Festive Food Idea Day 1 - Santa's Sponge Snowmen

Today's 'Festive Food Idea' is Santa's Sponge Snowmen, with decorative icing to make the snowmen appear as though melting.

Makes 12 small cupcakes, or 6-8 large

Ingredients

Cupcake

- 110g unsalted butter (softened)
- 110g caster sugar
- 110g self-raising flour (I used gluten free)
- 2 free-range eggs
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- 2 tbsp milk (I used 3 with the gluten free flour)

Snowman topping

- 12 large white marshmallows
- 120g white icing sugar powder
- 3 tbsp warm water

- Optional - 
- edible glitter
- white icing pen
- orange icing pen
- chocolate icing pen (all available from most large supermarkets)

Method

1. Preheat oven to Gas Mark 4 (180c/ 350f)

2. Line cupcake tin with 12 paper cupcake cases

3. Whisk butter and sugar together. Beat in the eggs one at a time and then add the vanilla extract

4. Add the flour in thirds and whisk gently together, add milk a tablespoon at a time until the mixture has a dropping consistency

5. Spoon the mixture into the paper cupcake cases until each is half full

6. Bake in the oven for 10-15 minutes or until golden brown if using regular flour. For gluten-free flour add another 5-10 minutes to cooking time or until golden brown. Check by inserting a skewer in centre to see if it comes out clean

7. When cooked, leave to cool for 15 minutes, then carefully remove from the tin and place cupcakes on a wire rack to finish cooling

8. Once cool, use white icing pen to draw 'melted snowman' pattern outline on top of the cupcake. Fill in with icing and position marshmallow at the centre

9. Use orange icing pen to draw snowman's nose

10. Use chocolate icing pen to draw two dots for snowman's eyes and 4 dots for mouth

11. Add edible glitter to edge of 'melted' snowman