Halloween cakes

[starrychime]

I am full of good intentions to make some Halloween cupcakes - think I'll try the ghost ones made with a rolled out bit of icing that I've seen in recipies. BUT how do you make sure your cakes come out nice and risen and fluffy - I've made fairy cakes a few times and while tasty enough they're always a bit disappointing looking - not risen that much and a bitty dry, nothing like the ones you get in the shops. Any hints for light fluffy and plump cakes?

add half a teaspoon of baking powder even if using self-raising flour. Could it be that your oven is too hot?

Make sure you beat the butter and sugar really, really well so it's very fluffy and pale in colour before you add the eggs and flour.

You could also be cooking them for too long or at too high a temp. I bake at 160 degrees for 25 mins for the muffin sized cases or 15 mins for the fairy cake sized ones.