1.  There’s nothing quite like receiving home baked goods, so why not bake your mum some cute cup cakes – they are easy to make for us beginner bakers  Follow this easy recipe to create delicious vanilla cupcakes:

Ingredients

2 cups self-raising flour, sifted
3/4 cup castor sugar
3/4 cup milk
1/2 cup of butter, heated & cooled
2 extra large eggs, beaten
1 tsp pure vanilla essence

Frosting
1/2 cup of butter, room temperature
250 grams (8.75 oz) of cream cheese
1/3 cup of castor sugar
Your favourite chocolate bars for topping
12-15 cupcake cases

Method
Pre-heat the oven to 400F (200C).
Place the cupcake cases into the muffin tin. Set aside.
Sift together the flour and castor sugar in a bowl. Make a well in the centre.
In a separate bowl combine the melted butter, eggs and vanilla. Stir gently with a metal spoon or whisk to combine.
Spoon the batter into the cupcake cases filling each case 3/4 of the way up.
Bake the cupcakes for about 12 minutes. Test by inserting a wooden skewer into the middle of one of the cakes. If it comes out clean, they're ready. If there's any batter stuck to the stick, pop the cupcakes back into the oven for another minute.
Once ready, remove cupcakes from oven and let them sit for 2 minutes before transferring them to a cooling rack.
Now prepare the icing. Mix together the room temperature butter, cream cheese and castor sugar until smooth and fluffy.
Use a knife or small spatula to frost the cupcakes once cooled. Break up your favourite chocolate bar and then sprinkle on top.
Recipe courtesy of http://australianfood.about.com/

2. A lot of mums are busy and don’t have time for pampering, so why not give your mum a home manicure and pedicure?  This can be done fairly easily (with a steady hand!) and inexpensively.  Or if you can splash out, buy mum a voucher for her favourite beauty salon for some serious indulgence.

3. Here’s an idea we love as it’s really from the heart – make your mum a scrapbook filled with photos of you and her.  Write your mum messages about happy memories you have shared together over the years, thank her for times she has been there for you and tell her how much she means to you.  Or go to www.snapfish.co.nz, where you can create personalised photo books and cards from your digital photos  -we love this!

4. We know it’s not the 80’s anymore but we love a good old-fashioned mix tape – it’s an oldie but a goodie!  Make your mum a CD of her fave songs or create a custom playlist for her iPod. 

5. And last but not least, cook your mum a delicious dinner.  It’s not the most original idea, but it’s a simple, often overlooked gesture that any mum will appreciate!  She’s cooked for you for years so it’s nice to return the favour! 

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