well) and then bake in the middle of the oven for around 20 minutes, depending on your oven (check after 15, they make take up to 25) until turning a very light golden colour and a skewer comes out clean. I bake mine in two batches one after the other, but if you're lucky enough to have an oven that cooks evenly, or you can fit them on the same shelf, then go for it!

7. Allow the cakes to cool completely, and then top with the lemon buttercream - see below - and add any decorations you fancy!

Lemon buttercream method
 

8. If not using icing sugar, then mill the sugar in two batches of 250g for 1 minute / Speed 10 each. Remove from the bowl and set aside. 

9. Add the butter and mix 5 seconds / Speed 8. Scrape down. Insert the butterfly whisk, and cream the butter for 30 seconds / Speed 4. Scrape down, and cream again 30 seconds / Speed 4.

10. Add 300g of the milled / icing sugar and 1 tsp lemon extract, and mix together for 20 seconds / Speed 1 (yes, speed 1!). Scrape down, add the other tsp lemon extract and the rest of the icing / milled sugar, and mix again 20 seconds / Speed 1. Scrape down, and then cream 1 minute / Speed 4.