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Original poster

Easy yet impressive cake needed for sports day cake stand - ideas please!

68 replies

arfishy · 13/08/2008 07:40

I have to produce a cake tomorrow, no nuts or cream for the school.

I want it to look amazing (I don't want it to be the only one left at the end) but suitable for someone with a dodgy oven and limited cake tinnery. Also no nuts or cream.

[has idea] Are you all going to say lemon drizzle cake?

[goes off to check complexity of recipe]

OP posts:
geordieminx · 14/08/2008 08:51

Ah, having seen the picture party rings would be too big for the handles....

Original poster
arfishy · 14/08/2008 08:58

Woo-hoo! Both LDC Mark II and teacups a resounding success!!

Teacup photo on profile. I think I might have to do a macro shot, because my icing was superior to the flickr shot [competitive].

I did the LDC at 140' for 60 minutes instead of 160' for 45 mins and it's a glorious gold.

I've got to do the lemon drizzle so no photo yet. I'm waiting for DD to finish her bath
(currently singing 'a chicka chicka wow wow' and playing with a can of shaving foam I gave her).

Thank you Eids and Custy . I will report back on the success of my offerings on the cake stand.

OP posts:
unclefluffy · 14/08/2008 09:09

You're right. The bright pink was overkill. Yours are better!

Geordie, couldn't you use party rings for the base? Settle a marshmallow into the centre of each one, stuck with a little ring of icing? Polos for handles.

Original poster
arfishy · 14/08/2008 09:27

Well thank you unclefluffy . I have to confess I am feeling much better after last night's LDC disaster.

Macro shot now on profile.

OP posts:
unclefluffy · 14/08/2008 09:49

Cool! I want to make these now. No excuse coming up, though.

eidsvold · 14/08/2008 10:58

that is it arfishy - they look fab.

stealthsquiggle · 14/08/2008 10:58

OK I need to find translations for some of these ingredients, and I do have some excuses coming up...

Marshmallows I can do - I think I can take the strain of sampling various sources until I find some which are the right shape.

Fruit polos I can do (although they are sticky buggers and lifesavers would be better)

arfishy could you re-do your macro shot with a ruler so that I can then go round a supermarket measuring bicuits to find a suitable substitute?

eidsvold · 14/08/2008 11:04

stealthy - any flat roundish biscuit would do - you could ice the whole biscuit. Although I am guessing digestives and hobnobs would be a bit too big.

geordieminx · 14/08/2008 11:05

ss- i think party rings would make a good saucer alternative?

stealthsquiggle · 14/08/2008 11:11

geordie I was thinking Party Rings too, but now need to eat try out different marshmallows to see whether the proportions work. I don't at this moment in time have any Party Rings, so I can't measure one.

stealthsquiggle · 14/08/2008 12:34

Eids/Arfishy - important technique question....

Is it half a lifesaver stuck on, or a whole lifesaver half-embedded in the marshmallow?

Original poster
arfishy · 14/08/2008 12:53

Thanks Eids! I owe you. What a great idea. DP came home and asked if I'd bought them .

I've just had a good squirrel around the tescos website and it's true - there is no equivalent biscuit.

I think you're right - party rings are the way to go. I've seen the same marshmallows that I used in waitrose, but I'm sure they're available in Sainsbos or Tesco too.

I know those freckle things can be bought in the UK too. Not sure about the coloured polos though. I managed to get some pink ones here ('musk'), sort of parma violet flavour. I think plain white polos would do though.

OP posts:
Original poster
arfishy · 14/08/2008 12:55

Stealth - I snapped my lifesavers in half and stuck them to the side of the marshmallow with icing sugar mix.

OP posts:
stealthsquiggle · 14/08/2008 14:07

Hope they are a hit with the cake stand mafia as well, arfishy - I am sure they will be!

I am going to spend more time than DS will believe in the sweet aisle next time we go shopping - I accept that aesthetically a normal polo would do but I think the mint and marshmallow combo would be entirely disgusting (mindyou - parma violets sound worse, to me, but only because I loathe the flavour) - what was the casualty rate of snapping them in half?

geordieminx · 14/08/2008 15:17

Arfishy - I just remembered - you do 3G like me!!

Califrau · 14/08/2008 17:01

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Tortington · 14/08/2008 20:21

oh fabbo!

BEAUTlFUL · 14/08/2008 20:59

They look so brilliant!!!

eidsvold · 14/08/2008 22:26

if you are doing them for a special occasion - as a one off - I would stick my neck out and go with the aussie shop that I linked too - that way you can see exactly what they are and then try and find the equivalent. AUssie shop deliver - you can buy online.

The musk would be okay - my friend used the five flavours and she just chopped them in half.

They do look fab arfishy. You will just have to smile smugly at cake stall and say - it was nothing really.

stealthsquiggle · 14/08/2008 22:53

I want strawberry and cream life savers [sticks out bottom lip] - I have found them on ebay - dithering now. I think I will inspect a sweet aisle for alternatives first - if I was prepared to settle for 5 flavours I would go with fruit polos

Arfishy - we need feedback from the cake stall

Original poster
arfishy · 15/08/2008 02:51

Well, I'm back from dropping off DD and the standard of the decorated cake boxes was HIGH. I thought we were supposed to let the children do it. Judging by the 3D creations, including olypmic themed running races complete with little stick men and finishing lines there may have been some parental involvement. I suspect that DD's offering of cut out food pictures pritt sticked on is not going to be in the running for the prize .

I didn't see any cakes though, they were all safely tucked into the decorated boxes.

So I'll have to report back after sports day, where I will loitering around the cake stall.

Stealth, do you want me to send you some lifesavers?

Geordie! Yes, I was supposed to start a thread wasn't I? Must do that.

I'm off to Sports Day now [agog with anticipation]. Back later!

OP posts:
eidsvold · 15/08/2008 07:05

[drums the desk waiting for arfishy to return]

so how did it go??

Original poster
arfishy · 15/08/2008 07:15

Well, the LDC was snapped up immediately by one of the ladies running the cake stall and the teacups were bought by one of the Japanese mums, which is a huge compliment I think .

I didn't see too many of the cakes and alas didn't hear any frothing compliments about how talented I was because I was sitting next to the track.

Thankfully neither of my offerings were in the cake of shame pile (the ones nobody would buy), which included the shop bought ones (shame on you!) and some slightly singed ones .

All in all a huge success, DD was thrilled that both of our offerings went (LDC not even making it to the stand!). She thoroughly enjoyed making them and we're making some more tonight to take over on our trip to see my 3 day old god-daughter and her new mummy tomorrow.

So, thank you Eids and Custy. You are both geniuses.

OP posts:
eidsvold · 15/08/2008 07:30

now cakes aside - did you enjoy your first sports day?!?!

Original poster
arfishy · 15/08/2008 07:43

Yes I did thank you . It was a really lovely afternoon. Has your DD1 had hers yet?

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