Pretty Pastel Rainbow Cupcakes

Method

• Preheat oven to 180°C fan-forced. Line a 12 x 1/3-cup muffin pan with pastel-coloured paper cases (or white).
• Sift flour into a large bowl. Add sugar, stir to combine, then make a well in the centre. Add milk, butter, egg and vanilla to the well, then use a large metal spoon, to stir gently to combine (do not overmix). Fold through choc bits, if using.
• Evenly spoon mixture into the paper cases and bake for 12-15 minutes, or until a skewer inserted into the centres comes out clean. Stand cupcakes in the pan for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.
• To make the rainbow buttercream, use an electric mixer to beat butter in a bowl until pale. Gradually add icing sugar and milk, beating constantly until well combined and creamy. Divide buttercream between 3 small bowls.
• Set 1 bowl aside. Tint 1 remaining bowl with a few drops of pink gel, and the final bowl with a few drops of green gel, mixing each bowl until the colour is well blended and adding extra colouring, if needed, to reach your desired shade. Spoon the pale pink buttercream into a piping bag fitted with a large star nozzle, then pipe swirled rounds on top of 6 cupcakes. Spoon pale green buttercream in a clean piping bag fitted with a large star nozzle, then piped swirled rounds on remaining 6 cupcakes.
• Spoon plain buttercream in a clean piping bag fitted with a large star nozzle. Pipe swirled peaks on top of all 12 cupcakes. Sprinkle all cupcakes with pastel nonpareils, to serve.