Want to do poncy cupcakes for wedding...

[ButterpieBride]

OK, I might be being daft here (I probably am!) but I have been lusting after the poncy cupcakes that divide mumsnet so for my wedding. I can't afford for someone else to make them, so it is down to me.

I love baking, but so far I have only ever done basic baking for kids or to eat with a brew, nothing very pretty.

So...any tips? Is it very hard to make pretty cakes? How far in advance can I make them? Can I freeze them?

I have a range oven, if that is relavent, and the wedding is 28th August. Family are coming to stay for the two days prior to the wedding, although I'm the baking expert of the family (and I'm no expert!)

The theme (if you could call it that- we are pretty much going with what we like, but it does all kind of fit vaguely) is theatrical, bridesmaids dress are purple and black and a bit gothy (but nothing else really matches them tbh- my bouquet is multicoloured and handmade from scraps by my friends), I'm from Lancashire, he's from Newcastle, wedding in Gateshead, lots of kids and very traditional relatives will be there so nothing too weird or we'll have a riot on our hands :)

I already have one of those big 5 tier cake stands and a few more traditional glass ones because I buy too much from charity shops.

So...ideas anyone? :D

Nigella's Chocolate cherry ones here cool the ganache in the fridge, then pile onto the cake, scrape with a fork to get a lovely mountain effect then bung half a cherry on top. Should also match your gothic theme and they keep really well. As well as being totally yummy.

I did my own the day before and my tips are as follows.

1 Practice the recipe you like a few times in advance including icing (get one of those large piping ends).
2 Make the butter icing up to a week in advance (keep it in the fridge and soften in a mixer prior to piping).

1. Use flags to pretty them up (which again gan be made in advance and are easy to add on the day if need be much easier than intricate piping ).

4 Use shallow fruit boxes from the supermarket to transport them.

Hi jacquelinehyde - would you mind emailing me on the address on the FB page? I'm not too sure about doing business on here

ComeOveneer - thank goodness you're here to give proper advice!! I was looking for you a while ago and thought you'd gone delighted to see you haven't ! how is it all going?

Butterpie - have had a few ideas but rushing through inbetween meeting and starting work (have to see the DH and DC sometimes ) so will email you properly on Sun if thats ok? Theme sounds great and very doable

mummytowillow - Wed to Sat will be fine if you keep them airtight and piping isn't difficult if you can do it slowly - just make a simple buttercream, either use a little pink colouring or blitz through some fresh strawberries - that's what I do for the ones photographed on my stuff - and buy sprinkles to pop on the top - too fiddly to do on your own ! hth

you could try buying substitute eggs - they are what makes cakes go stale so if you didn't want to freeze them they are a good way of keeping cakes fresh. xx

OK, practise run one-sucessful, although I need to look at my recipe. I modified the one I have always used (4,4,4 and 2 eggs) slightly (4 s, 3 b, 4 f, 2 e, 2 capfuls of vanilla essense) which got rid of the greasiness i was struggling with, but the cakes is a bit rough- ie the holes are too large and the cake is a bit too hard. I want the light as a feather texture I get when I buy cakes from a stall!

did you get my email??

I did thanks :) Replied. Sorry it took me a while!

no problem, just need to know if I'm on the right track before looking into it any further

How do you make cakes with filling in? I'm thinking of doing one with a caramel filling.

I'm thinking along the lines of doing about 7 different types (24 of each) so that my incredibly fussy family are happy. That would give me 168 cakes, and we have around 150 guests expected now. I'm guessing some will have two or more, but some will have none.

I went a bit mad ordering decorations without actually planning what to do with them. I also went crazy on Approved Food (who btw have some ace deals on cake decoration stuff atm- a pack of 12 bottles of vanilla essense for £1 for example) so I will soon have a huge collection of cake decorating stuff. I found some of those cake wraps (only in white, but it will do) in sainsbos, and some edible glitter on ebay.

Stuff should all arrive in the next few days- I'll post up what I have as it arrives, and then hopefully you can all help me make it look somehow presentable.

I'm considering putting little plates of cakes around the venue, as combined decorations and food. The place is quite art decoish, and there is a wonderful cosy room that looks like somebodies grans house, which will be the board games/playpen/travel cot room, which is just crying out for some fairy cakes on the mantelpiece.

I've always had a minor obsession with Alice in Wonderland so giving serious consideration to having little "eat me" notes on the plates.

DD has demanded lollipops too, so I have ordered some chocolate lolly moulds.

We're thinking of using the dressing rooms as, well, dressing rooms- there is a male and a female one so the female one will have a chair or two for shy breastfeeders.

Hmm, I think I maybe need to get baking soonish...can I just pop undecorated cakes in the freezer?

I've put some pictures on my profile so you get some idea of what we're like :)

I'm actually getting pretty excited now :D