Cupcakes are the ultimate comfort food. Small, individually decorated bundles of warmth and happiness, and over the past couple of years, there's been a real resurgence in baking them. In 2011, there are around a dozen bakers - as opposed to a baker's dozen - producing designer cupcakes in this newly created home industry.

One such artist is Sarah Lupton, who, like many of Lincolnshire's cupcake artists, turned a pleasure into profession last August and began to produce her cupcakes full time under the name Daisymay Cakes.

"Baking cakes is a traditional skill that has been lost." Says Sarah. "People taste my cakes and love them - which is great for me because I find baking so easy, so rewarding, almost therapeutic. It's a shame the skill has been lost but I'm also incredibly lucky as it gives me the opportunity to do something I really enjoy for  other people!

Working from her Billinghay home, Lincolnshire cake maker Sarah initially made cakes for friends and family, but soon found herself taking requests and eventually left work to make her cakes full time. She produces 20-30 large cakes each week, and around 40 cupcakes, which are also sold in Gary Simpson's shop at Sleaford's Four Seasons Garden Centre.

Customers phone Sarah and enjoy the convenience of included delivery as well as lavishly decorated and hand-made cakes that taste great. The price is just as sweet too - a dozen cupcakes, are available for just £16, with large cakes (7" to 12") from £10-£45 delivered within her preferred two days notice.

The value for money and beauty of the colourful, sparkly end products are perhaps the main reasons customers are clamouring to order Sarah's cakes, but the really clever thing about these artisan cupcake producers is that by undercutting the formal occasion cake market, they're finding a great deal of repeat business from their clients for 'minor' special occasions rather than christenings and weddings.

"A lot of work goes into them." Says Sarah. "They're all hand-made and hand-finished, and it's essential that the boxes and ribbons are right, they should look great, taste great and really make the recipient happy - that's my aim!"

Another Lincolnshire woman responsible for proliferating the popularity of cupcakes is Sleaford's Deborah Hopkins. In addition to creating and selling her designer cupcakes from her Asgarby barn, with any number available with local delivery for £1.50 each, Deborah also teaches the art of making cupcakes to others.

Deborah's next course is on Saturday 19th February, with several places still available for £40 each and more courses planned in the future months.

The full day courses are entirely hands-on and cover creating different flavours, as well as basic sugarcraft and icing techniques.

The courses are delivered as part of a programme of 'forgotten domestic skills' courses under the name The Homemade House. These include The Basics of Baking, Bread Making Made Simple and Make your Own Wedding Cake, as well as other crafts including Rag-Rugging, Candle Making,Quilting, Dress Making and Floristry.

"I use premium ingredients including vanilla extract to give a pure flavour." Says Deborah. "The buttercream is light and creamy but not too sweet which is as it should be. Many of the decorations are hand made and edible glitter is an easy way to add a shimmery statement."

With cupcakes making a real return to popularity, becoming skilled in the art of creating dazzling examples in your own kitchen is definitely a skill that evokes halcyon days of domestic bliss.

Of course, nowadays women are compelled to have successful careers, immaculate homes, perfect children and meet any number of other obligations which all command their time.

As such, calling upon our experts to do all the hard work for you is a great way to cut a corner and enjoy fantastic, bespoke and absolutely beautiful home-made cupcakes without the effort... leaving your own baking endeavours for when you have a little more time!

For stunning cakes crafted in Lincolnshire, call either Sarah Lupton or Deborah Hopkins today!