beginners buns with chocolate butter icing

Buns are great if you're new to baking. Generally, there's two ways to make them; using the 'all in one', or 'creaming' method. Personally, I prefer creaming, where you mix the fats and sugar together, before adding the eggs, liquids and finally the flour. I find the less mixing of the flour, the better. Over mixing stretches glutens, leading to a denser sponge. The 'all in one' method involves combining all the ingredients in one go. With this, you run the risk of split batter and heavy cakes.

Don't be daunted by piping icing on these buns. If it all goes horribly wrong, whip out the spatula and call them 'rustic'.

Ingredients for 12 buns

100g butter softened

150g caster sugar

2 large eggs

3 tablespoons milk

1/2 tsp vanilla extract

150g self raising flour

Icing:

100g softened butter

225g sifted icing sugar

2 tbsp cocoa powder

Method

-Heat the oven to 170 degrees and line a 12 hole muffin tin with cases

-cream the butter & sugar, by hand or by using a mixer, until it becomes pale and fluffy.

-gradually beat in the eggs, followed by the milk & vanilla.

-sieve in the flour & gently stir until combined, with no lumps.

-spoon into bun cases & bake for 25-30 mins until golden brown. Allow to cool before piping the icing on top and decorating with whatever takes your fancy.