Keeping it simple with friends

We had our first few friends round to visit the new flat (on mass rather than the odd one here and there) before heading to a Guilty Pleasures wig party at Koko. I wanted to keep it simple so we just grabbed some pizza's from the Pizza Express range in the supermarket and potato wedges and dips, a bit of a cop out but tasty and lined our stomach for the night ahead!

I wanted to make a little bit of an effort though so whipped up some easy fairy cupcakes which looked really fun on my two tier cake stand and a cocktail called the 'Truly British' before the British summer is truly over.

Fairy Cupcakes

Makes 16

Ingredients:

For the cakes

• 115g unsalted butter

• 115g caster sugar

• 2 eggs, beaten

• 115g self raising flour

For the icing

• 200g icing sugar

• about 3tbsp warm water

• a few drops of food colouring, optional

Glacé cherries, chocolate strands and silver balls (or whatever you fancy) to decorate.

Method:

1. Preheat the oven to 190°C. Put 16 paper cases in two bun trays.

2. Beat together the butter and caster sugar in a bowl until light and fluffy.

3. Gradually add the eggs, beating well after each one.

4. Fold in the flour lightly (it recommends to use a metal spoon but I just used my silicone spatula).

5. Spoon the mixture into the paper cases so each one is about half full.

6. Bake in the preheated oven for 15-20 minutes. remove when springy to the touch and cool on a wire rack.

7. When cool make the icing, sift the icing sugar into a bowl and stir in enough water to make a smooth paste that is thick enough to coat the back of a wooden spoon.

8. I divided the icing into three bowls and added a couple of drop of yellow food colouring to one and red to another and left one uncoloured.

9. Spread the icing over the fairy cakes and decorate as desired.

Adapted from a Marks & Spencer recipe book called Easy Cupcakes.

Truly British Cocktail

Serves one

Ingredients:

• 50ml gin
• dash elderflower cordial
• apple juice to taste

Method:
1. In a tall glass, pour the gin over ice
2. Add a dash of elderflower cordial and top up with apple juice
3. Stir well and garnish with a slice of apple for a truly British taste.