Pink and White Striped Muffins

For the cupcakes: heat the oven to 180°C (160° fan) 350°F gas 4. Place paper cases or muffin cups in a 12 hole muffin tin.

Mix the flour, almonds, baking powder and bicarbonate of soda in a bowl.

Beat the eggs in a separate bowl and stir in the sugar, almond extract, oil and soured cream. Add the flour mix to the egg mixture and beat quickly until all the ingredients are moist.

Spoon the mixture into the paper cases. Bake for 20-25 minutes until golden brown. Test using a cocktail stick- if it comes out clean, the muffins are done. Place on a wire rack to cool completely.

Take a medium- sized ball of both white and pink sugarpastes, and apply even pressure to roll the sugar pastes into 2 long ropes, approximately 1cm|1/2" in diameter. Repeat with the remaining sugarpaste.

Pinch the 2 colours of sugarpaste ropes together and gently twist them together loosely.

Gently push down on the twisted sugar paste and roll together, to form a single rope. Cut it into 3 long lengths;3 shorter lengths and 3 short lengths for each cake. Brush with a little water and arrange on the cakes, coiling them round to fit, with the longer length on the bottom, then a shorter length and the shortest length on top. Repeat with the remaining sugarpaste ropes.