Preheat oven to 180°C. Line a 12 whole muffin tray with cupcake cases.

Using a freestanding mixer or handheld electric mixer cream the butter and sugar until pale and smooth. Add one egg at a time and allow it to get fully incorporated before adding the next. Add the vanilla extract.

In another bowl combine the dry ingredients flour, bicarbonate of soda and baking powder.

Add a third of the dry ingredients into the creamed butter. Then add a third of the milk and repeat this process until all the flour and milk are incorporated.

Separate the mixture between 7 small bowls. Add a little pin prick of food colouring to each of the bowls. I use chopsticks for this and to mix them. Mix each until smooth consistent colour is achieved.

Add a teaspoon of each batter to prepared muffin tray. Repeating if necessary, until all cupcake batter is added. Cases should be two thirds full. Using a toothpick, chopstick or point of a knife swirl gently just to combine slightly.

Bake in preheated oven for 25 minutes. To check they are cooked, insert skewer into centre of one of the cupcakes, when removed it should come out clean. Remove to a wire rack to cool.

For the frosting beat together half the sugar, butter, vanilla and 1 tablespoon of milk until smooth and almost brilliant white this can take several minutes. Then add the remaining sugar and beat for a further couple of minutes. If mixture is very stiff add the remaining milk and beat until a piping consistency is achieved. Fill a piping bag fitted with a star nozzle with frosting. (You can also use a palate knife to frost the cupcakes)

When cupcakes are completely cooled swirl a generous swirl of frosting on top of each.