Once seen as an old staple these are now experiencing a revival. They are now presented everywhere – from wedding receptions to cafes.

Ingredients:

• 4  1/2 oz/125gm butter
• 1 teaspoon vanilla essence
• 1/2 cup castor sugar
• 2 eggs
• 1 cup sifted flour
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/4 cup plain unsweetened yoghurt

Method:

Cream the butter, vanilla and sugar until light and fluffy. Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each one. Add the combined flour and baking powder and fold into the mixture. Stir in the yoghurt. Place spoonfuls of the mixture evenly into paper cases in patty tins. Bake at 375 F/190 C for 15 – 20 minutes until the cakes spring back when lightly touched (if you are using a fan-forced oven  then you will need to lower the temperature by up to 10 degrees centigrade and/or adjust the time). Place cakes on to a wire rack to cool. When cool, ice and decorate as desired.

Icing:

• 1 oz/25 gm butter
• dash of hot water
• a few drops of lemon or orange juice
• sifted icing sugar to mix

Mix the icing to make an even paste and able to be spread onto the cakes. Decorate with a half a glace cherry, or sweets for children.