Cream butter, vanilla, and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat eggs in one at a time. Stir in half the flour and milk, then stir in the other half

Drop a heaped tablespoon of batter into waiting patty pans. The recipe says 24, however I have often found it more like 20.

Ideally these cupcakes should have a flat top. To achieve this cook them in a moderate oven (350 degrees for gas) for 15 minutes. Cool on a wire rack.

When the cup cakes are cool carefully cut a cone shaped circle in the top of each cupcake (a large circle at the top going down to a point inside the cake). Cut this cone in half to form the wings. Into the cavity drop a half teaspoon of red jam, preferably strawberry. Top the strawberry jam with whipped heavy cream, then attach the wings, using the cream to hold them in place. Put a thin strip of strawberry (or cherry or raspberry) between the wings. Sift a dusting of confectioner’s sugar over the butterfly cakes.