Snowmen Cupcakes

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

Beat the butter and sugar in a mixing bowl until light and fluffy.

Beat in the eggs, lemon zest and vanilla.

Sift in the flour and gently fold into the mixture with the yoghurt, until well combined.

Spoon into the paper cases and bake for 20-25 minutes until golden and springy to the touch. Cool in the tin for 5 minutes, then place on a wire rack to cool completely.

To decorate: heat the apricot jam gently until melted. Brush lightly over the cakes.

Roll out the white sugarpaste on a surface lightly dusted with icing sugar and cut out 12 discs, a little larger than the top of the cakes. Press a disc onto each cake. Reserve the trimmings.

Roll out the trimmings as before and cut out 24 small discs for the eyes. Attach to the cakes with a dab of water.

Roll out the black sugarpaste as before and cut out 24 small discs for the eye pupils. Attach to the white discs with a dab of water. Attach 2 tiny dots of white sugarpaste to some of the black discs, with a little water.

Roll out the blue and green sugarpastes separately with an embossed rolling pin and cut out 3 rounds from each for the hats. Cut the rounds in half and brush lightly with water. Attach to the top 1/3 of the cakes. Press 6 small pieces of blue sugarpaste into flat rounds and attach to the top of the blue hats with a little water.

Roll out the blue trimmings with an embossed rolling pin and cut 6 strips for the hatbands. Attach to the blue hats with a little water.

Roll out the brown sugarpaste and cut out 6 strips for the hatbands. Attach to the green hats with a little water. Press 6 small pieces of brown sugarpaste into flat rounds and attach to the top of the green hats with a little water.

Mould 12 small pieces of orange sugarpaste into cones for the noses and attach to the cakes with a little water.

Make indentations in the cakes with a knife for the mouths.

Dilute a little pink food colouring with a little water. Carefully brush onto some of the cakes for the 'rosy cheeks'.