Fairy Cakes are light, airy teacakes that are a favorite among my family. My grandmother used to make them all the time, and would put tiny sprinkles on top for a bit of crunch in each teacake. They were so delicious!
My grandmothers original recipe is Eggless (which I have posted the recipe for in my blog.) It’s a great recipe for anyone looking for an eggless dessert option.
https://spiceculturecooking.com/2019/03/12/fairy-cakes-eggless/
Below is the traditional way of making my grandmothers Fairy Cakes, but I have included eggs into the recipe in lieu of the extra baking soda and baking powders to obtain the same type of light, airy teacake I remember from my childhood.
I usually top my fairy cakes with non-pareils, but they can also be topped with fruit jams or buttercream icings, if you are looking to make these a bit fancier.
FAIRY CAKES (Traditional Recipe with Eggs)
Servings: 3.5 to 4 dozen mini cupcakes (20-24 regular size cupcakes)
Ingredients:
- 4 oz salted butter (room temperature)
- 4 oz. sugar
- 2 eggs
- ½ cup self-rising flour + 1 Tbsp. extra (if needed for Step 1.)
- 2 tsp. vanilla extract
- 1 Tbsp. milk
- ¼ cup of sweetened shredded coconut
- Rainbow sprinkles or Non-Pareil
Instructions:
- Preheat the oven to 350F. Line mini muffin pan with mini cupcake wrappers.
- In a standalone mixer, add butter and sugar and whisk until light and fluffy.
- Gradually add the eggs, beating between each addition. If the mixture has lumps, add 1 Tbsp. extra of self-rising flour and whisk until the batter is smooth.
- Sift the flour into the mixture and gently fold the flour until well combined.
- Add vanilla essence and milk.
- Fold in the coconut flakes with a spatula. The mixture should be light and airy, with only the coconut adding some texture.
- Spoon into the cases, about 2/3 full, and top with ½ tsp of rainbow sprinkles and/or non-pareil on top of each cupcake.
- Cook for 15-18 minutes or until a skewer/knife comes out clean when inserted into the cake. (Some ovens require a 20-minute cook time.)
- Cool completely on wire rack before transferring to serving plates.
Let me know what you think about this traditional recipe! Comment below, tag me on IG @cmspiceculture with your own teacake pics or on FB at “Spice Culture Cooking.”
Enjoy!