baking beats a spa treatment any day

It read baking beats a spa treatment any day, quality backing is its own special form of therapy!

 I'm not sure I can agree with that statement at all, Ive been known many a time to say how much I loath cooking, but just ust lately  I've started to be just that little bit envious when I enter a friends house and smell the delicious backed treats im getting served with my mug of tea. When I look back on my childhood one thing I really wish someone has instited I learnt to do was to cook. Over the last few weeks Ive been thinking more and more about wanting to teach the children to make something, I dont want them growing wishing the same thing, I dont want if they should have children for them to dread the school cake sale and it cost them a fortune to buy cakes to donate only to have to buy them back again, If they can wisk yo a batch in an evening it will only bring them more joy ..  I dont want them to be afraid of the kitchen, enviouse of others sweet delights when they are more than able to fix their own. I would like for my children to be confident in the kitchen and I would like for myself to have been able to tribute a little to that, I dont want my girls to grow up believing women cant really cook and its the men that do! Their dad is an amanzing cook, and I know many skills they will pick up in a kitchen will come from observiving him during the hours he spends putting together a dish. I would love for my girls to be able to set about in the kitchen and make up a small batch f something intime for their sleepover with friends ..  I repeat ...I dont want my children to feel a.f.r.a.i.d of the kitchen!
The only problem with that is I would need to teach my self first so this afternoon I collect all the ingredients I would need and ive had my self a little backing session with thanks to a favourite read of mine my psychologies magazine ive followed a recipe by Caroline Stacey who is the former food editor of The Independent and Time out ... for Cup cakes

Cupcakes.Makes 12

Cake tin needed: 12 – hole muffin time ( I could only find a 6 hole)

100g butter softened

150g self raising flour

150g Caster Sugar

3tbso milk

2 large eggs

1/2tsp vanilla extract

For the butter icing:

100b butter softened

225g sifted icing sugar

1/2tsp vanilla extract

Preheat the oven to 180'c/fan160'c/gas 4. Put the muffin cases into the muffin tin, so that the cakes keep a good even shape as they bake.

Measure all the cupcake ingredients into a large bowl and beat until blended smooth. Spoon evenly between the paper case.

Bake for 20 – 25 mins until risen and golden brown.

Cool the cakes on a wire rack until completely cold before icing.

To make the butter icing beat all the icing ingredients to give a creamy thick icing then smooth over the cold cupcakes,

I think my neighbour wondered what was going on, as he went to his garden, me in the kitchen with the light on for more than 15 minutes  , the open window slightly realise some heat from the oven and the smell of baking flowing out to the yard = yes i maria am backing! 
 I followed the instructions to a T, found it well written and very simple to follow .. Giving my self a big pat on the back as I sit down with my mug of Tea and a cake ... I get to be the first to sample one ... Not bad for a first attempt, Im guessing if I make them again it will be without the butter icing .. Im not a huge fan of the taste and my gawd was it hard work to spread on the cake ...  so presentation could be worked on a little, I will over the next week shoe the kids the recipe and help them to follow it, so that under supervision they may enjoy making some of their own.