Iced fairy cakes

Serves: 18
Yield: 18 cakes
Ready in: 40 mins (20 mins prep - 20 mins cook)
 

Ingredients for iced fairy cakes

120 g reduced-salt margarine
1/2 cup caster sugar
2 eggs
100 g white self-raising flour
30 g wholemeal self-raising flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
finely grated rind of 1/2 orange
30 g dried apricots, thinly sliced, to decorate


Orange ricotta icing
1 cup reduced-fat ricotta cheese
1/2 cup icing sugar
finely grated rind of 1/2 orange
 

Preparation method for iced fairy cakes
 

Preheat the oven to 180ºC. Line a 12-cup and a 6-cup cupcake tin or muffin pan with paper cupcake cases.

Place the margarine, sugar and eggs in a large bowl. Sift the white and wholemeal flours and the baking powder into the bowl, tipping in any bran left in the sieve. Add the orange rind and beat with an electric mixer for 2 minutes or until smooth and creamy.

Spoon the mixture into the paper cupcake cases. Bake for about 20 minutes or until the centres of the cakes are just firm to the touch. Transfer to a wire rack to cool. (The cakes can be stored in an airtight container for up to 2 days before being iced.)

To make the icing, place the ricotta in a bowl and sift over the icing sugar. Add the orange rind and beat with a wooden spoon until well mixed.

Spread a little icing over the top of each cake and decorate with a couple of dried apricot slices. Serve as soon as possible after icing.