Cake bake tomorrow...do you HAVE to make them?

[ess]

DDs nursery have told us to fill a plate with cakes for a bake sale. I have to take them in morning but they only told us last night? Is it a MUST to bake them or can I get away with shop bought nice ones? Got a 4 month old baby and very little time.
Or do any of you lovely ladies have any simple recipes for a novice baker (got cake cases and basic ingredients). Thankyou.

Ill have a go if I've got time tonight. Little one is crying a lot at mo. Probably could get a box of mix from the local shop. Just wish they'd given us a bit more notice- first time at this pre-school etiquette!

Of course you have to make them. PTA committee members aren't equipped with Uzis for nothing, you know.

We often get bought cakes brought in for our cake sales - but I have to say they are also nearly always the last to sell!

I would go for muffins - they always look good, sell fast and are dead easy to make. Any basic muffin recipe will do, throw in say 3-4 ounces of choc chips or raisins, and bake. For really lovely looking muffins for little work, make a simple chocolate glace icing, drizzle on top and throw (or artistically arrange!) a few more choc chips on top.

Or flapjack always sells well - 5 mins to make, 20 mins to cook and present them in nice little squares.

Very bad of them to give you so little warning though. We give a week's notice minimum.

And if you don't manage to make some, just go and do your bit and buy some!

try chocolate crunches:

half a pat of butter
3 tablespoons of golden syrup (must buy for stock cupboard!) or runny honey
handful of sugar (any)
3 tablespoons of coco-powder
vanilla essence (if you have any)

cereal

and fairy cake cups

1. melt butter, stir in golden syrup, sugar, coco powder.
2. stir well add vanilla essence and about 3 bowls of cereal.
3. stir mixture, put in cases and in fridge.

they'll go a treat!

hard with baby i know, but these things might be in your cupboard already!!

Shortcake biscuits are very easy:

Whizz up 150g plain flour, 100g salted butter and 50g golden caster sugar in the food processor, roll out thickly (it doesn't rise) and cut out with a cutter. Bake on greasproof-lined tray at 150c for 30 mins. Sprinkle with a little more sugar when still warm.

I always do shortcake hearts for school stuff and have a little preen when they sell very well!!

Go to Tesco (spits). they do packs of 12 for less than 50p. A blob of choc and a smartie on top.
choc marsmallows- tiny sweet cases-teaspoon of melted choc in each one- squash a marshmallow on the choc.

Sorry- that should read packs of 12 fairy cakes..

No, I never make them. I buy naff ready made fairy cakes and bung some icing and haphazard sweets on the top. And they are always the first to go.

I will admit to buying cakes from the local farm shop, taking them out of the wrapper, re-wrapping and labelling, passing them off as my own and then buying them back! Sometimes life is too short.

Of course I will only admit to it on here!

I made a lemon drizzle for mine. Went in the kitchen to find half the staff munching it . Was chuffed that they'd obviously saved it for themselves tho!!!
1 days notice is cruel though. Buy 'em and be prepared for next time!! Like others have said, bought from shop then decorated yourself always looks good and sells well.

Blimey, am I supposed to wrap them as well?! I cheated and bought some chocolate cornflake cakes, put them in pretty cake cases and mini eggs on top- only about 10 on a plate though. Is that enough?Didnt wrap them in anything either.

They sound really pretty. They'll disappear fast. 10 is plenty I should think.