Hairy Bikers Raspberry & Rose Fairy Cakes Recipe

These raspberry and rose fairy cakes are soft, buttery little sponges topped with delicate rose icing and fresh raspberries. The fruit brings a bright tang that balances the floral sweetness. This easy recipe is suitable for beginners and takes about 1 hour, including cooling and decorating. It is a home-baked interpretation inspired by the flavours associated with the Hairy Bikers, rather than a verified reproduction of their recipe.

Ingredients

Makes 12 fairy cakes.

For the fairy cakes

• 125g unsalted butter, softened
• 125g caster sugar
• 2 large eggs, at room temperature
• 125g self-raising flour
• 1 tablespoon milk
• 75g fresh raspberries, roughly chopped

For the rose icing and decoration

• 150g icing sugar, sifted
• ½ teaspoon food-grade rose water, plus a little more to taste
• 2 to 3 teaspoons water, as needed
• 12 fresh raspberries

How to Make Raspberry and Rose Fairy Cakes

• Prepare the oven: Preheat the oven to 180°C or 160°C fan. Line a 12-hole fairy cake tin with paper cases and place a shelf in the middle of the oven.
• Cream the butter and sugar: Beat the softened butter and caster sugar in a mixing bowl for 3 to 4 minutes, until pale and fluffy.
• Add the eggs: Beat in the eggs one at a time. If the mixture looks slightly curdled, add a spoonful of the measured flour with the second egg.
• Finish the batter: Gently fold in the remaining flour, followed by the milk. Fold in the chopped raspberries with a few light strokes, taking care not to crush them too much.
• Fill and bake: Divide the batter evenly between the cases. Bake for 15 to 18 minutes, until the cakes are golden, spring back when lightly pressed and a skewer inserted into the sponge comes out clean.
• Cool completely: Leave the cakes in the tin for 5 minutes, then transfer them to a wire rack. Allow about 20 minutes for them to cool before icing.
• Make the icing: Stir the rose water and 2 teaspoons of water into the icing sugar. Add a little more water if needed, until the icing is thick enough to spread without running off the cakes. Taste and add a drop more rose water if you like.
• Decorate: Spoon a little icing onto each cooled cake and gently spread it over the top. Finish each one with a fresh raspberry and leave the icing to set before serving.

Tips for the Best Fairy Cakes

How can I keep the cakes light and fluffy?

Start with properly softened butter and beat it well with the sugar. Once you add the flour, fold gently and stop as soon as no dry patches remain.

How do I stop the raspberries from making the batter wet?

Pat washed raspberries dry before chopping them. Fold them in gently and bake the cakes as soon as the batter is ready.

How much rose water should I use?

Rose water varies in strength, so begin with ½ teaspoon and taste the icing. Add only a drop at a time if you want a stronger floral flavour, and use a product labelled as food-grade.

Why is my icing running off the cakes?

The cakes may still be warm, or the icing may be too thin. Cool the cakes completely and stir a little extra sifted icing sugar into the icing if necessary.

Serving Suggestions

• Serve with a pot of English breakfast tea or a cup of coffee.
• Arrange on a cake stand with other small bakes for afternoon tea.
• Add a few extra fresh raspberries to each plate.

Storage

Room temperature

Keep undecorated cakes in an airtight container in a cool place for up to 2 days. Because the topping includes fresh fruit, refrigerate the decorated cakes.

Refrigerator

Store decorated cakes in an airtight container for up to 2 days. Bring them to room temperature for about 20 minutes before serving for the best texture.

Freezing

Freeze the cooled, undecorated cakes in an airtight container for up to 3 months. Thaw at room temperature, then add the icing and fresh raspberries.

Nutrition

Approximate values per cake, based on 12 cakes:

• Calories: 205 kcal
• Carbohydrates: 30g
• Protein: 2g
• Fat: 9g
• Saturated fat: 5g
• Sodium: 70mg

Nutrition values are estimates and will vary with the ingredients and brands used.

FAQs