Bluebell cupcakes

Inspired by the beauty of bluebells, why not pack these into

a picnic to take along on your

bluebell walk?

Prep: 20 mins | Bake: 15-20 mins plus cooling time |

Makes 12 cakes

Ingredients:

140g plain flour | Pinch of salt | 1 1/2 tbsp cocoa pow-

der | 1/2 tsp bicarbonate of soda

120ml buttermilk | 1 tsp vanilla extract | Blue and red

food colouring | 60g unsalted butter

10g caster sugar | 2 large eggs

For the icing:

110g unsalted butter | 110g full-fat cream cheese |450g icing sugar | 1 tsp vanilla extract

To top:

Blue edible glitter

You will also need:

A piping bag and a large star nozzle

Optional:

12 cocktail sticks, a glue stick and a pair of scissors for the bluebell flag

1. Preheat the oven to 180 C / Gas 4

2. Mix the flour, salt, cocoa powder, baking powder and bicarbonate of soda in a bowl

3. In a separate bowl, whisk the buttermilk, vanilla and food colouring until fully blended

TIP: Start with a little blue and mix with a hint of red to get an indigo shade

4. Cream together the butter and sugar then add the eggs and mix

5. Add the first two mixtures to the butter and sugar, a little of each in turn, mixing all the time

TIP: I use a hand whisk to get a much fluffier cupcake

VisitWoods is a partnership project, led by the Woodland Trust which receives funding from Natural England (through their Access to Nature programme, part of the Big Lottery Fund Changing Spaces

Programme), the Forestry Commission England, Forestry Commission Scotland, Scottish Natural Heritage and People's Postcode Lottery. Additional support has been provided by DoubleTree by Hilton.

Find your nearest woods and download free activities and resources to help you

plan your visit at visitwoods.org.uk

Bluebell cupcakes

6. Place 12 paper cases in a muffin tin and spoon the mixture equally into each

7. Place in the oven for 15 - 20 mins until cooked TIP: pierce with a skewer to

check if they are ready - If the skewer comes out clean, they are ready

8. Leave cakes to cool in muffin tin for 5 minutes and then place on a cooling

rack

9. Make the icing by mixing the ingredients and adding some food colouring to

get a nice light blue tinge. TIP: I use paste colouring as they don't alter the con-

sistency of the mix

10. Pipe a swirl on each cake and sprinkle with the blue glitter.

11. Cut out the little flags below. Take one, fold in half and then stick to the top of a cocktail stick.

Then just pop it in the top of your bluebell cupcake and you're done.

Enjoy!

VisitWoods is a partnership project, led by the Woodland Trust which receives funding from Natural England (through their Access to Nature programme, part of the Big Lottery Fund Changing Spaces

Programme), the Forestry Commission England, Forestry Commission Scotland, Scottish Natural Heritage and People's Postcode Lottery. Additional support has been provided by DoubleTree by Hilton.

Find your nearest woods and download free activities and resources to help you

plan your visit at visitwoods.org.uk