Rose Cupcakes

1. Preheat your oven to 200°C (400°F). Place 12 paper bun cases in a bun tray.
2. Put the milk and butter in a small saucepan on a low heat and stir and heat gently until the butter has melted (but before the milk boils!) OR place them in a jug and microwave in 30-second bursts, stiring in between, until the butter is melted (I microwave – it usually takes three 30-second bursts)
3. Stir a tablespoon of rosewater into the milk and butter mixture. Set aside to cool slightly.
4.Using a large bowl and an electric hand whisk (or using a stand mixer), beat the eggs, salt and cream of tartar for around ten minutes – starting on a medium speed, then up to a higher speed – you want them creamy and very fluffy looking.
5. Still beating the eggs, gradually pour in the sugar and continue to whisk until the mixture looks mousse-like – pale and fluffy.
6. Turn down to the lowest speed, and sift in the flour and baking powder and mix until just combined, then add the milk and butter mixture. Stop whicking as soon as everything is just combined.
7. Spoon the mix into your paper cases, and bake in the oven for 15 mins or until lightly golden and firm to the touch. Allow to cool slightly in the tin before moving to a wire rack.

These cupcakes do not rise very much, and they stay quite flat on top – do not be alarmed, they are supposed to be flat and even!

To make the icing, sift the icing sugar into a bowl and add rosewater half a teaspoon at a time, mixing well after each addition with a fork, until you have a smooth, runny icing, slightly thicker than heavy cream.
(This can take more or less rosewater depending on the humidity and temperature/weather, but you should need no more than 2 teaspoons). If the icing gets too runny, sift in more icing sugar a tablespoon at a time and mix well.

Carefully spoon a little of the runny icing over each cupcake, tilting the cupcake to make the icing flow evenly over the surface. Set aside in a cool dry place for the icing to set.

If you want pink rose icing, add tiny amounts of liquid red food colouring as you are mixing the icing, by dripping it in with a toothpick, until you reach your desired level of pink-ness.