Pirate Face Cakes

For the cupcakes: heat the oven to 190°C (170° fan) 375°F gas 5. Place paper cases in a 12 hole muffin tin.

Beat the butter and sugar in a mixing bowl until light and fluffy. Gradually beat in the eggs, beating until fully incorporated into the mixture.

Sift in the dry ingredients and gently stir into the mixture until a soft dropping consistency. Stir in a little milk if needed and the chocolate chips.

Spoon into the paper cases. Bake for about 20minutes, until golden and risen. Cool in the tin for 5 minutes, then place on a wire rack to cool completely.

To decorate: roll out the green sugarpaste on a surface dusted with icing sugar. Cut out rounds with a scalloped edged cutter the same diameter as the cakes. Cut out the centres with a smaller plain cutter.

Attach the scalloped edged rounds to the cakes with a dab of water.

For the buttercream: beat the butter until soft. Sift in the icing sugar and beat well until smooth and creamy.

Beat the lemon curd with the lemon juice until well blended. Beat into the buttercream until smooth.

Spoon the buttercream into a piping bag and pipe onto the centre of the cakes.

For the pirates: roll out the pink sugarpaste on a surface dusted with icing sugar. Cut out 12 small discs. Roll 12 small balls for the noses from the trimmings and attach to the discs with a little water..

Roll out the red sugarpaste (reserve a little for the bows) and cut out 6 rounds slightly smaller than the diameter of the cakes. Cut the rounds in half and brush lightly with water. Attach to the top of the pink discs for the bandanas.

Roll out the trimmings and cut out 48 small rectangles for the bows. Attach to the bandanas with a little water, as in the photo.

Roll the white sugarpaste into small balls, flatten slightly and attach to the bandanas with a little water. Attach a flattened ball to each disc for the eyes.

Roll pieces of black sugarpaste into 12 strips and 12 small balls for the eye patches. Flatten the balls and attach to the strips with a little water. Attach to the pink discs with a little water. Roll the trimmings into tiny balls, flatten and attach to the eyes with a dab of water.

Cut a groove in the base of the pink discs for the mouths. Place on top of the buttercream.

For the chocolate: heat the chocolate and cream in a large heatproof bowl over a pan of simmering (not boiling) water. Remove from the heat and stir until the chocolate is smooth and melted. Set aside to cool and thicken.