Brown butter and blackcurrant butterfly cakes recipe

Method

1. Melt the butter in a pan over a low- medium heat, then heat for 3-5 mins, stirring frequently, until it smells nutty and goes very foamy; remove from the heat. When the foam subsides, the butter should be a flecked deep brown colour. Pour into a bowl and cool until solid but still soft – you should have 175g.
2. Preheat the oven to gas 4, 180°C, fan 160°C and line a 12-hole muffin tin with paper cases. Beat the butter and sugar together until pale and fluffy. Beat in the eggs, 1 at a time, adding 1 tbsp flour with each addition.
3. Fold in the remaining flour, a pinch of salt and the milk until no white streaks remain. Divide between the cases. Bake for 20-25 mins until golden and a skewer inserted comes out clean. Cool completely on a wire rack.
4. For the buttercream, beat the butter and icing sugar with an electric whisk until thick and fluffy. Whisk in the milk and vanilla to make a smooth icing.
5. Remove any large bits of fruit from 1 tbsp blackcurrant jam, then use a pastry brush to paint a stripe of jam inside a piping bag fitted with a large star nozzle. Add the buttercream, being careful not to disturb the jam.
6. Use a sharp knife to cut a circle into each cupcake, about 1.5cm deep, leaving a 1cm border around the edge. Halve the circles. Spoon jam into each hole, then top with a swirl of buttercream. Push 2 halved cake circles into the buttercream, then top each with a blackberry. The cakes will keep in an airtight container for up to 3 days.

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• Freezing and defrosting guidelines

  Freeze undecorated cakes and buttercream separately. In order to enjoy optimum flavour and quality, frozen items are best used within 3 months of their freezing date. For more tips on freezing and defrosting food, read our article Love Your Freezer.