Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. Flexible and made to last.

Meet the Other Phone.
Flexible and made to last.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
Food/recipes

For related content, visit our food content hub.

Original poster

A long shot coz it's late - but what shall I ice some plain cupcakes for DD's party with?

26 replies

Gingermonkey · 23/08/2007 22:26

DD wants cup cakes for her birthday party on saturday and I am not going to make them (as I am rubbish at baking), so I have some plain cakes. Should I use old fashioned brightly coloured drippy icing made from icing sugar and water,and sprinkle stuff on them or buttercream frosting or what?????? I'm having a panic that her party will be rubbish and all because of the lack of a proper cake. Please help me - DH thinks I'm going mental. It's only some f-ing cupcakes, he says. But I am very stressed.

Oh blimey, listen to me! It's all too much

OP posts:
southeastastra · 23/08/2007 22:28

you need to get a grip pronto

southeastastra · 23/08/2007 22:28

get some icing in tubes from the supermarket, they come in every colour

ChasingSquirrels · 23/08/2007 22:30

how old is she? between 2 (3?) and 6 (or older?) give the kids lots of couloured icing and sprinklies and get them to do it at the party - they will love it.

funnypeculiar · 23/08/2007 22:32

I'd do simple icing with water & icing sugar (add water SLOWLY to get right consistancy - then split into bowls & add different food colours - bright or pastel depening on her taste. Put sugar flower on top of each.
Very nigella

oregonianabroad · 23/08/2007 22:34

Stack them up in a pyramid and everyone will think you are so clever.

Original poster
Gingermonkey · 23/08/2007 22:34

SEA - I know!!!!!!! . Just got back from a weeks holiday in spain and have 10 tonnes of washing to do too before saturday because otherwise it is all over the house (and these children are sleeping too...I must be mad!).
She's 8 and wants to help me do the cakes herself tomorrow night, but doesn't want to let her friends do them (because she says they'll be too busy doing other stuff - what I don't know, whispering about boys and trying to steal my make up I am thinking, that's the general rule when nine 8 yr old girls get together!)

OP posts:
PassingBreezeBlocks · 23/08/2007 22:35

BRIGHT pink drippy icing, spread on thick. with a candle on each if they are over 5.

Original poster
Gingermonkey · 23/08/2007 22:36

I got a rather nice cake stand thingy in the laura ashley sale to display them. My original plan was to buy them in from a bakery, all ready frosted and looking amazing but the bakery closes the last 2 weeks in august (typical), hence my stress!

OP posts:
ChasingSquirrels · 23/08/2007 22:37

yeah, I thought 6ish was probably the limit on doing them at the party. ask her how she wants them, and then stop stressing - whey won't cake that there are cakes instead of a cake.

Carmenere · 23/08/2007 22:38

You could make three differnt coloured batches of thick butter cream icing and pipe it on ala Starbucks ones. Yellow, Pink and Blue would be good.

ChasingSquirrels · 23/08/2007 22:38

oh - if you want to buy in my friend had some fab ones given to her last week (I am pretty sure Sainsbury's), pack of 6, really thick icing and looked lovely - pink and yellow - they were SCRUMMY

collision · 23/08/2007 22:39

Sainsburys do lovely iced cupcakes!

Buy them in and promise to bake with her next week!!

bran · 23/08/2007 22:39

I went to a party where the cupcakes were topped with whipped cream with colouring added. They looked like those deep-frosted American style cupcakes but without hte extreme sugar rush.

Original poster
Gingermonkey · 23/08/2007 22:39

oooh, I like bright pink. That'd be red food colouring wouldn't it? I like the individual candle idea too. Do you think 8 yr olds would be too old for sweeties on top? How about those love heart sweets? I like them myself....

OP posts:
Original poster
Gingermonkey · 23/08/2007 22:40

carmenere - those starbucks ones were like the ones I saw and was going to get if the stupid baker hadn't gone on holiday!

OP posts:
Original poster
Gingermonkey · 23/08/2007 22:43

how can I make them look like these?

OP posts:
Carmenere · 23/08/2007 22:44

Just use really thick icing and pile it up.

ChasingSquirrels · 23/08/2007 22:45

the whippy ones - buttercream
the flat ones - thick drippy icing

Original poster
Gingermonkey · 23/08/2007 22:53

Ok, I have my shopping list ready for the morning. Wish me luck! I'll let you know how they go tomorrow night after dd and me have let ourselves loose on the cakes. Dh is telling me that the kids couldn't care less about the cake and only care about party bags, whether I feed them a load of veg and how late I let them stay up. He's probably right!

I feel much calmer now, I knew you lot would save the day Thank you xxxxxxxx

OP posts:
Original poster
Gingermonkey · 25/08/2007 14:26

we've made the cakes....does anyone fancy a peek? yum yum!

OP posts:
EscapeFrom · 25/08/2007 14:28

wow they look LOVELY!

Yum yum I could just go for some cake...

Original poster
Gingermonkey · 25/08/2007 14:38

Thank you - I was rather pleased with myself (especially after my manic flapping at the start of the thread!). SIL is circling them like a bloody vulture, greedy moo!

OP posts:
nannynick · 26/08/2007 20:27

For future, I have found that using fruit juices instead of water with icing sugar produces good results.

Best was from a red blooded orange... came out a lovely pink colour.

Also, for a toffee type topping, try golden syrup and icing sugar.

ProjectIcarus · 26/08/2007 20:41

Oooh Nanny Nick - frabjous idea.

Original poster
Gingermonkey · 27/08/2007 09:45

oooh, fab tip. I have to make some more for next weekend so I'll give it a whirl. Thanks very much

OP posts: