Jubilee fairy cakes - colouring the batter?!

[ReelAroundTheFountain]

ds1 and ds2's school are having a jubilee cake sale/special lunch tomorrow and I'd really like to attempt coloured fairy cakes - ideally red, white and blue stripes. Has anyone had any success with this? When do I add the food colouring - do I make 3 different batters and mix in with the eggs? Or do I make up all the batter in one and then divide it and add colours at the very end?
Thanks!

Also - is there a way to make a white layer?

Personally, I'd make the batter up together, then split it into 3 then add the colouring. I've made rainbow cake before and this is similar.

Not sure about white cake mix (i'm sure someone knowledgeable will be along soon!) but I know you can (cheat) buy american 'white cake' mix- Betty Crocker does a box. I'm not sure what makes it white- it's amazingly fluffy thou!

Could you not do a layer of red batter, then blue, with white icing on top?

I'd suggest a layer of white marzipan between the red and blue if you're stuck but lots of kids (and me!) don't like marzipan....

If you mix the batter about too much, such as to add the food colouring after the batter is made, the cakes won't be so moist and spongy! Might I suggest red, white and blue cake cases and red white and blue stripes of icing on top, leaving the cake cake coloured?

Ah thank you. I think I'll try the red and blue with white icing. Like you (and me!) the boys won't eat marzipan.

I'd love to find the Betty Crocker stuff but I need to make them this morning and dd1 is asleep so I can't dash off to Tesco

MrsButterworth I think I will do that if I can't make the stripes work. It was exactly that thing about knocking all the air out that made me wonder if I should add the colouring when I add the egg.

Well, I did it by colouring the batter at the end and adding two stripes to each paper case. It worked really well although the blue is bright, bright blue and not very reminiscent of the union jack

Hi,

Here's a step by step that I saw online (but haven't attempted). The blogger made them red white and blue for America.. but same colours!

Scroll down the front page for the snow cone cupcakes and she shows you how she made tri-colour buns

ah - interesting....

I read the link - and the way to make the white batter white - is to use only egg whites - no yolks.??

Might give it a go!

and use milk too.

Would it taste ok with no egg yolk?