For all the cupcake experts out there

madkitty

Any moneysaving tips on creating your own topping, sprinkles or just general penny savings?

natlie

Hi
crumbled flake goes a long way, malteasers - either put one on the cake or (as seen on UKTV food) put them on wire and create a tree effect, or crush them up. Mini marshmallows - you can make easily - James Martin recipe on BBC website. pieces of fudge - again easy to make. Have you seen the mallows coloured rice crispies sweets - havent seen them for a while but they are good. Frosting wise try peanut butter frosting (peanut butter added to buttercream) on chocolate cupcakes and get some carnation toffee sauce - just like snickers yum, I also do lemon meringue cupcakes - recipe on www.bakingmad.com and whipped cream frosting - goes well with fruit - but you have to keep the cakes in the fridge.
Nat
x

ALIBOBSY

My auntie in canada gave me an idea I hadn't seen before a few years ago (have seen it since over here). Instead of icing/frosting the top add a "center" to the cakes ie when filling add a blob of mix then a teaspoon of "center" followed by topping with more cake mix/muffin batter.
You then don't need to frost/ice the tops although I usually give them a quick dusting of icing sugar to look pretty.

Fillings can be cheap value jam, homemade jams/jellies or fruit compotes-these can be from foraged fruit making them even cheaper. I also use a "cheesecake" center which is philli or simular mushed up with sugar to taste and I like a squirt of lemon juice in it as well-this is espcially good inside choclate muffins mmmmm. A blob of chocolate spread or toffee sauce (homemade or otherwise) is also nice.

Or lemon drizzle cake done as small buns is nice and you just top with a bit of sugar and lemon mixed and let in soak in a la a normal lemon drizzle cake.

Another topping I got from a book was for blueberry/breakfasty type muffins. Make up a small amount of crumble mix so half fat to flour mixed to breadcrumb stage a sprinkle of oats and sugar mixed in then sprinkled ontop before baking. This goes well on fruity/oaty breakfast type buns or muffins and goes all crunchy and yummy in the oven and uses just basic cupboard items.

To be honest my kids will eat a nice set of basic vanillas sponge cupcakes with just a sprinkle of icing sugar or plain-I always keep some plain as these are nice with custard or icecream.

Maybe some of these ideas are less MSE and more about yummy taste lol.

Ali x

squeaky

Butterfly cakes / buns ... Butterfly fairy cake buns recipe - Recipes - goodtoknow

Fillings can be pretty much anything that you have to hand. A quick google of butterfly cakes will point you to thousands of ideas and, personally, I think that these are often easier to do effectively than icing type toppings.

You can layer things easier too and they'll stay in place - so you can make "cream tea buns" without the risk of the cream sliding off the jam

This thread may be of interest:- Frosting for your Cupcakes

And this:- tiny choc sweets for cupcake decorations

And possibly this:- getting a blob of jam to stay put in a cupcake

Sparklyfairy

My idea is similar to Jens..put choc bar in fridge (cheapie 30p one will be fine) & use a cheese grater over top. Presto!