#1: Basic Cupcakes

125grams butter, or margarine
125grams sugar (caster sugar is best, but granulated will do!)
2 good-sized eggs
125grams self-raising flour
Pinch baking powder
Vanilla Extract (optional)

Preheat the oven to 180c/350F/Gas 4, and place cupcake cases into a muffin tin. Paper ones can look cute but I prefer the silicone ones you can buy - they're reusable, and are really hard wearing. They're a bit pricey, but well worth the cost if you're likely to be making cakes regularly.

First, cream the butter and sugar together in a large bowl. Use either a food processor or a wooden spoon to mix until they're combined.

Next, add the eggs and use the wooden spoon to mix it into the butter mixture. Hint; to make the cakes extra light and fluffy, beat the eggs lightly before you add them.

Once the eggs are added, sift in the flour and baking powder gradually and mix until combined. If you can't be bothered sieving (which I never can!) use a whisk and quickly whisk the flour in a separate bowl - it does pretty much the same thing with much less effort! And sieves can be a bugger to wash up.

Now, the exciting part! Put a heaped dessertspoon-ful (or so) of the mixture in each cake case, or more if you have excess mixture. Remember, the more you put in, the longer they'll take to cook. Keep in mind if you put too much in the outside may burn before the inside is properly cooked. Place them in the oven for around 15-20 minutes; they should be springy to the touch and a skewer should come out clean (i.e. no uncooked cake mixture in the middle of the cake!). When they're cooked, place them on a wire rack to cool.

Variations:
You can make these cakes a bit more exciting and yummy by making really simple but effective variations.

For vanilla cupcakes: add a few drops of vanilla essence (to taste - I would usually use 4-5) to the end mixture and mix well.

For chocolate cupcakes: substitute the 125grams of SR flour for about 100grams of flour and 25grams of cocoa powder. DO NOT use drinking chocolate as it doesn't work. Also, I always tend to be a bit generous on the cocoa powder front; I'd rather put in too much and have a really chocolatey cake!!

For lemon cupcakes: once all the ingredients are combined, add several drops of lemon flavouring, or grate the rind of a lemon into it. Similarly, the rind of an orange may be used. I love to grate the rind of an orange into chocolate cupcakes, and add a splash of orange juice. I usually add a chocolate orange icing, and maybe a slice of Terry's chocolate orange on top. They're divine!

For choc-chip cupcakes: Add chocolate chips to the end mixture, to taste!

For magic cupcakes: Add a few drops of food colouring, along with a packet of popping candy. These are great for kids, who won't expect the little explosions in their mouth!