Preheat oven to 175C/Gas 4.

Place 24 cupcake cases into tins.

Put all of the ingredients into a mixing bowl and beat with an electric whisk for 3 minutes until smooth, pale and fluffy.

Divide the mixture between the cupcake cases. (see notes above)

Bake for 20 minutes until golden and risen.

Leave to cool in the tin for a few minutes and then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely before decorating.

To make the buttercream, add the softened butter to a large mixing bowl and beat with an electric mixer.

Slowly sift in the icing sugar until combined.

Whisk in the vanilla extract and some milk to adjust the consistency for piping. You want it to be able to hold its shape, but not be too stiff, as this makes piping hard on your hands, and split the piping bag!

Divide the buttercream into however many colours you will be using, and colour each with a small amount of food colouring. Start lightly - you can always add more colour, but not take it away.

Only decorate the cupcakes when they are completely cool. Place some of the buttercream icing into a piping bag with a grass nozzle attached (don't overfill the bag) and pipe "fur" on each cupcake - you could do short or long strands. If you're not too confident, practise first on some greaseproof paper - you can always re-use the buttercream.

Clean the nozzle between colours, and continue till all cupcakes are iced.

Place the candy eyes however you like and you're done!