Cupcakes:

1. In a medium bowl, mix 1 cup caster sugar, 1 cup tap water, 1 tbsp white wine vinegar, and 1 tsp vanilla essence until the sugar dissolves. Set this aside for now.
2. In another bowl, sift together 2 cups of cake flour, 1 tsp of bicarbonate of soda, and 1/4 tsp of salt.
3. This makes sure there are no lumps and your cupcakes stay light.
4. Pour the wet mixture into the dry ingredients.
5. Stir gently until everything is just combined; you don’t want to overmix, or the cupcakes can turn a bit dense.
6. Line your cupcake tray and fill each holder about 3/4 full (or about 1 ice cream scoop of batter).
7. Bake in a preheated oven at 180°C (350°F) for roughly 25 minutes, or until a cake tester comes out clean.
8. Let the cupcakes cool completely before icing.

Buttercream icing:

1. In a bowl, whisk together 250g icing sugar, 125g softened margarine, and 2 tsp boiling water until stiff and creamy.
2. Spoon into a piping bag and decorate your cupcakes however you like.