Did you read my post for fondant fancies and think ‘ooh they look nice, but what a faff to cut the cake, nappage and ice all sides’. Well, after making them I did too! They were a real labour of love, but the girls found them so pretty that they wanted to take them in as a Friday treat for their school friends. I didn’t have the time to spend another entire afternoon making about 40 fondant fancies, but at the same time didn’t want to disappoint – I want my girls to be proud of the food they eat and to experience their friends enjoying it too.

So thats where this brainwave of an idea came from – cupcakes that look just like, and taste just like fondant fancies, but without the labour intensive icing. And they were a BIG hit! Such a big hit, I’ve already had to make them again, hence the fluoro and pastel versions in the photos!

Fondant Fancy Cupcakes (dairy-free, egg-free, nut-free, soya-free, sesame-free, vegetarian and vegan)

makes 12

for the sponge:

• 200g self-raising flour
• 100g caster sugar
• pinch of salt
• 100ml sunflower oil
• 150ml oat or other non-dairy milk
• 1/2 tsp bicarbonate of soda
• 1/2 tsp lemon juice
• 1 tsp vanilla

– Preheat the oven to 180 degrees Centigrade/Gas mark 5

– Line a cupcake tray with liners.

– Sift the flour and salt into a bowl. Stir in the sugar.

– In a separate bowl, mix together the oat milk, bicarb, lemon, vanilla and oil.

– Pour the wet ingredients into the dry and gently mix, until well combined.

– 2/3rds fill each cupcake case and bake for 18-20 minutes, until lightly golden and a knife comes out clean.

– Cool on a wire rack.

for the buttercream blobs:

• 2 tbsp vegetable fat (such as Trex)
• 1/3 cup dairy-free spread (such as Pure)
• 1 1/2 cups icing sugar, sifted
• 2 tbsp cup oat milk

– Whisk together the spread and vegetable fat.

– Add the icing sugar, 1/2 cup at a time with a splash of the oat milk, until fully combined and nice and fluffy.

for the icing:

• 2 cups icing sugar
• water
• food colouring

– Gradually add  little bit of water at a time until you have a thick but pourable icing

– Place 2 tbsp in a icing bag with a narrow tip

– Colour the rest with a lovely pastel food colouring

To assemble:

1. Pipe or spoon a dollop of buttercream onto the top of each cupcake, set aside for a while to firm up
2. Spoon some water icing over each cupcake. Drizzle over white icing lines.
3. Leave to set
4. These fancies keep well for up to 4 or 5 days