I’ve gone cupcake crazy- I admit it. Ever since I thought about having cupcakes at weddings instead of the traditional wedding cake, I’ve loved that idea. I think it would be different and cheaper. Cupcakes cost on average around 2 pounds a piece, if you had 100, it would still be about 200 pounds, half the price of a cake. 

Wouldnt it be lovely if I could replicate this:

I love Peyton & Bryne cupcakes but the last time I went there, I had their rasperry and lemon cupcake and it was not as good as I expected it to be. The only other flavours they had at that store were chocolate and mint favours which I am not fond off. Anyways, Peyton & Bryne cupcakes are about 2.5 pounds a piece (roughly equivalent to $5) which is quite steep for cupcakes. But I think I saw a sign on their store that they do orders for 200 pounds worth cupcakes for parties. Their website is: http://www.peytonandbyrne.com/cakes.htm

But then I read rave reviews about another bakery in london called the Hummingbird bakery. Their cupcakes are 1.5 pounds and they also honour the baker’s dozen rule where you get one cupcake for every 12! So I’ve calculated that if I order 104, I would pay for 96 which would costs about 144 pounds. Im going to go visit the cafe after my exams. Their website is: http://www.hummingbirdbakery.com/flash.html 

I’ve also been researching cupcake boxes so that I could give guests a cupcake each to take home like a wedding favour. There are some I’ve found. I might just outsource them to India and get them to make about 100 for me:

So far, my favourite is this one but I would like to incorporate a clear flap where you can see the cupcake: 

I could even make my own cupcake as I have a superb recipe that was recommended by a top chef in a London newspaper. My fiance says I should just order them as he doesnt want me stressed at the wedding. But I like the idea that people can eat the cupcakes i made!

Heres the recipe, it makes about 20 cupcakes every time:

250 g unsalted butter

250 g caster sugar

250 g self-raising flour

4 eggs

Method: Cream butter and sugar in a large bowl until the mixture is white and fluffy, Add eggs one at a time and fold in four. Fill cupcake cases. Bake at 170 C for 20 minutes. 

Cut off the tops where it peaks – I learnt this tip when I saw celebrities making cupcakes on E! TV – how random eh?

For icing, melt about 100 g better and a few drops of water and mix in as much icing sugar as it takes to make it creamy. Add two drops of vanilla essence and one or two drops of the colour. 

Enjoy and happy baking! xxx