Hummingbird Bakery Vanilla Cupcakes

Well these cupcakes were a bit of a failure... I mean they tasted delicious but didn't turn out as I'd hoped. I was trying to make them all halloweeny look like pumpkins with bright orange icing and then decorate them, but I used soo much food colouring and it just wouldn't go orange enough! So I gave up and left them in this peachy colour. 
But here's the recipe - It's from the Hummingbird Bakery cookbook that I got last Christmas but I adore anything made from there! These cupcakes are so good for birthdays or any occasion in fact - I tend to look for any excuse to make these! I'll probably post the chocolate version at some point.
You have to be careful with the quantities though, below is their standard recipe but I always have to make 1 1/2 batches for 12 cupcakes because there is no way enough! I don't know if I'm doing something wrong or if they have but I struggle to even half fill each case with the quantities provided.
So try it with the standard recipe but then if you can't fill each case 2/3 full then quickly whip up another 1/2 batch, it doesn't take long.  This makes 12 in standard size cupcake cases (not the small fairy cake cases) and taste just as good a few days later stored in a tin!
Ingredients - 
For the cakes:
120g plain flour
140g caster sugar
1 1/2tsp baking powder
A pinch of salt
40g unsalted butter, at room temp
120ml milk (it says whole but I use skimmed to lower the fat)
1 egg
1/4tsp vanilla extract
Preheat the oven to 170c or Gas 3.
Sieve the flour, sugar, baking powder, salt, butter into a free-standing electric mixer with a paddle attachment and beat on a slow speed until you get a sandy consistency and everything is combined. Then gradually pour half the milk and beat until the milk is just incorporated.
Then whisk the egg, vanilla extract and remaining milk in a separate bowl and then pour into the flour mix and continue beating until smooth. - Do not overmix.
Spoon the mixture into the paper cases until 2/3 full and bake for 20-25mins until the light golden and the sponge bounces back when touched.
The cakes are cooked when a skewer is inserted into the centre and comes out clean. Leave the cupcakes to cool slightly in the tray before cooling completely on a wire rack.
When cold, ice with vanilla frosting -
Ingredients -
250g icing sugar, sifted
80g unsalted butter at room temperature
25ml whole milk
A couple of drops of vanilla extract


Beat the icing sugar and butter together on a medium-slow speed until the mixture comes together and is well mixed.
Turn the mixer down to slow speed. Combine the milk and vanilla extract in a separate bowl, then add to the butter mix a couple of tablespoons at a time. Once all the milk has been added turn the mixer to a high speed. Add any food colouring.
Keep beating until light and fluffy (at least 5mins). The longer the frosting is beaten, the lighter and fluffier it becomes.
Same recipe, different decorations: