Polar bear cupcakes recipe

Method

1. Preheat the oven to gas 4, 180°C, fan 160°C. Line a 12-hole muffin tin with 12 muffin cases. Beat together the butter and sugar until pale and fluffy. Add the eggs a little at a time, beating well between each addition.
2. Fold in the vanilla extract and the flour then divide the mixture between the muffin cases. Bake for 15-18 mins until well risen and golden. Take the cakes out of the tin and leave on a wire rack to cool completely before decorating.
3. To make the buttercream topping, whisk the butter with a hand-held mixer until pale. Add the icing sugar a spoonful at a time, whisking well between each addition. Add the milk and continue to whisk until the mixture is pale and creamy.
4. Roll out two thirds of the white fondant icing and cut out 12 circles using a 7cm (3in) plain pastry cutter – this will form the polar bears' face. Pinch the edge of the icing circles in two places to create the polar bears' ears. Spread a little of the buttercream on the top of each cupcake and then put a circle of fondant icing onto each one.
5. Divide the remaining fondant into 12 and roll each piece into a small ball. Stick the balls onto the cakes using a dab of water and then brush the whole of the fondant icing lightly with water and dip into the desiccated coconut to coat completely.
6. Take the black fondant icing and roll out 12 balls for the noses and 24 small balls for the eyes. Use a little of the writing icing to stick these onto the bears to create the faces.

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