St Patrick's Day Cupcakes

To celebrate St Patrick's Day here's a simple delicious cupcake recipe to follow for some green Irish delights!! ♥ Traditional vanilla cupcakes with a sweet golden syrup buttercream. (click 'read more' to see the recipe below)

Traditional Vanilla Cupcakes (makes 6)
I doubled up the below recipe to make 12 :)
 Ingredients
♥ 50g unsalted butter at room temperature
♥ 50g caster sugar
♥ 1 medium egg
♥ 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
♥ 50g self-raising flour
♥ A few drops of green food colouring

 Method 
1) Cream together butter and sugar until pale then add the egg and vanilla extract and beat until combined.
2) Sift the flour and fold into the mixture, until smooth.
3) Spoon the mixture equally between the cupcake cases and bake for 8-10 minutes (in a cupcake maker)
4) When risen and golden in colour turn on to a wire rack to cool.

Golden Syrup Buttercream (for 12 cupcakes) 
Ingredients 
♥150g unsalted butter
♥ 1 tsp vanilla extract
♥ 1-2 tbsp milk
♥ 280g icing sugar
♥ 1 tbsp golden syrup

Method 
1) Place the butter in a bowl and beat with an electric mixer for 2-3 mins until pale and creamy.
2) Beat in the milk, vannilla extract and gradually sift in the icing sugar.
3) Add in the golden syrup and continue to mix.
4) Beat for 2-3 mins until the buttercream is light and fluffy.
5) Spoon the buttercream into a large piping bag fitted with a large metal nozzle with a plain tip.
6) Pipe using a circular motion starting on the outside of the cake working in to the middle. (let the cupcakes    cool down fully before decorating)
7) The green clovers were made using ready to roll fondant icing with green food colouring, kneading until I got the desired depth of colour.