So for those of you who just like icing the good old fashioned way and are not so sure about glacé, royal and granache, don’t panic! Here is the recipe and some tips for making smooth, buttery, vanilla-flavoured buttercream frosting. It’s simple to make, keeps well, is easy to spread or pipe and tastes delicious! Of course! That’s why we love it!

To top 12 cupcakes you will need:

150g/5½oz unsalted butter, softened

1 tsp vanilla extract

280g/10oz icing sugar

1-2 tbsp milk

1. Place the butter and vanilla extract in a large mixing bowl and, using an electric mixer, beat the butter until very soft and pale. 

2. Gradually sift in the icing sugar, beating well after each addition. The more you beat at this stage, the lighter and fluffier the frosting will be. Beat in the milk to give a softer consistency for piping.

To colour, use a cocktail stick to add a tiny amount of food colouring paste or liquid to the buttercream. Beat thoroughly until you have an even colour.

For chocolate buttercream, beat in 2 tablespoons of cocoa powder mixed to a paste with a little hot water, or 115g/4oz melted milk or plain chocolate.