Recipe: Shelley's Sparkling Marshmallow Cupcakes

SHELLEY'S SPARKLING MARSHMALLOW CUPCAKES

I love baking. I'm not brilliant at it, but it's something I really enjoy. I figure the more I try the better I will become, so today I made CUPCAKES. Everyone loves a cupcake. I'm not one to take a recipe to my grave (plus I got it from the internet and tweaked it) so, without further ado, here are my Sparkling Marshmallow Cupcakes.

What you will need:
240g plain flour
280g caster sugar
3tsp baking powder
80g unsalted butter
240ml whole milk
2 eggs
a pinch of salt
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
24 pink marshmallows
Vanilla buttercream frosting
Edible glitter decoration
Mini marshmallows

This makes 12 large cupcakes or 24 small cupcakes - half the mixture for 12 small cupcakes!
Step 1

Preheat the oven to 170 degrees (325 degrees F/Gas 3). Put the flour, sugar, baking powder, salt and butter into a bowl and beat together until you have a sandy consistency. (You could probably do this with a mixer however I don't have one!). Gradually pour in half of the milk and keep beating it until the milk is just incorporated.

Step 2

Whisk the egg, vanilla extract and remaining milk together in a seperate bowl for a few seconds, then pour into the flour mixture and continue beating until just incorporated. Continue mixing for a couple more minutes until the mixture is smooth. Do not overmix.

Step 3

Spoon the mixture into the paper cases until 2 thirds full and bake in the preheated oven for 20-25 minutes, or until light golden and the sponge bounces back when touched.

Step 4

Leave the cupcakes to cool in the tray before turning out onto a wire cooling rack to cool completely.

Step 5

Put the pink marshmallows in a heatproof bowl over a pan of simmering water. Leave until melted and smooth. When the cupcakes are cold, hollow out a small section in the centre of each one and fill it with a dollop of melted marshmallow. Don't worry if yours are messy like mine as it will be covered with the buttercream anyway! Leave to cool.

Step 6

Spoon and smooth the vanilla buttercream on top of the cupcakes and then decorate with the mini marshmallows and edible glitter!

Et voila!