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Mary Berry Chocolate Fairy Cakes Recipe

Mary Berry Chocolate Fairy Cakes Recipe

Mary Berry's chocolate fairy cakes are light, chocolatey little cakes with a swirl of chocolate buttercream — quick to make and universally loved.
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 12 minutes
Cooling Time 30 minutes
Total Time 57 minutes
Servings: 18 Fairy Cakes
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: British
Calories: 210
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

  • Chocolate Fairy Cakes:
  • 100 g unsalted butter softened
  • 100 g golden caster sugar
  • 2 large eggs room temperature
  • 85 g self-raising flour sifted
  • 15 g good quality cocoa powder sifted
  • 1 tsp baking powder
  • 2 tbsp whole milk
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • Chocolate Buttercream:
  • 150 g unsalted butter softened
  • 250 g icing sugar sifted twice
  • 30 g good quality cocoa powder sifted
  • 2 –3 tbsp whole milk
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • Decoration:
  • Chocolate sprinkles sugar strands, Smarties, silver or gold edible balls

Method
 

  1. Preheat oven to 180°C / 160°C fan / Gas 4. Line two shallow bun tins with 18 small fairy cake cases.
  2. Place all sponge ingredients in a large bowl. Beat with electric whisk 2 minutes until smooth and combined.
  3. Divide batter between 18 cases — two-thirds full. Bake 12–14 minutes until risen and skewer comes out clean. Cool in tins 5 minutes. Transfer to wire rack — cool completely.
  4. Beat softened butter alone 4 minutes until pale and fluffy. Add icing sugar and cocoa powder in 2 batches — beat well. Add vanilla and milk — beat 2 more minutes until smooth and soft.
  5. Spoon buttercream onto each cooled fairy cake — swirl with the back of a spoon in a generous, relaxed circular motion. Decorate immediately with sprinkles, Smarties, or chosen decorations.

Notes

Use fairy cake cases in a shallow bun tin — not muffin cases or a deep muffin tin.
Fill two-thirds full — more gives flat-topped cakes that overflow slightly.
Beat butter alone for 4 minutes — creates the light base for the chocolate buttercream.
Buttercream should be softer than piping consistency — it is spread not piped.
Decorate immediately after frosting — decorations adhere to fresh buttercream, not set.
Best eaten on the day of baking. Freeze unfrosted for up to 3 months.
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