Madhouse recipe : Easter Vanilla Cupcakes

Rachel's have been busy little bees lately. Not only have they launched a new range of 0% fat Greek Style yogurt and Banana and Dulce de Leche yogurt, they have also shared some rather lovely recipes for Easter that use them. As Pierre has been off school feeling poorly, it was the perfect time for making these Easter Vanilla Cupcakes. He wasn't up to a trip to the shops though, so ours were topped with pink and white star sprinkles rather than mini eggs !

Vanilla Easter Cup Cakes

Ingredients 

 220g butter or margarine, room temperature 

 220g caster sugar 

 2 large eggs, beaten 

 220g self raising flour, sifted 

2 tbsp Rachel’s low fat vanilla yogurt

Icing :

 80g unsalted butter, room temperature

 250g icing sugar 

25g Rachel’s low fat vanilla yogurt

Serves: 12 Preparation time: 15 minutes Cooking time: 20-25 minutes

1. Pre-heat the oven to 180°C/350°F/Gas Mark 5. 

2. Line a cup cake or muffin tray with paper cases.

 3. Beat together the butter and caster sugar until light and fluffy. 

Add the eggs a little at a time. 

4. Fold in the flour and yogurt. 

 5. Spoon the mixture into the paper cases until half full. (I was slightly worried at this stage because the mixture was much thicker than my usual cupcake batter but they came out fine !)

6. Bake in the oven until golden brown and springy to touch or test using a skewer - if it comes away clean the cakes are ready. Leave them to cool on a wire rack. 

7. Meanwhile prepare the icing. Begin by beating the butter and icing sugar until pale and well mixed, ideally using an electric mixer. Add the yogurt and continue to beat on medium to high speed until the icing is fluffy. The longer you beat the lighter the icing.

 8. Spoon the icing into a piping bag fitted with a star piping nozzle. In a circular motion swirl the icing around each cake. 

9. Decorate with mini eggs. (Or sprinkles !)

I don't usually put yogurt in my butter icing but it gave it a lovely smooth consistency and made it easier to pipe, so I'll definitely be doing it again.

for more scrummy recipes : http://www.rachelsorganic.co.uk/

Disclosure : Recipe courtesy of Rachel's. They provided me with some vouchers for the yogurt in order to try out the recipe.