These Butterfly Cakes are the ultimate blast from the past.
Light vanilla cupcakes, a dollop of jam, a swirl of fresh cream and two little "wings" on top - if you grew up eating these at every kids' birthday party, you'll want to make my Easy Vanilla Cupcakes next, or if it's a classic Aussie teacake you're after, my Rock Cakes are just as nostalgic.
A Quick Look At The Recipe
🧁 Recipe: Butterfly Cakes
⏰ Ready In: 27 minutes
🍽️ Serves: 12
🔥 Calories: 190 per cake
🧈 Main Ingredients: butter, sugar, eggs, self-raising flour, jam, cream
🌱 Dietary Info: Vegetarian • Thermomix or conventional method
💛 Why You'll Love It: nostalgic, kid-approved and one of the easiest cupcakes to decorate - even little hands can help
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"The cakes took longer to bake in my oven than the recipe, but are seriously delicious! Def holding on to this recipe."
Frances
I've been making these since I was old enough to hold a piping bag, and they still disappear off the plate faster than anything else I bake.
Whether it's a kids' birthday (hello, if you're planning a Sesame Street party) or just a cuppa with your mum, these always go down a treat - and if chocolate's more your thing, my Chocolate Chip Cupcakes or Lemon Cupcakes are just as easy.
Jump to:
Why You're Going To Love This Recipe
- Ridiculously nostalgic - the exact same recipe your nanna probably made
- One of the easiest cupcakes to decorate - even the kids can help cut the wings
- Ready in under 30 minutes, start to finish
- Made the classic way or in the Thermomix - either works beautifully
Butterfly Cakes Ingredients
Nothing fancy here - it's a classic vanilla cupcake batter plus jam and cream. A couple of notes:
- Jam - raspberry or strawberry are the classic choice, but use whatever you've got open in the fridge.
- Cream - use a thickened or pure cream that's suitable for whipping. Whip it just before serving, not hours ahead, or it can weep.
Variations
- Gluten-free: swap in a gluten-free self-raising flour (or plain GF flour plus baking powder) - works a treat.
- Buttercream instead of cream: handy if these need to sit out at a party for longer than 30 minutes - fresh cream won't hold up as well in the heat.
- Lemon twist: swap the jam for lemon curd for a zestier version.
- Chocolate butterfly cakes: add 2 tablespoons of cocoa powder and reduce the flour slightly.
- Mini fairy cakes: use a mini muffin tin and cut the baking time down for littlies' hands.
How To Make Butterfly Cakes
Just 4 simple steps: mix, bake, cut and decorate.
- Step 1: Beat the butter and sugar. Preheat the oven to 170°C (fan-forced) and line a 12-hole muffin tray with cupcake cases. Beat the butter, caster sugar, salt and vanilla until pale and fluffy.
- Step 2: Add the eggs and flour. Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each. Sift in the self-raising flour and stir until just combined - don't overmix or the cakes will turn out tough.
- Step 3: Fill and bake. Fill the cupcake cases two-thirds full and bake for 12-15 minutes, until golden and springy to touch. Cool in the tray for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
- Step 4: Cut the wings. Once completely cool, cut a small circle from the centre of each cupcake and halve it - these are your wings.
- Step 5: Fill and decorate. Whip the cream until firm peaks form. Spoon a teaspoon of jam into the hole, top with whipped cream, and pop the wing halves on top.
- Step 6: Finish. Dust with a little icing sugar if you like, and serve.
Team Thermomix? Mix the butter and sugar for 15 seconds on Speed 5, then add the eggs, salt, vanilla and flour and mix a further 15 seconds on Speed 5. Whip the cream using the butterfly attachment on Speed 3, keeping a close eye on it so it doesn't overwhip.
Recipe Tips
- Use room temperature butter and eggs - it makes a huge difference to how well the batter creams up.
- Don't overmix once the flour goes in, or you'll end up with tough, dense cakes.
- Pop a few grains of uncooked rice in the bottom of each muffin hole before adding the cupcake case - it stops the base going greasy.
- Storage: once filled, store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 2 days. Bring to room temperature for 10-15 minutes before serving for the best texture.
- Freezing: freeze the plain, undecorated cupcakes for up to 3 months. Thaw completely, then add the jam and cream fresh on the day.
Butterfly Cakes FAQs
Honestly, not much - they're pretty much the same little vanilla cupcake. "Fairy cakes" is the more common name in the UK, while "butterfly cakes" usually refers to the version with the top cut and arranged into wings. Either way, same base recipe.
This usually comes down to overmixing the batter once the flour goes in, or not creaming the butter and sugar properly at the start. Beat the butter and sugar until it's genuinely pale and fluffy before you add anything else.
Pop a few grains of uncooked rice in the bottom of the muffin tin holes before you put the cupcake case in - it absorbs any grease that seeps through the base.
Yes - buttercream or whipped mascarpone both work well, and they'll hold up for longer out of the fridge, which makes them a better choice for parties.
Bake the cupcakes up to 2 days ahead and store them plain in an airtight container, or freeze them for up to 3 months. Add the jam and cream on the day you're serving them, so the filling stays fresh.
More Cupcake Recipes
If you loved these, here are a few more easy cupcake recipes worth trying next.
Butterfly Cakes
Ingredients
- 200 g unsalted butter softened
- 200 g caster sugar
- pinch of salt
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract or essence
- 4 eggs
- 200 g (1 ⅓ cups) self raising flour
- ½ cup (160g) jam raspberry or strawberry (or your choice)
- 300 ml cream thickened, heavy or whipping
- icing sugar to dust
Instructions
Conventional Method
- Preheat oven to 170 degrees celsius (fan-forced).
- Place cupcake cases into the holes of a 12-hole muffin tray.
- Place the butter, caster sugar, salt and vanilla extract into a bowl.
- Beat together with a stand-mixer or hand-held beaters until pale and fluffy.
- Add the eggs one at a time and continue to beat until well combined.
- Sift in the self raising flour and stir with a spoon until just combined (don't over combine).
- Place the cupcake mixture into the cupcake cases - filling them to ⅔ full.
- Bake in the oven for 12-15 minutes or until golden and when they spring back when touched in the centre.
- Leave cupcakes in the baking trays for 5 minutes before moving to a wire rack to cool completely.
- Using beaters or a stand mixer, whip the cream until firm. Set aside.
- Cut a small round circle in the middle of each cupcakes. Cut each of the circles in half.
- Add a teaspoon of jam into the cupcake hole. Top with whipped cream and two of the circle halves (to resemble butterfly wings). Dust with icing sugar (optional).
Thermomix Method
- Preheat oven to 170 degrees celsius (fan-forced).
- Place cupcake cases into the holes of a 12-hole muffin tray.
- Place sugar and butter into the Thermomix bowl and and mix for 15 seconds, Speed 5.
- Add the eggs, salt, vanilla extract and self-raising flour and mix for 15 seconds, Speed 5. Scrape down sides of mixing bowl with spatula, then mix for a further 10 seconds, Speed 5.
- Place the cupcake mixture into the cupcake cases - filling them to ⅔ full.
- Bake in the oven for 12-15 minutes or until golden and when they spring back when touched in the centre.
- Leave cupcakes in the baking trays for 5 minutes before moving to a wire rack to cool completely.
- Insert the butterfly into the Thermomix bowl. Pour in the cream and mix on Speed 3 until whipped and firm (keep an eye on it and stop mixing as soon as the cream is whipped).
- Cut a small round circle in the middle of each cupcakes. Cut each of the circles in half.
- Add a teaspoon of jam into the cupcake hole. Top with whipped cream and two of the circle halves (to resemble butterfly wings). Dust with icing sugar (optional).
Notes
- Use room temperature ingredients
- Beat butter and sugar well for fluffiness
- Don't overmix once flour is added
- Cool completely before decorating
- Store in fridge up to 2 days
- Freeze undecorated cakes for up to 3 months
Jemma Franklin says
Absolutely divine, family loved them.
Lucy says
That's so great to hear!
Amanda says
Love this recipe! The cupcakes are so soft and fluffy and delicious!
Lucy says
Yay! Thank you so much!
Emma Johnson says
Hi Am Emma Johnson from Ghana A Single Mom And a Chef ...I really love your Recipes and how can I see them.
Lucy says
Thank you Emma x
Frances says
The cakes took longer to bake in my oven than the recipe, but are seriously delicious! Def holding on to this recipe. Will do the cream just before serving tomorrow.
Lucy says
Oh that's absolutely fantastic!!