Enchanted Butterfly Cupcakes

Makes 24, Prep and Cook: 1 hour, 30 mins

250g unsalted butter, chopped,

at room temperature 1¹⁄³ cups caster sugar 2 tsps vanilla extract 4 eggs, at room temperature ²⁄³ cup milk 2²⁄³ cups self-raising flour White pearl cachous and pink

sprinkles, to decorate

BUTTERFLIES 250g box white modelling paste Pink liquid food colouring, to tint

FROSTING 500g unsalted butter, chopped,

at room temperature 5 cups icing sugar mixture 2 tblsps milk

1 To make butterflies, knead paste on a clean bench until smooth. Tint light pink. Roll out between two sheets of baking paper until 4mm thick. Using a 2cm x 4½cm butterfly plunger cutter, cut out 24 shapes. Knead scraps until smooth. Repeat process, using a 1cm x 3cm butterfly plunger cutter to cut out 24 shapes. 2 Make four M-shaped stands out of thin sheets of cardboard (21cm x 30cm). With long side facing you, fold in half. Fold one half in half again, back towards you. Turn cardboard over and repeat on the other side. Open cardboard out slightly. Sit butterflies in the centre so wings are angled upwards. Stand overnight to dry. 3 Line two 12-hole muffin pans (¹⁄³-cup capacity) with paper cases. 4 Beat butter, sugar and vanilla in a small bowl of an electric mixer until fluffy. Beat in eggs, one at a time, until combined. Transfer to a large bowl. 5 In two batches, stir in milk and flour until combined. Divide among paper cases (¼ cup in each). 6 Cook in a moderately slow oven (160C) for about 20 minutes, or until cooked when tested. Stand in pans for 5 minutes. Transfer to wire racks to cool. 7 To make frosting, beat butter in a large bowl of an electric mixer until pale and creamy. Beat in ½ cup sugar at a time until smooth. Beat in milk. Tint dark pink with colouring. 8 In two batches, pipe frosting onto cupcakes in a spiral pattern, starting from the edge, using a piping bag fitted with an 11mm star nozzle (8-point). 9 Decorate with butterflies, pearls and sprinkles.