Photo: redeye^ / Flickr

Fairy cakes are not only yummy, they’re beautiful too. They’re perfect for an afternoon tea, a children’s party, or when you just have to have something sweet. If you’re intimidated by baking but wish you could make fairy cakes yourself, don’t fret. Here’s a guide to the perfect fairy cakes, with tips on everything from ingredients, to getting them to rise, to chefs’ baking secrets.

Fairy cakes vs. cup cakes

No, fairy cakes and cup cakes are not the same thing. Cup cakes are a product of America’s obsession with super sizing everything, while the fairy cake, the predecessor to the cup cake that’s native to our shores, is celebrated for being dainty, pretty and light. The difference between fairy cakes and cup cakes also lies in the icing. Cup cakes are coated with a rich (and fattening) butter icing, while fairy cakes are topped with a sugar glace.

Rising to the occasion

When you make fairy cakes, think raising agents. The best raising agent will give you the best result, and different people use different methods. A good idea is to use a mix of both self-raising flour and baking powder for a light, perfect texture.

Eggs or milk?

Photo: bunchofpants / Flickr

People tend to disagree on whether to use eggs or milk in their fairy cake recipes. Some recipes call for two eggs, while Leiths recommend using milk as well as one egg. More eggs will give you richer, creamier fairy cakes, and using water rather than milk can make your sponge a little less fluffy. Ultimately, though, the decision is yours.

Chefs’ secrets

Leiths suggest replacing a little of the flour in your recipe (about a quarter) with ground rice, for a bit of a crunchy texture. Angela Nilson of Good Food suggests adding ground almonds, which will release their oil as your fairy cakes bake, helping to keep them moist. Fairy cakes can tend to dry out because they have a large surface area, so this is a good idea.

If you’re keen to make fairy cakes at home, there are some great online resources. Try goodtoknow.co.uk for a range of recipes, including scrummy lavender fairy cakes and fairy cakes with redcurrant icing. Happy baking!

Tags: baking, cake recipes, Cakes