Thursday

Bake Sale Cakes...


I know this is going to cause a stir around the more community driven of you, but I hate baking for the annual bake sale held in my daughters school... Isn't that awful? I will try to explain myself,  as you know I love baking, so it is difficult for me to bake dotey little cupcakes, or delicious biscuit cakes, using wonderful ingredients and lots of love, and then to see them either smashed into bags of "lucky dip" and being sold for less than 50 cents or worse scoffed in two seconds by some ten year old boy who has no respect for presentation.  

I want ooooh and aaaah showered over my creations, I want them popped into an appreciative gob and to immediately followed by "oaf myf...chew chew... GOFPH" - I want people on their knees begging for more...

I hate the way, at this bake sale, the cakes are priced all the same, and I took serious umbrage the first year when my blackberry and vanilla cupcakes (with real vanilla) were priced beside something I can only describe as iced doo doo.  Rice crispie buns made with cooking chocolate are hardly in the same league as my caramel centred dairy milk chocolate rice crispie balls... so I can no longer bring myself to fork out for expensive ingredients, and precious time, when the produce is thrown around like hay at a horse fair.

Therefore I introduce you to the Bake Sale Fairy Cake, a cheap little processor quick cupcake.. perfect fodder for toddlers, 'tweeners and headmasters.  

Iced Sweethearts

You'll need

150gms self raising flour
125gms caster sugar
125gms unsalted butter, softened
2 eggs, at room temperature
1 tsp vanilla essence
2 tbsps milk
Some strawberry jam

For the icing

500gms Icing sugar
Some coconut milk

Blitz all the ingredients in a food processor until a smooth batter, the eggs being at room temperature should prevent a curdle but if it does add a bit more flour.  Plop about two tsps of mixture into the bottom of prepared baking cases on a baking tray.  

Then add a half teaspoon of jam to the centre of that and top with more mix.  Space the cases evenly so to get perfectly round cakes. Bake at 200 degrees in a preheated oven for about 20 mins or so... a toothpick inserted will come out clean when ready.  Leave to cool before icing with the sugar mixed gradually until stiff peaks (don't rush this you can add more but not take it out!!)
You can see where the name comes from when you bite in, a sweet heart does a sweetheart make!

While I was snapping these little cupcakes for this blog, a little hand snuck into the shot... what could I do? Believe me the mmm mmm sounds eminating from the little thief were worth forfeiting a better shot for!


11 comments:

Thistlemoon said...

I think these still look pretty good in comparison to the horrors you describe! At least it is not out of a box AND it looks cute and has a yummy surprise center! Well done!

Welcome to The Foodie Blogroll!

AMI said...

Thanks Jenndz! I'm delighted to join!

MamaGeek @ Works For Us said...

Oh wow, my stomach just growled. Now THAT is artwork.

Emily said...

I love the photos of the "little hand" eating the cupcake! I know exactly what you mean about baking for bake sales. Making 80 not appreciated anything dose not appeal to me. And that is saying something considering how much I love baking. Now that I'm in high school the annoying sales no longer take place. The government has become so strict on what food is permitted in schools these days that elementary school are no longer allowed to sell baked goods.

P.S: I will answer the questions about myself tomorrow.

sagarinag said...

cakes looks very pretty

plz visit my new blog and leave your valueble openion on it

http://authenticcooking.blogspot.com/

Mimi Cooks said...

i swear the first photo i saw i thought it was out of a magazine...really good! and your baby is adorable! nice recipe too.

Emma said...

Lisa, your idea of uncomplicated and mine are obviously very different. These are still pretty involved! And yummy looking. I love jam surprises.

AMI said...

seriously two seconds in the blender. easy peasy!

Anonymous said...

These cupcakes look wonderful. I understand what you mean about bake sales. I made my first homemade everything cupcakes the other day and my mother in law cut them all in half.

AMI said...

Oh Carrie! That is just awful! You know there are the makers and the bakers... some people make a cake and the other (fewer of us) bake... When you put a little of your heart into something - thats baking! The cake makers will never understand us!

Veronica said...

Your little cakes surely should still cost more than standard bake sale fare...they're filled! They look quite tasty.