Preheat and prepare the pan

• Preheat the oven to 180 °C and line a muffin pan with cupcake cases.

Make the cupcake batter

• Beat the softened butter with the caster sugar until pale and fluffy.
• Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition, then stir in the vanilla extract.
• Fold in the sifted self-raising flour and baking powder, then loosen with the milk until smooth.

Bake the cupcakes

• Divide the batter between the cupcake cases, filling them about two-thirds full.
• Bake until golden and a skewer comes out clean, then cool completely on a rack.

Make the buttercream

• Beat the softened butter until creamy.
• Gradually add the sifted icing sugar and beat until light and fluffy.
• Colour most of the buttercream pink and a small portion green for the leaves.

Pipe the buttercream roses

• Fit a piping bag with the rose tip and fill with pink buttercream.
• Pipe a small centre on each cupcake, then pipe overlapping petals around it to form a rose.
• Switch to the green buttercream and pipe small leaves between the roses.

Assemble the bouquet

• Arrange the decorated cupcakes tightly together in a bouquet holder or box so the roses read as one arrangement.