Ingredients

Step by step

1. Preheat the oven to 180°C, fan 160°C, gas 4 and line a 12-hole muffin tin with cupcake cases. Put the teabags in a mug and pour over 75ml boiling water. Leave to infuse for 15 minutes.
2. Put the butter, sugar and orange extract into a large bowl and whisk until light and fluffy. Gradually add the eggs, whisking well after each addition. Remove the tea bags from the water, squeeze and discard. Then, add the tea-infused water to the bowl. Fold in the flour, baking powder and ground almonds until combined.
3. Divide the mixture equally between the paper cases and bake in the oven for 25-30 minutes until golden and risen. Leave to cool in the tin for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to go cold.
   Tip

   Make the gold lace in advance. The shapes keep for at least a week once dried. You won't need to use the whole tub for this recipe as a little goes a long way, and it lasts in the cupboard, resealed, for a long time.
   
   The modelling icing brooches will dry hard. You can make them up to a week in advance; store in a dry place, covered.

4. How to decorate:

   Divide the white icing into 3 equal pieces. Knead one third of the white icing with a little yellow food colouring until pale yellow. Wrap in clingfilm. Repeat with the remaining icing so you have a pale blue piece and a pale, apricot-coloured piece (make this by mixing the yellow and pink food colouring together).

5. Make the edible lace according to the pack instructions. There are a variety of templates to make different designs and patterns. Then, make the brooches (see below for instructions).
6. Make the buttercream by creaming together the butter, icing sugar and 1 teaspoon of slightly cooled boiled water until smooth. Put a disposable piping bag in a mug or glass for support and fill it with the buttercream. Snip a 3mm hole from the end. Set aside.
7. Lightly dust a clean work surface with cornflour. Roll out the yellow icing until it is about 3mm thick. With a 7cm round cutter, stamp out 4 circles. You may need to re-roll the icing to make enough. Brush the tops of 4 cupcakes with the marmalade, then put a yellow circle on the top of each cupcake, lightly pressing down. Repeat with the remaining icing colours and cupcakes.
8. Pipe a small dot of buttercream onto each cupcake and use to secure a brooch (see below). Spray all over with gold or silver glitter, depending on your cake design.
   Tip

   How to make the brooches:
   1. Lightly dust a clean work surface with cornflour and roll out the modelling paste until about 3mm thick.
   2. Using a 4.5cm flower cutter, stamp out 6 flowers and, with a 5cm fluted round cutter, stamp out 6 circles. The icing dries quite quickly, so while you work on each brooch, cover the other shapes with clingfilm, and wrap up any unused modelling icing.
   3. Using a cocktail stick, roll the tip around the edge of the circle to frill the edges, do the same with the flowers. 
   4. Then, decorate as you wish using the gold lace shapes and edible pearls. You may want to roll larger balls from the modelling icing too. Use the tweezers to pick up the pearls and the buttercream to stick them onto the brooches in patterns, piping small dots and lines where needed to fill in any gaps. Use a little cold water to stick the lace to the brooches.