Over the rainbow

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 170°C/fan 160°C. Line as many small-hole baking trays as you have with paper cases. (Or line three fairy cake trays with fairy cake cases.) Sift together the flour, baking powder, cinnamon, salt and ginger. In a large bowl, beat together the milk, oil, sugar and eggs. Prepare your chosen vegetables or fruit. Make sure they are very well dried to avoid soggy cakes!
2. Beat the flour mixture into the wet ingredients, taking care not to over-mix, then fold in the vegetables or fruit. Spoon into the cases and bake for eight to 10 minutes, or until they spring back to the touch. You may need to bake them in batches. Cool on a wire rack. (If you are making fairy cakes, they need to be baked for 15–20 minutes.)
3. To make the frosting, beat the icing sugar into the cream cheese. Gradually add the lemon juice, to taste, then divide into six little bowls. Colour each bowl a different colour of the rainbow, mixing the food colours to achieve the orange and purple tones.
4. Divide the little cakes into six equal groups. Spread the frosting on to the cakes with a small blunt knife. You will have at least 12 of each colour. These cakes need to be iced on the day they are to be eaten, though the un-iced cakes freeze well, if you need to get ahead.