Wedding cake

[masma]

My daughter has asked me to make her wedding cake, 2 tier, 1 fruit 1 sponge. My first question is.. can I make the sponge one in advance and how could I keep it fresh? Second question... I'd also like to make cupcakes but yet again, thinking of how long they'd be on display at the reception, how do they keep fresh? T.I.A.

[vodkancoke]

Sponge cake can be frozen as can the cupcakes. Just ,obviously, defrost before icing. The cupcakes (if using buttercream)can be iced the day before. The sponge cake, depending on the icing can be iced 2 days before.

[welshlibranr]

I made my daughters wedding cakes, a top cake, fruit, and then 120 cupcakes, I baked the fruit one about a month before and fed it with brandy for a couple of weeks, the cupcakes, I made them a couple weeks before, just a couple of dozen at a time when I had some time, I cooled them and put them into two freezer bags, then straight into the freezer, they were fine, U used butter in the baking, think it stays more moist, took them out the night before the wedding, and decorated them while still a little frozen, this helped, the icing didn't get soft in the warmth of the kitchen, stored them in airtight boxes, and took them to the venue the night before, they were fine!....I was complimented so many times on the cupcakes, and was asked for the recipe several times...........

[lilacben]

Hi, I made my daughters three tier wedding cake last year, All the tiers where fruit but I also made 90 cupcakes, As you know fruit cake is best made a couple of months before. However sponge cake is different. It is best to make the cupcakes the day before for them to be fresh. You can , if you have a large freezer make the larger cake and freeze it until the day before.. The trouble with cupcakes is the cake cases they tend to come away from the cakes. So make sure you by the stronger cake cases and not just the thin paper ones. Hope this helps.

[vodkancoke]

Ignore my defrost before icing comment...welsh's way makes more sense!

[welshlibranr]

lilacben makes a good point about the cakecases masma, I used silver foil ones, and they were fine, and good quality paper ones are usually fine too, but the cheap paper ones do come away if you freeze the cupcakes......

[welshlibranr]

thanks vodkancoke!......Only discovered this trick by accident, was in a rush one day, and decorated the cupcakes while frozen, they worked so well, the cakes defrost really quickly anyway, I do it always now!........

[masma]

Come on then Welsh - give me your recipe please ;-)

[welshlibranr]

so easy masma!......for about 12 -18 large cupcake cases..........6ozs butter (just the cheapest hard butter in the supermarket) 6ozs castor sugar, 3 large eggs, 6ozs SR flour 1 and a half teaspoons baking powder, you can add 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract if liked, I prefer the buttery taste in the cakes!......soften the butter before using, then add all the above to the mising bowl and whisk with an electric mixer for about 2 minutes, may seem a long time, but it needs whisking well, then bake in the centre of the oven at 180 degrees, for about 20 -25 mins............never fails for me, but have a trial and see what you think!...........good luck!............

[welshlibranr]

that's 'mixing bowl' masma, sorry typing too fast for my brain!..........lol........

[welshlibranr]

masma, was just looking for a pic of the cakes, but not on my laptop!.....if I can find them on the desktop I'll post one for you!.......

[masma]

Excellent! thank you all so much xx

[welshlibranr]

still not found a pic masma, will get one from my daughter hopefully and post it for you tomorrow!............

[masma]

Thank you x

[welshlibranr]

you're welcome masma!.......

[B00]

mmmmm cakes....