Happy Holigay Cupcakes

Preheat a fan-forced oven to 140°C (275°F) or a conventional oven to 160°C (320°F). Line two cupcake tins with gold cupcake liners.

Add the flour, sugar, baking powder and salt to a large mixing bowl and mix with a hand mixer until well combined.

Next, add the softened butter and mix on low speed until the mixture reaches a crumbly, sand-like texture.

Add the eggs, milk, oil, yoghurt, peppermint extract, green food gel and vanilla, and mix on low speed until all the dry ingredients are incorporated. Scrape down the side of the bowl and mix for a final 20 seconds.

Fill each liner three-quarters of the way. Using an ice-cream scoop to transfer the batter to the cupcake liners makes this a quick and easy process, and ensures each liner contains exactly the same amount of batter and that the cupcakes will bake evenly. Bake for 40–50 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the middle of a cupcake comes out clean. Allow the cupcakes to cool completely on a wire rack before frosting.

Fit the end of a piping bag with a Wilton 1M tip, fill your bag with frosting and frost your cupcakes in a signature swirl.

To prepare the frosting, flavour all of it with peppermint extract.

Split the frosting in half. Add green food gel to one half of the frosting.

Split the remaining frosting into 6 bowls. Colour each one in the rainbow colours listed in the ingredients list.

Add the green frosting to a piping bag fitted with a medium round tip.

Frost 4 small bulbs on top of each cupcake, making each one smaller than the one on the bottom. Kind of like a Christmas tree shape. Chill for 30 minutes.

Fit the end of a piping bag with a Wilton #347 leaf tip and fill with purple frosting. Pipe leaves at the base of each Christmas tree. Clean the tip and add to another piping bag. Fill with blue buttercream. Repeat with the remaining frosting in the order of the rainbow frosting. Finish with the pink frosting on top. Yes, this is going to take a little longer to do than most other frosting techniques, but it’s so freaking cute!