Popcorn Brains with Maggots

Ingredients

• 100g butter
• 110g light muscovado sugar
• 60g Lyle’s Black Treacle
• 60g Lyle’s Golden Syrup
• 175g plain flour
• Pinch of salt
• 2 tsp ground ginger
• 1 large egg, beaten
• 150ml milk
• 1 level tsp bicarbonate of soda
• Topping:
• 150g cream cheese
• 2 tsp icing sugar
• 2-3 drops green food colouring
• 100g sweet popcorn
• 30g white fondant icing
• 2-3 drops yellow food colouring
• Lyle’s Strawberry Squeezy Syrup, for drizzling

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 190°C/Fan 170°C/Gas Mark 5. Put 12 cup cake cases into a muffin tin.
2. Put the butter, sugar, black treacle and golden syrup into a saucepan and heat gently until melted.
3. Don’t allow the mixture to get too hot. Cool slightly.
4. Sift the flour, salt and ginger into a mixing bowl. Add the melted mixture and beaten egg, stirring them in thoroughly.
5. Heat the milk until lukewarm, then add the bicarbonate of soda. Stir them into in the mixing bowl. Transfer to a jug and pour into the cake cases. Bake for 22-25 minutes until risen and firm. Cool on a wire rack.
6. For the topping, mix the cream cheese and icing sugar with 2-3 drops of green food colouring. Spread onto the cakes and top with popcorn arranged to resemble brains.
7. Colour the fondant icing with 2-3 drops of yellow food colouring, then roll tiny pieces into shapes to look like maggots. Arrange on the cakes and serve, drizzled with Lyle’s Strawberry Squeezy Syrup.
8. Cook’s tip: Make 20 smaller fairy-cake buns if you prefer, baking them for 20 minutes. - See more at: http://www.lylesgoldensyrup.com/recipe/popcorn-brains-with-maggots/#sthash.UnuFtQ8N.dpuf