Cake mmmm

[GeneHuntsMistress]

Does anyone know if there is a supermarket cake that is big enough to feed 20? It's for 7 year old party - I did see online a big one at Sainsbos but it was v plain and I wanted something bit more little girly.

The normal ones look too small and I don't want to do two cakes - or is this what people do? One fancy cake to blow out candles, one to cut up for party bags??

Can you tell I'm clueless.....

[GeneHuntsMistress]

Or if I got one made - does anyone have a very ball park figure?? I know it will depend on lots of things but don't want to start thinking about it if it's going to cost me a total fortune...

[3birthdaybunnies]

One for show, one to cut up is best solution. It can take about 10-15 min to cut and wrap 20 pieces of cake. Much easier to do it in the morning, put them in party bags already then produce a suitable cake for blowing out candles. If you have left over cake then freeze it presliced and put it in lunch bags.

Ball park figure for one to be made is prob min 30, but could be much more. You could bake a big cake yourself and pop some icing on and use it for bags - doesn't need to look great as no one will see it whole, then buy one from supermarket. It's not too tricky to bake a cake.

[GeneHuntsMistress]

Thanks so much 3birthdaybunnies, it's all new to me and what you say makes lots of sense. Also if a bake a cake in an oblong tin it will be soooo easy to cut up into slices won't it - some of the fancy cakes I won't know where to start with cutting it evenly.

Of course the big advantage means I can take the fancy one home and eat it ALL MYSELF. Who on earth ever discovered you can freeze cake - and how did it stay around long enough to NEED freezing?!

[3birthdaybunnies]

Bung on some pink butter icing and it will taste much nicer than a shop one. I'm mad enough to make all our own cakes, so ended up with an entire toadstool house big enough for 30; in addition to a spare roof which we cut into 20 for party bags. Even with the most dedicated cake eaters we couldn't eat it all, but sneaked it into their lunchbags for weeks!

[GeneHuntsMistress]

Oh you're good, I only made a cake for first birthday party when she was too little to recognise what it was supposed to be..... Your cake has made my mouth water now.....!

[ChippyMinton]

You could do a big batch of fairy cakes to pop in party bags, especially if you can borrow a tiered cake stand.
Very popular with 7yo girls.

IME if you don't cut and distribute the actual birthday cake, you end up with a sea of disappointed faces.

[3birthdaybunnies]

Ah, only if they see you not cutting it up, whisk it away into the kitchen while they are otherwise occupied then magic the party bags out a while later and they never know! I only do it for big parties where lots of things happening.

Cupcakes though are a good idea - you can buy them in the supermarket and add your own icing, bit of butter icing and some sweets or get some cake toppers from ebay, you can even get squirty icing these days. The cakes are about a pound for 12, a very affordable option.

[DoingItForMyself]

My friend makes cakes and has been asked for a 'kitchen cake' to go alongside a decorative one i.e a pretty one for the candles/singing and one decorated in similar colours which is chopped up prior to the party - it will look the same once its in pieces so nobody will know.

[GeneHuntsMistress]

Oh thanks so much for the advice everyone. I think I may go with the cupcakes, seems a bit easier!

[Imnotaslimjim]

Gene, I'm a caker that sells from home. To give you an idea of cost, I would charge £25 for a 10" round cake that is basically iced with the childs name on. a 10" would give roughly 25 slices

[GeneHuntsMistress]

Thats really useful, thanks Jim - it's hard to work out what size produces enough slices, so I know what I'm looking for now.

Who knew there was so much involved in sorting out a cake - I deliberately organised a party that included everything except the cake, so the one and only thing to arrange and I still manage to make a meal of it (pun intended!)

[Imnotaslimjim]

Its really easy to do your own. If you want to ice it like a celebration cake, look on youtube for "how to ice a cake" and "how to crumbcoat a cake" there is videos to show you what to do.

Capcakes are easier or party bags, but are fiddly to do. And if you haven't already got cupcake tins, it can cost a lot to get the gear together

[3birthdaybunnies]

Yes I probably would only do cupcakes if I faked them, and I always bake the party cakes. I did do cupcakes once- made a shawn the sheep one where you put the cakes together to make one big design, then pull them apart at the end. It was fine but unless I get expensive cases they always peel off. Must be something going wrong somewhere. The shop ones are always fine, and no one but you will know that you faked it if you do your own icing!

[ChippyMinton]

If you really want to cheat at icing, the tubs of Betty Crocker frosting are pretty good. Or ££ but even easier are the squirty cans of the stuff.