Coconut cherry cupcakes

As part of our Lorraine's Taste Off launch the chefs this week are baking some of their favourite sweet treats!

James Tanner loves a cupcake and has some great tips for getting them looking bakery quality!

(Serves 12)Ingredients

For the cupcakes

195g self raising flour120g butter130g caster sugar70g desiccated coconut1 tsp grated lemon rind1 tsp vanilla extract1 tsp baking powder3 eggs50ml milkPinch salt100g roughly chopped glace cherries

For the frosting

110 g soft butter230g icing sugar1tsp vanilla extract1 tbsp milkRed food colour 1 dropExtra desiccated coconut for sprinkles

Method

For the cupcakes

• Pre heat oven to 180oc/gas4

• Line a muffin tin 12 cupcake paper cases.

3.. Cream the butter and sugar together until pale and fluffy then add the eggs one at a time and incorporate into the mix.

4.. Next add the lemon zest and vanilla and beat well, then add the coconut and sieve in the salt, baking powder and flour mix well and add the milk.

• Finally fold in the chopped cherry pieces then divide the mix between the cases and bake for approximately 20 minutes until just golden to check they are cooked insert a cocktail stick into the cupcake and if it comes out clean its ready! Leave to cool on a wire rack.

For the frosting

• Simply cream the butter add the vanilla extract and half the sugar.

• Mix then add remaining sugar and milk, separate between two bowls and add a few drops red food colour to one and mix through.

• Take a star nozzle filled piping bag and add the died butter cream to one half of the bag and the plain butter cream to the other half it doesn't have to be perfectly neat!

• Pipe a swirl onto the cupcakes with your mix and sprinkle over some extra dried coconut as a garnish.