Red Nose Day Cupcakes - Emily with Sprinkles

Every 2 years for the past 30 years, people across the UK get together to raise money for Comic Relief. The money raised by Red Nose Day is used to help people who are living tough lives in both the UK and internationally. I wanted to complete a baking tutorial that was easy to follow yet fun and bright. If you want to join in with some Red Nose Day baking or want to adapt these for another fun idea, simply follow the step by step guide below.

Ingredients – cupcakes

200g butter
200g caster sugar
4 eggs
1 tsp vanilla extract
250g self-raising flour
2 tsp baking powder
Red gel food colouring

Ingredients – Buttercream

150g butter
400g icing sugar
2 tbsp milk

Decoration

Red fondant
Edible cartoon eyes

Step 1

Pre-heat the oven to 190 degrees (fan).

Cream the butter and the sugar.

Step 2

Whisk in the eggs and vanilla extract.

Step 3

Sift the flour and baking powder and fold into the mixture.

Step 4

Add a very small amount of red food colouring and mix thoroughly.

Step 5

Fill 12 cupcake cases with cake mixture. Fill to 3/4 full using 2 spoons.

Bake for 14 – 17 minutes until cooked through.

Step 6

Allow the cakes to cool on a wire rack.

If the tops of the cakes are uneven, you can cut them off using a small knife.

Step 7

Whilst the cakes are cooling, make the buttercream. Whisk the butter in a bowl for 5 minutes. Add the vanilla extract and whisk for a further minute.

Step 8

Slowly sift in the icing sugar and whisk after each addition.

Step 9

Add the milk and whisk until thoroughly combined.

Step 10

Place a circular piping nozzle (I used Wilton 1M) in a piping bag and fill with buttercream.

Step 11

Pipe a flat circle onto the cupcakes.

Step 12

Roll the red fondant out and cut out 12 circles. These should be approximately the same size as the top of the cupcakes.

Step 13

Create a nose from a small ball of red fondant and press dints into the fondant where the eyes will be.

Step 14

Add edible cartoon eyes and score a smile into the fondant for a smile. You could vary the expressions and even add a small amount of white royal icing to make the expression pop.