I need ot make 48 faircakes/cupcakes/whatever you call them for a party a week today. Come and talk to me PLEASE!

[MamaG]

Here's what i need.

1. A foolproof recipe and an idea of size (fairycake size or muffin tin size)

1. Ideas for decoration. Have ordered a decent piping bag which should come during the week. I usually cut the end off a plastic bag but thought I'd push the boat out

I was planning to use Nigella's lemon cupcake recipe but am happy to use something else if recommended

Am a bit stuck with decoration. I'd quite like to do 4 different colours/decorations.

Was thinking for one of them, I could do somehting like this

Looks simple, but effective no?

I can NOT spend ££££ as I've already spent over £40 making a fruit cake

OH and when should I make them/decorate them? What's the best way to store them?

Thanks

I would just do a really basic fairy cake mixture.

If you do the piped icing on top, they will look so pretty.

You could also do some with a chocolate ganache (sp) on the top (double cream/melted chocolate).

Jazz them up with silver balls etc

I would personally make the sponge the day before and ice them on the day.

You could make the sponge and freeze though, if your tight for time.

this recipe always works a treat. If you do vanilla cupcakes then you can flavour the toppings and decorate accordingly. So you could do chocolate icing with little chocolate stars, lemon icing with sprinkle of lemon/lime zest ontop, plain vanilla icing with a cherry/sprinkles on and maybe a coffee icing with a coffee bean on top. I am assuming it is for adults.

oh would you? Would you do "fiary cake" size as well rather than biug muffin size?

th party starts at 12noon adn I have 3 children to look after - was hoping to ice them the night befoe when kids all in bed, would that be too early?

Re storate, will tghey be ok just covered in a tea towel?!

I would bake then the day before and store them in a airtight container and ice them on the day.

Thanks oops hae yo made them? When do you add teh custard powder?

and yes, adults, few children running around but mostly adults

Yes if you ice them the night before nad cover them with a towel they will be fine - I have done it before when i needed to deliver cakes by noon before and they were fine. If you do muffin size and only fill them 2/3 of the way. I always use muffin size ans they ice well with the extra space in the cup and look very generous

Yes I have made them and I add the custard powder with the flour.

And borrow someone's gas oven, you don't want the fucker letting you down

I know gherkin

ooh and recipe says flour

plan or SR? Assume SR as no baking powder or owt

Yes SR flour and I always add 1/4 tsp baking powder anyway as SR flour can lose it's raising ability if not 'fresh'

Have a look below at The Quintessential Orange Cupcake Recipe

125 g sugar
2 medium sized eggs - beat until white
110 g wheat flour (not self raising) - sieved inn
1 ts baking powder
125 g butter - melted - add to mix

1 small pot of orange/apricot youghurt (not fat free aspartame style youghurt, and not frenc "set" either)
1 table spoon orange/apricot marmelade (optional)
2 table spoons orange juice

Bake on 180 degrees for 25-30 minutes. (gasmark 4?)

This is a delicious moist cupcake.

If you ice it, use just icing sugar, water and 1 or 2 drops of lemon essence

I often use any combination of youghurt or jam, so blueberry, or rasberry, anything is possible really. But then I will use milk rather than orange juice.

I should add, for a more "grown up" cupcake, I use a cream cheese frosting (with a drop of lemon essence), with a generous helping of frosting, "swirled up", and decorated with silver balls, for example.

But these ones can also be topped with a chocolate ganache, with orange decorations.

The above recipe makes 12 cupcakes

Thanks. I'll make a batch today and see how they wordk out.

I am thinking

choc butter cream with MALTESER on top

vanilla buttercream with cherry (and stalk) on top

lemon buttercraem with lemon/lime zest on top

NEED A FOURTH. Maybe just "pink" buttercream with silver balls? or glitter or something?

Thanks for all advice so far

Brown on brown? How about smarties?

or mini marshmellows!

Can you still get white choc malteasers? they would look great on choc butter cream.

if you go for pink buttercream Morrisons do a pink glitter sugar whick would look great.

Those cadbury mini eggs looks particularly good. I wonder if they sell them outside of Easter. You can get coloured food dye from Lakeland for the icing. A teeny drop gives a fantastic colour to the icing for the wow factor.

I might be thinking of a children's party though.

I just saw some cakes with Dolly Mixture on they looked fab - for adults and kiddies.

Tesco do 12 already made fairy cakes for about 49p (I think) and they are quite nice. Buy millions of them and freeze them if need be.

You could do either a butter icing topping with a cherry/ chocolate button/ dolly mixture on top or a water icing (icing sugar, a teasp of glycerine and a little food colour then add a tiny drop of water, drip by drip) go crazy with hundreds and thousands, dolly mixtures, sugar flowers and silver balls.

at ready made!

I thought a brown malteser would look nice but agree a white would would be better

I have nothing useful to suggest as my hungover brain is not working properly today, but I am going to bake tomorrow after reading the orange cupcake recipe!! Sounds very yummy so will be back later to make a note of it

They have bags of white & brown Maltesers in Tesco at the moment for £1 each