First school fayre and I have to impress with my donations for the cake stall!

[Haylstones]

Any suggestions for something relatively quick and easy to make but that looks amazing and tastes great? This is dd's first school fayre and as I am the newest PTA member I don't want to be the mum whose cakes are the last to be bought
I'm OK at baking and have most ingredients in but time might be a slight issue...

Mars's lemon drizzle cake is damn fine and very popular. Lots of decent recipes here

yes, make cupcakes. (note, these ARE cupcakes, not fairy cakes. they are made in a muffin tin and are bigger than fairy cakes )

basic sponge recipe, prob double it though. divide into muffin cases in a muffin tin. cook,. etc

then make up lots of buttercream in pastel colours. get an icing bag with a swirly nozzle and ice the buttercream on in a big swirl, all over the top.
decorate with sugar flowers, sprinkles, sparkly edible glitter etc etc

gingerbread?

Either gingerbread men I use the recipe from here

or Mary Berry's gingerbread (can't find the recipe online). Made it today, easy, came out perfect even with ds 'helping'. Could cut up into squares and ice if wanted it to look better.

I don't think anyone cares as long as you bake something (plenty of people can't be arsed)...Any contribution is bound to be a winner...but I would make mince pies (as presumably it is a Christmas fayre)

Hayl, i am in the exact same position. this is ds' first year at 'involved' new school. The old school was in a pretty bad area and didn't ask for donations, ever. I suppose they thought the parents weren't in a position to give.

Anyway, at the new school we have Christmas fayre on Friday and i am doing cakes also. oNe really cool idea that I have done before for ds' birthday party was Fish Cakes.

You make fairy cakes up in the regular way, make white chocolate butter icing, use some ice cream wafers to make fish tails, buy some of these nad stick them on in rows with the butter icing, alternated with white choc buttons. Spread some melted white choc on the tails and sprinkle with hundreds and thousands. Coloured or silver balls for eyes et voila!

Sounds a faff but really not difficult (trust me , I am no Nigella) and they look fantastic

I made hummingbird cupcakes last night they were SOOOOOOOOOOOOO easy and delicious

here

I am currently boiling clementines to make nigella's clementine cake - one for school and one for us. Am also going to make a banana loaf.

I just dolloped some cream cheese frosting on top and DH took them in to work tonight and they've been scoffed in seconds

Make fairy cakes with sweeties on the top if you want them to be bought first. Remember it's the kids who choose so bribe well.

Oh, these sound great. I often make Mars's ldc so would like to try something different and if it's something that appeals to the children then so much the better! HUmmingbird cakes sound lovely- what icing did ou use?

Nigellas cherry chocolate cupcakes are delicious and easy. In fact in 'Domestic Goddess' she has a whole section on baking for cake sales

I used a cream cheese frosting - very easy and DELICIOUS! would you like recipe?

What about mince pies? Must have homemade mince pies at a School Xmas Fayre.

REcipe would be great, dizzy.
Someone else is already making mince pies otherwise that was my first choice!

Sorry, forgot to say please dizzy!

no problem

300g cream cheese (I use full fat philly)
60g butter @ room temperature
1tsp vanilla extract
340g icing sugar

whizz everything in food processor and chill for 1hr until before use

only complication is not eating it all before putting it on the cupcakes

Thanks dizzy, will get baking!