Ingredients
2 large eggs, cracked open
1 tsp vanilla essence
125g/4oz caster sugar
125g/4oz soft margarine
125g/4oz self-raising flour
To decorate (optional)
tubes of writing icing
marshmallows, white and coloured
food colouring, for icing
coloured sweets

Method
1. Heat the oven to 180C/350F/Gas 4. Put all the ingredients in a bowl and beat them together until the mixture is smooth and slightly lighter in colour.
2. Line a bun tin or cupcake tin with paper cake cases and half-fill each case with the cake mixture.
3. Cook the cakes for 18-20 minutes. You can tell they are done when they have risen up, are golden in colour, and spring back into shape when lightly pressed.
4. The cupcakes can be decorated using a basic icing, plus marshmallows, writing icing, food colouring and coloured sweets. You can even make a cupcake farm with animals such as sheep, piglets and dogs.