Some advice from you baking genius' please on birthday cupcakes

[weepootle]

For dd1's birthday I fancy doing individual cupcakes for each of the children instead of having to chop up a cake.

Not sure what to do really though, I fancy icing each of their names on top and maybe having something in the middle like lemon curd or jam.

Any good ideas/recipes for me please?

Just a thought If you want something in the middle how do you intend getting the stuff in the middle without removing the cake paper ?
I stick to a simple cake mixture similar to that of a Victoria sponge as its fool proof for me.
Icing I tend to us easy butter icing flavoured with fruit juice or pureed strawberries , blueberries,rasps etc ( then seived). YOu could pipe names as long as they are not long or maybe get the pre made letters and put initials on.

How about those old-fashioned butterfly cakes where you slice the top off, cut it in half then sandwich it back on with a blob of jam or curd to make wings?

And individual letter candles (the ones on wooden sticks) spelling out happy birthday DD1?

I think cupcakes are a gerat idea. DD asked for them instead of a cake when she was 8.

I simply made up a batch of cakes using a basic sponge recipe then iced them with coloured glace icing. I covered a large chopping board with silver foil and arranged the cakes in the shape of an 8 on it.

I stuck candle in every other cake so that there were 8 candles. I think I just used sprinkles and other cake decorations from the supermarket to decorate

Oops! I can't spell great
Great
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I made them day for my daughters birthday too.
I used ready to roll icing in different colours on top, then cut out each childs initial in white icing.
Also made individiual boxes for the children to take them home in.

Some great ideas there, thanks all.

I was recently shown how to make really nice origami boxes but hadn't considered doing that for the cupcakes- definitely will now, thanks mollymax.