Christmas wreath

Step 1

Preheat oven to 180°C/350°F. Line eight holes of 12 hole (⅓ cup/80ml) muffin pan with paper cases.

Step 2

Beat butter, extract, sugar, eggs, sifted flour and milk in small bowl with electric mixer on low speed until ingredients are combined. Increase speed to medium; beat until mixture has changed to a paler colour. Drop ¼ cups of mixture into paper cases.

Step 3

Bake about 20 minutes. Stand cakes in pan 5 minutes before turning, top-side up, onto wire rack to cool.

Step 4

To make butter cream, beat butter in small bowl with electric mixer until as white as possible; beat in sifted icing sugar and milk, in two batches.

Step 5

Tint butter cream white with food colouring. Spread cold cakes with a thick layer of butter cream. Gently push halved mint leaves, smooth-side up and slightly overlapping, into butter cream in the shape of a wreath. Decorate leaves with cachous.