The aromatic sharpness of lavender combined with soft honey flavours and toasted almonds give these cupcakes an intensity of flavour that is luxuriously decadent and festive.

Top these cupcakes with edible silver glitter for a gorgeous Christmas treat!

Christmas cupcake couture with Tate & Lyle Cane Fairtrade sugar is simple to make and bake at home and can add a touch of high fashion to any occasion. Indulge with some TLC – tea and little cupcakes – and enjoy the moment.

Ingredients:

Vanilla cupcakes:

280 g plain flour, sifted
1 tsp baking powder
Pinch salt
113g unsalted butter, softened
205g Tate & Lyle fair-trade caster sugar
2 large eggs, at room temperature
4 floz whole milk
1/2 teaspoon good vanilla extract

Method:

Makes 13

Preheat oven to 180ºc

Sift together flour, salt and baking powder in a small bowl.

In a large mixing bowl, beat the butter with an electric mixer until smooth. Add caster sugar and beat for 5 minutes until very light and fluffy.

Add the eggs, one at a time, beating to combine after each addition. Add the flour mixture in three parts, alternating with the milk and vanilla, beginning and ending with the flour. Be careful not to over mix.

Using an ice cream scoop, spoon the batter into cupcake liners - about 3/4 full.

Bake for 20 mins or until a toothpick inserted into the centre comes out clean.

Cool the cupcakes in the pan for a few minutes then transfer to a wire rack and allow to cool completely.

For the frosting:

Lily Vanilli Lavender Honey Icing:

50g soft butter
450g Tate & Lyle Fairtrade icing sugar (approx – depending on the consistency you want to achieve) 3fl oz lavender milk (see below)
1fl oz double cream
1 tsp honey
Flaked almonds and lavender and edible silver glitter to decorate

Toast flaked almonds on a baking sheet in a hot oven for approx 5 mins – until lightly browned - and allow to cool.

Whisk butter in a metal bowl until smooth, then add 300g icing sugar, milk, honey & double cream. Blend until smooth and slowly add remaining icing sugar until you have the consistency you want.

Ice cupcakes and dust with a sprinkling of lavender buds, cooled toasted almonds and silver glitter.

For the lavender milk:

Measure out around 1.5 times the milk your recipe requires (to allow for evaporation) and add lavender buds at a ratio of 2tbsp buds to 1 cup milk to a small pan. Heat ingredients to a scald stage (just before boiling), then turn off heat and leave to cool completely. Strain the flowers with a sieve and re-measure milk before adding to your recipe.

Notes:

Edible glitter is available from cake shops and online baking retailers

About Tate & Lyle:

Tate & Lyle baking range of sugar products are all Fairtrade certified. Moreover, it is the only Fairtrade sugar on the market that made the decision not to pass on the extra cost to the consumer, as it believes that Fairtrade should mean fair for everyone.

Tate & Lyle’s Fairtrade Baking Sugar is all made from cane sugar, which is the preferred sugar for baking and chosen by the vast majority of chefs.

So indulge yourself in one of the most fashionable trends this year with a little TLC (tea and little cakes) knowing that Tate & Lyle is not passing on the Fairtrade premium. It's Fairtrade sugar at a fair price so shoppers don't have to pay the extra.

For more recipes from Tate & Lyle visit tasteandsmile.co.uk

For more information about cupcake couture expert Lily Vanilli, visit lilyvanilli.com

Also take a look here for a fun animation.