For 12 fairy cakes:

• 3 eggs
• 80g sugar
• 170g corn starch
• 100ml oil – rapeseed oil, sunflower oil or coconut oil (flavourless)
• 1 leveled tsp baking powder
• Zest of one unwaxed lemon

Lemon syrup:

• Juice of one lemon
• 100g icing sugar

Line the cupcake/muffin baking tin with the cupcake cases.

Preheat the oven to 170C.

Put all whole eggs into the bowl and beat with the hand mixer until light and fluffy, and double or triple in size. Add sugar spoon by spoon – not all at once – and beat for another  3 to 4 mins.

Sift the flower and the baking powder into the egg mixture and fold carefully, you can also use a hand mixer but on the lowest setting and for just a few seconds. Add lemon zest and oil and mix delicately again until all ingredients are well amalgamated.

Divide batter between 12 cupcake cases –  fill them up to 2/3 –  and bake in 170C for about 20-25 mins, until well risen and the skewer inserted in to the middle of the cupcake comes out clean.

Cool on a wire rack.

Prepare the lemon syrup: mix lemon juice with icing sugar in a small pot. Bring to the boil and immediately take off from the heat. Let it cool for a few minutes.

Using a brush, soak well each – still warm – fairy cake. For the best result prick each cake with a skewer a few times to let syrup soak better.

If you want to, use the remaining syrup to make some lemon icing. Add enough icing sugar to the syrup to reach ‘sour cream’ consistency. Cover cakes with icing and scatter with your favourite sprinkles.

Enjoy!