Butterfly cupcakes are a quintessential treat that was served at almost every child’s birthday party in the UK when I was growing up. Traditional British butterfly cakes are (apparently) sometimes called fairy cakes, but no matter the name, they are simply delightful.
Originally published April 9, 2014.
If you want to have an ex-pat Brit begin to wax nostalgic about food, just mention butterfly cakes or fairy cakes. However, mention them to a non-Brit and they will probably give you a tilt of their head, and look of confusion.
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As a child growing up in the UK, these were standard fare at birthday parties, and practically everyone’s mum made butterfly cakes (which is what they are called the UK); it was just a given. The butterfly cupcakes on a stand can give you an idea of how to use them as a butterfly birthday cake.
However, as you can see, they’re also perfect for wedding and baby showers! You could even put them on top of another cake to make a butterfly birthday cake itself. So many wonderful party ideas! These cream buns are another example of a classic, yet simple, and favorite food of many Brits. Like so many other British baking creations “across the pond”, somehow they have never caught on in the US.
Cream Buns, a Scottish Favourite
Each time I’ve made these delicate, butterfly-like creations, they are met with gasps of delight. And if you think they’re just another pretty cupcake, think again. Inside is a little dollop of raspberry jam hiding below a bigger dollop of freshly whipped cream! The flavor is outstanding!
Please don’t think that butterfly cupakes are difficult to make as they are truly one of the easiest cupcakes to decorate; even children can make them. You can use any flavor of cake, but I think they look the nicest when using a white or vanilla cake (light colored).
Butterfly Cupcakes
(Traditional British Butterfly Cakes)
makes 3 dozen cupcakes
cake recipe is a Victoria Sandwich
Ingredients
- 2 1/2 sticks (300g) good quality butter, unsalted and at room temperature (if you only have salted butter, omit the salt)
- 1 1/4 cups (300g) superfine or Baker’s sugar (caster sugar in the UK)
- 6 eggs, beaten
- 2 cups (300g) self-rising flour (or all purpose flour with 2 tsp baking powder), SIFTED
- a good pinch of salt
To decorate
- 1 jar raspberry jam, good quality; I like Mackays or Bonne Maman (you won’t use the entire jar)
- 1 cup (8 oz) heavy whipping cream, whipped
- powdered sugar for dusting
Prepare cupcake tins with paper liners.
Preheat oven to 350º F (175º C)
In a stand mixer or using a handheld mixer, cream the butter and sugar until very light and fluffy. It will begin to pale in color, too.
Add about one third of the beaten eggs, and mix well at medium speed.
Then add about a third of the sifted flour. Repeat this step. Add the rest of the eggs and mix well, then turn the mixer to low and add the final flour.
Just mix until well combined.
Fill the cupcake liners half full with the batter and bake for 25 to 30 minutes or until a skewer comes out clean when placed in the center of a cupcake.
Remove cupcakes from the tin, place on cooling rack and allow to cool completely.
When ready to decorate, cut out the center of each cupcake, angling the knife at a 45º angle.
Then cut the loose piece in half to resemble butterfly wings (not shown in photo.)
Place a small amount of jam in the center,
Follow with a dollop of cream (or buttercream, if desired). You can also pipe the cream like I did.
Next, place the “wings” on top.
TIP: If you need to have the butterfly cupcakes out for more than half an hour (for example a bake sale), then I’d advise using buttercream so that the cream won’t spoil This also works, and still tastes very good, but the authentic way (and my favorite way) is to use cream.
Repeat with all of the cupcakes, then dust each one generously with powdered sugar.
Serve immediately, especially if using fresh cream, as it can spoil quickly, especially in warm weather. Keep refrigerated if you do not serve them right away.
NOTE: I did some research and although some people in Scotland and the UK call these “fairy cakes”, the majority of us know these as butterfly cakes. Fairy cakes are flat-topped cupcakes with plain icing on top.
Butterfly Cupcakes (Traditional British Butterfly Cakes)
Pretty little cupcakes filled with jam and cream and a butterfly on top. Traditional British treat at children's parties.
Ingredients
- 2 1/2 sticks (300g) good quality butter, unsalted and at room temperature (if you only have salted butter, omit the salt)
- 1 1/4 cups (300g) superfine or Baker’s sugar (caster sugar in the UK)
- 6 eggs, beaten
- 2 cups (300g) self-rising flour (or all purpose flour with 2 tsp baking powder), SIFTED
- a good pinch of salt
To Decorate
- 1 jar raspberry jam, good quality; I like Mackays or Bonne Maman (you won't use the entire jar)
- 1 cup (8 oz) heavy whipping cream, whipped
- powdered sugar for dusting
Instructions
Prepare cupcake tins with paper liners.
Preheat oven to 350º F (175º C)
- In a stand mixer or using a handheld mixer, cream the butter and sugar until very light and fluffy. It will begin to pale in color, too.
- Add about one third of the beaten eggs, and mix well at medium speed.
- Then add about a third of the sifted flour. Repeat this step. Add the rest of the eggs and mix well, then turn the mixer to low and add the final flour. Just mix until well combined.
- Fill the cupcake liners half full with the batter and bake for 25 to 30 minutes or until a skewer comes out clean when placed in the center of a cupcake.
- Remove cupcakes from the tin, place on cooling rack and allow to cool completely. When ready to decorate, cut out the center of each cupcake, angling the knife at a 45º angle.
- Then cut the loose piece in half to resemble butterfly wings. Place a small amount of jam in the center. Follow with a dollop of cream (or buttercream, if desired). You can also pipe the cream like I did. Next, place the "wings" on top.
- Repeat with all of the cupcakes, then dust each one generously with powdered sugar. Serve immediately, or refrigerate until ready to serve.
Notes
TIP: If you need to have the butterfly cupcakes out for more than half an hour (for example a bake sale), then I'd advise using buttercream so that the cream won't spoil This also works, and still tastes very good, but the authentic way (and my favorite way) is to use cream.
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 36 Serving Size: 1 cupcakeAmount Per Serving: Calories: 62Total Fat: 2gSaturated Fat: 1gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 1gCholesterol: 34mgSodium: 16mgCarbohydrates: 9gFiber: 0gSugar: 4gProtein: 2g
Nutrition information is only an estimate.
Almond Cupcakes with Cherry Almond Cream Cheese Frosting
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Hi Christina! I’m a more inexperienced baker, well I usually do cakes from the box but do you think this would be a good recipe for me to use? But I also want to say these butterfly cupcakes are so elegant and look delicious the way you make them and then display them is amazing. Thank you for sharing your beautiful recipes!
Absolutely! It’s so easy and you’ll never touch a boxed cake again after tasting this one! Just follow the directions and let me know if you have any questions! Enjoy and thank you!
My goodness, these butterfly cakes bring back memories growing up in Scotland too. We always had them at parties. Funnily enough, the last time I had them was when my Mum came over here to France to celebrate Julie’s birthday when she was little and when my Mum saw what I was making, held her hands up in horror and asked where were the butterfly cakes? So that was the last time I saw her bake, lol. If only she had had your recipe at the time!
Picture perfect as always xx
That’s too funny, Jill! haha!
Your tiered display of the Butterfly Cupcakes is the prettiest and most elegant I have ever seen.
Oh, thank you so much, Josephine! That means a lot to me!
What a sweet (pun intended) tradition for a child’s birthday. They are so cute, especially the way you have them on the tiered plate!.
Thanks, David! The kiddies really do love them!
I live in Scotland and I have always known these cakes as Fairy cakes .
Hi Louise, after some research and polls to ask about butterfly cakes vs. fairy cakes from Scots and people from the rest of the UK, it seems that a minority of people call these “fairy cakes.” Fairy cakes are the flat topped cupcakes with pastel colored icing. Butterfly cakes is definitely the norm, thank you.
This must be the posh version. I’m Rnglish and I’ve never seen butterfly cakes with real cream. It was always butter icing. And yes, the wings make these butterfly cakes. Fairy cakes use glacé or royal icing and don’t have wings. Question: could you use self raiding flour instead of plain?
Probably a difference between England and Scotland as the Scottish ones always had cream. So I wouldn’t say, “posh” haha! If you do use self-raising, don’t add the baking powder, Suzie. :)
This is the “sweetest” recipe I have seen in a long time and makes my heart happy — I need to get these made🧁☕️
Thank you, Carol! I think you’ll enjoy them!
Hi Christina, what memories you just awakened for me! I live in Australia, and my mum ALWAYS make butterfly cakes for our birthdays – and yes, she called them Butterfly Cakes because they looked like a little butterfly had landed on top of each cake. Here’s the funny part – both my parents are Italian through and through (dad from Livorno, mum from Fiume), but mum was a fabulous cook and would often try her hand at recipes from other countries… but we thought Butterfly Cakes were Australian! I guess the fact Australia was colonised by the English… we ended up with lots of traditionally English recipes! Butterfly cakes are soooo pretty! Soooo light & fluffy! Soooo delicious!
I am so happy you posted this recipe!
I have a question, though… my little one gets a tummy ache if he has milk… will this recipe work with either almond milk or oat milk in place of the butter milk? (I’ll use Nuttelex instead of butter – its a milk-free margarine – it won’t be quite as yummy as butter, but at least he’ll be able to eat them!).
Hi Wendy, that’s so cool that your mum made recipes from all over, especially since she was from Italy! So glad you love the butterfly cakes. I haven’t made them with another type of milk, but the only thing is that buttermilk helps the cupcakes rise, so maybe they just won’t rise as much? Let me know if you do try the other ingredients! Good luck, CC
Hi Christina, your butterfly cake look amazing .
Can I know what kind of flour do you use is it self-raising or plain flour.
I would like to try and bake this for my grand daughter birthday
Thank you for sharing.
Hi Jun! It’s plain flour since I add the baking powder! Happy birthday to your grand daughter! She will love these! :)
I was looking for a recipe for fairy cakes like my Scottish mother used to make for us as children. We grew up in Canada and Texas. She made them both ways; glaze with half a cherry or jam inserted under a cut top with powdered sugar. I am going to try these as mini cupcakes with just a glaze.
Lovely! I’ve never made mini ones, but I’m sure they’ll be wonderful, Tara. Glad you found my recipe. :) I have many more Scottish recipes, too.
I am no Spring chicken, but I ALWAYS had these made for me by my Mother for birthday and special occasions! My Mother is second generation American, but her Mother had British heritage…perhaps that is where it came from. However, ours were filled with a custard or buttercream filling. I think I will make some today!
Hi Jayne, I bet that is why your mother made them; maybe her mother made them. I’ve never seen butterfly cakes here in the US (and I’ve lived here since 1976)! Bet you’ll enjoy making and eating these again! They’re really light with the cream! Enjoy! :)
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I suspect they might be made with only one cup of sugar, given how much butter and egg there is, but I’ve learned that without sufficient sugar, a cake will get moldy. But I could enjoy them more if they could be made with much less sugar.
How about trying 1 1/2 cups at first and then go to 1 1/4 if it works? Less sugar is always better, but yes, sometimes the recipe won’t work with much less.
I m from Lancashire and when I was in senior school, one of our first cooking projects was “Butterfly buns” altho I dont recall using buttermilk. I also remember fairy cakes but dont remember them as scottish (not disputing that though). Fairy cakes to me are simular to both butterfly buns and victoria sandwich cakes. I plan to try this recipe out, im sure i wont stop at eating just one however.
Haha! Yes, they are so good Michella! Enjoy!
[…] the hole. Finally, the two cut halves are stuck into the butter cream to resemble butterfly wings. (Here’s a picture so you can see how it […]
Hi Christina, just to say that you’re 100% correct: fairy cakes are iced cupcakes and these are butterfly cakes, in England (I’m English) as well as the rest of Britain. Some families may use the names interchangeably, but just check out Mary Berry or BBC Food – fairy cakes are iced, often with sprinkles, and butterfly cakes are as you’ve made them. Thank you for a great site!
Thanks for confirming that! Yes, I think that families may have a different name for them, but overall this is the way they are known in the UK! :)
Just came across your website and was so happy to see this recipe. I grew up in Australia and fairy cakes such as these were always a delight and they make me feel nostalgic for the beautiful little cream cakes that were always served at parties and church socials etc. I’m hosting a baby shower and I think these will be perfect. However, I would also like to ice the cakes so I can add some lettering to spell out a welcome to the new baby (rather than having a single sheet cake). I’m trying to figure out how to do this. But one way or the other I am going to use your recipe. Thank you.
love your website. its now in my favorites section
Thank you so much, Mary! I really appreciate it! Let me know if you ever have any questions about the recipes or travel posts!
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Hi christina just made these butterfly cakes and took to a tea party and they were fantastic they were gone in minutes and every one wanted the recipe i didnt have butter milk so used a subsurtute cup of milk and 2 tbl spoon of lemon thank you loved them
I am delighted that I stumbled upon your blog. My mother was from the UK and my father from Italy. My mom would make fairy cakes when I was growing up and they were a favorite. When I was diagnosed with celiac, I struggled to convert the recipe to gluten free. It took some time, but I finally cracked it. My daughter and I make these every summer for a women’s tea and people ask us to make them for other events. My granddaughter is two, and we’ve already started teaching her.
Lovely story!! I’m sorry you were diagnosed with celiac, but so glad you’ve found a way to have the fairy cakes and pass on the tradition! Hope you follow along (I have a lot of both British and Italian recipes!) :)
Hello — These look lovely! I wonder if the recipe is for the ‘standard’ (American) sized cups or the now popular large paper cups?
I have pretty floral shaped cups that are somewhere in between…will that make 12 – 18 cakes?
Thank you!
Hi Margit, yes, this recipe makes about 36 standard cupcakes. I think the floral shaped cups you have would probably make at least 18. Let me get a printer friendly version on here for you so you don’t have to print a ton of photos. Be ready in 5 minutes! CC :)
I made these a few weeks ago for our weekly trip to take treats to the local Police Station, Fire House and National Guard recruiting station. They were MUCH appreciated – though I did tell the receptionist at the Police Station what they were called – i.e. Fairy Cakes – and she roared with laughter, and promised not to tell the cops what they were called!
That’s hilarious, Lee! What a lovely thing to do! Good for you!
Thank you!
Thank you ,I will try to do it.
I have never tried cake , These cake looks awesome!
Not sure how I stumbled across your website but SO glad I did! I was just watching the great British baking show (comic relief edition) and they made fairy cakes (no wings, with wings are butterfly cakes) and I said to my boys that I made them all the time with my mum when I was little and now they want to make them. I struggled finding a recipe in u.s measurements so this is like gold for me. Guess what we’ll be doing after school today
Your comment just made my day, Nicola! Hope you and your boys had a lovely time making them! (Sorry for the late reply, but I was on a trip to Jamaica.) :) CC
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Hi Christina, in England (UK) more than eighty years ago, we used to call fairy cakes any small (cupcake-like) cakes. They could even be vanilla with currants and no icing, but sometimes these were referred to as queen cakes (not to be confused with queen of cakes, or queen pudding…) The ones with wings we called butterfly cakes (or buns in the north). Most sources say that there is no distinction between American cupcakes and British fairy cakes, but this is incorrect. If you check the traditional fairy cake recipes you will notice that for fairy cakes we use far less sugar and more fat (butter or margarine). This has evolved to become more or less equal quantities of fat (usually butter, not margarine), flour and sugar. But the American cupcakes appear to use more sugar and less fat. This will obviously affect the texture. I would love to know if there is a difference in the keeping qualities, as we used to have baking days (to save on fuel) and keep all the cakes, including fairy cakes, in a tin for the week. I also remember that generally the butterfly cakes didn’t include the jam, but when they did, they had a flat top, that is, the circle wasn’t cut in half for the wings, but placed as a complete circle on top of the cream. I think the wings on butterfly cakes has led people to think that fairy cakes are so called because of the wings, but I believe it was due to their small size. Hope this helps. And now I have a decision to make as to whether to bake muffins, cupcakes or fairy cakes as I need to store them for five days – and freezing isn’t an option. :)
Christina, this is a great recipe. So rich and fluffy. My family in the UK makes them and I think this is better than the Victoria Sponge they used. Funny that you should post the recipe on my birthday for this ole Brit. This a tradtional cupcake to see at Teas and Church events.
Oh dear! I am just seeing your comment, now, Joy. Happy belated birthday! I will be back in the UK soon and hope to have a butterfly cake during my travels! Thanks for stopping by! CC
I always learn something new when I read your posts! So pretty and delicate looking!
Oh, that’s so nice of you to say, Kim! Thank you so much!!
So beautiful Christina!
Thank you, Cynthia!
They are beautiful Christina, I have heard of them but never saw before. What a lovely cake and I can see why no party would be complete without them. Love the jam inside and such a great way to use that cake that is left, fashioning into wings.
Oh, you’re missing out if you’ve never tasted these! Like a miniature British sponge cake, complete with raspberry jam and cream!
Where’s the cupcake fairy when you need her? There was nothing under my pillow and was hoping for whipped cream and raspberry jam.
So glad she missed your pillow! Send her on a detour to the kitchen…much less messy! :) CC
WOW! This Midwestern girl hasn’t seen anything like that before. Very clever idea. Next time I make cupcakes I am making your butterfly cakes.
You are a very well-travelled Midwestern girl, but you probably never went to any British birthday parties as a little girl :) Do make them, Cathy, yours will probably put mine to shame! CC
I can’t wait to make them! They look so delicate. Thanks for sharing.
Great! Let me know how you like them, Mary! CC
So true, no birthday party was complete without butterfly cakes! Along with the cheese-and-pineapple on sticks, sausages on sticks and iced gems! I have found American cake recipes too soft and squishy for making good wings, so I am looking forward to trying your recipe!
Yes!!! Oooh, Iced Gems! I still buy a package of them when I go back home, I just love them and my kids don’t understand why! :( I think you’ll love this recipe…my daughter even complimented them, which is saying something! ;)
Hi Christina, I saw your post last night in bed with my Kindle and I was amazed! I love these little Butterfly cakes. I kept thinking of them all night. They are beautiful to look at and they must be awesome to eat one or maybe two.Never would have thought there was jam in the center, what a surprise for people who have not ever had this little winged dessert before. I think I am going to make these as soon as I can. Great job in the description of “How To”. Your photos are always so easy to follow along, thanks for sharing, blessings…Dottie :)
Thanks ever so much, Dottie! Please come back to let me know if you do make them! :)
How beautiful! I have seen such cupcakes in baking books.. but haven’t tried myself, would be perfect for some special occasion!
They are lovely and yes, perfect for a special occasion, too. Thanks, Medeja!