Lemon Cupcakes

Lemon Cupcakes Prep time: 30 mins Cook time: 30 mins Total time: 1 hour Serves: Makes one batch These cakes are so light and fresh – perfect for a summer picnic! Ingredients INGREDIENTS (FOR THE CAKE): 300 g self raising flour 3 tsp baking powder 9 tbsp sunflower oil 350 ml water 270 g caster sugar 2 -3 tsp vanilla extract 2 lemons, juice and rind, (this quantity is sufficient for both the cake and icing) INGREDIENTS (FOR THE ICING): 350 g icing sugar 1 lemon 1/2 tsp vanilla extract 75 g vegan margarine water Instructions METHOD (FOR THE CAKE): Preheat the oven to 170°C/325°F/gas mark 3. Sift the flour and baking powder into a bowl and mix them together. Add the sugar, water, oil and vanilla. Squeeze the lemons and grate some rind from the peel. Set some rind aside for decoration later. Add both the juice and the rest of the rind to the bowl and mix well. Bake for 20 – 30 minutes, depending on your oven. (Give them a poke to check that they are done.) METHOD (FOR THE ICING): You can make traditional icing from icing sugar, a little water, vanilla extract, lemon juice and lemon rind, but a better option for these cakes is to make butter icing: Combine the margarine with 200 g icing sugar and a little warm water. Mix well and keep adding icing sugar until it is very thick – a large amount of icing sugar is required! Squeeze the lemon and grate some rind from the peel. Add the lemon juice, rind and vanilla extract along with a little more icing sugar (to compensate for the extra liquid). It should be as thick as possible so that it will set. Spread the butter icing onto the cakes or use a pipe to squeeze it on. Sprinkle a little rind over the cakes for decoration. 3.2.1230