Method

1. Preheat oven to 160°C.

2. Line your mini cupcake tray with cupcake liners.

3. In a microwave safe bowl, add the butter and milk. Microwave on high at 30 second increments until the butter has melted. Set aside until ready to use.

4. In a stand mixer, or using a hand-held mixer, beat the eggs and sugar until pale yellow and doubled in volume.

5. Add the flour, baking powder to the egg mixture and beat until the dry ingredients are well incorporated.

6. Take about 1 cup of the batter, the vegetable oil and whisk into the milk and butter bowl to temper. Pour this back into the batter bowl and beat until smooth.

7. Pour batter two-thirds of the way into your cupcake tray. Bake for 10-12 minutes until an inserted skewer comes out clean.

8. Remove cupcakes from the oven and place them on a wire rack to cool.

9. To make the icing, beat the butter, icing sugar and vanilla together for 8-10 minutes or until the butter is pale or white in colour. Divide the buttercream into one larger and one smaller piping bag. The larger one with a wider tip, and the smaller one with a smaller tip to decorate.

10. To assemble, using the larger piping bag, pipe the buttercream on the tops of the cupcake.

11. Cut strawberries into 2 at the tip, making a hat. Place the larger half on top of the buttercream. Pipe a little on top to secure the hat.

12. Pipe a beard, two buttons and a pom pom on the strawberry and stick a Mini M&M on for Santa's nose and 100s and 1000s for the eyes if you wish.

Ingredients

g unsalted butter

cup milk

large eggs

cup caster sugar

cup of plain flour, sifted

tsp baking powder

tsp vegetable oil

punnets strawberries, washed and hulled

packet Mini M&M’s

Buttercream Icing

g Black & Gold Unsalted Butter, softened

cup Black & Gold Icing Sugar, sifted

tsp vanilla