Butterfly Cakes
Butterfly cakes are classic British fairy cakes filled with raspberry jam and topped with buttercream. Light sponge made with self raising flour, eggs and vanilla is baked, then halved and transformed into wings. The Thermomix TM7 mixes the batter evenly and whips the buttercream filling into a silky consistency, giving every cake the same tender crumb.
About this recipe
Butterfly cakes Thermomix TM7 bring a beloved British tea-time treat within easy reach of your all-in-one kitchen machine. These fairy cakes, baked from a simple batter of self raising flour, caster sugar, eggs and vanilla, rise into light golden domes that you slice open and fold into wings around a raspberry jam and buttercream centre. The TM7 mixes the cake batter evenly in seconds, so every sponge has the same tender crumb, and the butterfly whisk whips the butter and icing sugar into a filling that is airy rather than greasy. Searching for easy dessert recipes, party baking or nostalgic afternoon tea ideas? These cakes answer all three. Children adore lifting the winged lids, and the recipe yields two dozen, making it generous enough for birthday tables, bake sales and weekend treats alike.
Preparation tips
- Spoon the fairy cake batter evenly into the paper cases using two teaspoons, filling each about two-thirds full so the sponges dome nicely without spilling over the bun tins.
- Wait until the cakes are completely cold before slicing the tops, otherwise the steam will melt the buttercream and the little wings will collapse instead of sitting prettily on the raspberry jam.
- For neat butterflies, cut each removed sponge top in half with a sharp knife and dust the finished wings lightly with icing sugar just before serving for a bakery-style finish.
- Swap the raspberry jam for apricot or blackcurrant preserves if you prefer a tarter fruit note, and add a drop of lemon zest to the buttercream to lift the sweetness for adult palates.
Recipe variations
- Make a lactose-free version by using plant-based baking margarine in both the sponge and the buttercream, and check that the caster sugar and jam are dairy-free; the wings and filling stay just as light and fluffy.
- For a festive chocolate variation, replace two tablespoons of self raising flour with cocoa powder, fill with cherry jam and finish the buttercream with a grating of dark chocolate over the wings for a black-forest inspired party cake.
Thermomix TM7 Benefits
- Weighing caster sugar and self raising flour directly in the mixing bowl, the TM7 scale gives gram-accurate cake batter with no separate scales to wash. [Built-in Scale]
- Mixing eggs, butter and vanilla into the fairy cake batter, the Thermomix delivers an even, lump-free consistency far faster than creaming by hand. [Time Savings]
- Whipping the buttercream with the butterfly whisk, the TM7 turns butter and icing sugar into a silky, cloud-light filling in minutes. [Time Savings]
- Grating a block of chilled butter for the buttercream base, the Thermomix produces fine, quick-softening shavings that blend smoothly with the icing sugar. [Multi-Function]
- Heating a splash of water gently in the bowl, the TM7 dissolves the sugar for the sponge so the batter stays evenly sweetened without graininess. [Multi-Function]
Ingredients
- self-raising flour
- caster sugar
- baking powder
- unsalted butter
- large eggs
- vanilla extract
- water
- raspberry jam
- icing sugar