Elderflower Fairy Cakes Recipe

Ingredients for the cakes:

110g salted butter, softened

110g caster sugar

2 medium eggs, beaten

2 tbsp elderflower cordial

80g self raising flour, sifted

1tsp baking powder

50g ground almonds

Ingredients for the decoration:

175g icing sugar

2–3 tbsp elderflower cordial

1 lemon

Instructions:

1.Preheat the oven to gas mark 4/180°C/fan oven 160°C. Line a 12-hole bun tin with paper fairy cake cases and set aside.

2. Beat the butter until it's soft and creamy and then beat in the sugar until fluffy and combined. Slowly beat in the eggs, a dribble at a time, until combined, then beat in the elderflower cordial. Sift in the flour and baking powder and add the ground almonds.

3. Fold in until it's all mixed together to make a firm-ish cake batter. Divide it between the paper cake cases and bake for 20"25 minutes or until golden, risen and springy to the touch. Cool the cakes on a wire rack.

4. Sift the icing sugar into a large bowl and stir in the elderflower cordial to make a smooth, thick icing. Spoon the icing over the cakes and spread it to the edges to coat the cakes. Leave to set.

5. Just before serving, pare the zest from the lemon in strips and soak in boiling water for 15 minutes. Drain and pat dry with a piece of kitchen towel and arrange on top of the cakes.

Tip: The fairy cakes will keep, iced, for up to five days. The lemon zest dries out and wrinkles, so heap it onto the cakes before the icing sets so it can sink down into the sugar and stay preserved or pile it on just before serving.