h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

So what about diabetic and/or coeliac children? I doubt the one cake for all kids exists, and if it does, it's probably really boring.

I think it's more the risk of a child with an anaphlayic reaction to nuts could die if they eat just one nut they are allergic to. So it would be either totally nut free or

A diabetic child should be able to eat sugar within moderation - so at a bake stall fine, and a coealic child, well they couldn't really eat any usual cakes except for gulten free.

I doubt there is one cake that would suit everyone, but seeing as a kid with a nut allergy might keel over and die after the first bite of cake with nuts in the school would rather we didn't take that particular risk.

Had a first go at choc sponge today, and it went a bit wrong - think it needs a bit more raising agent as it didn't rise very well (was well beaten though!) and thought about it after and realised that if I've taken out self-raising flour and replaced with cocoa then obviously I should have put in a bit more baking powder.

I over-cooked it again, had the oven slightly too high (by a few degrees, that is all) but because it was dark anyway i didn't notice when it was starting to go a bit crispy. Ah well, will try and try again.

Filling was good though, I have some chocolate extract and put a tsp of that mixed in with the marscapone and the last remains of the cocoa powder and a little icing sugar. Would be even better topped with ganache, but didn't have any chocolate in the house (somebody keeps eating it! ).

There are lots of recipes in this thread so I won't add one. I'm not an experienced cake maker because we don't eat very many cakes, but I have found out over the years that

(a) beating is very very important (as you have already sussed, according to your last post) Whip the mixture up as light as you can, before the mixer blows a fuse, before adding the flour.

(b) Add one more egg than the recipe calls for. Gives it a luxurious texture.

Decoration is the key. A large baking tray of simple victoria sponge, iced with plain white icing, cut into cubes and each cubed decorated with a bit of glace cherry makes a very nostalgic tray of cakes.

There are biscuit recipes which involve just dolloping spoonfuls of the mixture on to the baking tray and they melt into identical sized biscuits. Or stiffer mixtures you roll into a cylinder and then cut off slices and bake. That way you get lots of same-sized portions, and very time-saving in preparation, too. Displayed in little plastic bags gives them a big advantage for selling - "I'll have a slice of the lemon tart for eating now, and I'll take a bag of biscuits for later".

Oh God, I sound like a women's magazine again.

My attampt at chocolate cake at the weekend came out pretty much perfect, so happy with that now

We've just had a mail regarding the school sale, they are going to sell whole cakes for £3 and buns for 50p. This is a no-brainer then, the same amount of mixture will earn around £10 as buns, or £3 as a cake. I assumed they would be selling slices of cake but seems not!

Ooh, that's quite cheap for a home-made cake, one of the reasons I never buy at these things is because round here the going rate is at least £4.50. But yes, it's a no-brainer, go for buns. Which are also v trendy of course. To make yours look super-trendy, try and get hold of some of those paper squares (rather than ordinary bun cases) - a friend uses them and her cakes always look really swish.

Mol

Too late for that now, no further shopping opportunities. Will remember for next time though

They've changed it now and going to charge £5 for a big cake and 30p for little slices of others so might do a chocolate whole cake and a round of buns. Have enjoyed all this baking but not getting anywhere with my dieting efforts so need to stop practising for a while!

Arrgh,have just realised I will have to supply bases for these cakes if they are being sold whole! Can't give them my nice wooden chopping board that I usually use for my 'ta da' display moment! I have one 8" round one, so that will do - doesn't have a cover though. How on earth will people get them home?

If you don't have some paper plates, perhaps you could make a base out of foil, doubled or quadrupled? then cover the cake in clingfilm, unless the icing is really gooey? Not sure how else people are going to carry home luscious cakes... Paper plates are usual.

A paper plate wouldn't be big enough for a whole cake though, would it? I can't picture it.

Ah, the dinner-plate-sized plain catering ones would be, I've used them in the past. It might take a bit of hunting time,unless you know an outlet for catering supplies nearby, so you've probably not got this option left.

Poundland and similar shops have "disposable" aluminium serving trays quite cheap.

Will see what asda can come up with on my way home...

Cut a circle out of thick cardboard and cover it with silver paper.

Adds had cake boards so bought a couple of them. Turns out practically everyone is planning to do cupcakes so have made gingerbread men, and will make a carrot cake for slicing and choc for selling whole tomorrow. Ans then a break from baking I think!

I slightly overwhipped the ganache but think I got away with it. What I didn't get away with, though, was the little accident the chocolate cake had on the way in to the school which resulted in me having chocolate all over my coat. Unfortunately it wasn't a bad enough accident to abandon all hope of selling it, thus forcing me to scoff the lot Will have to slice the choc one and sell the carrot one whole instead of vice versa.

Yet another thread full of really useful and helpful advice. I love you guys

I saw the pics on FB, kelli, *very impressed* they look good enough to eat

I know I am too late, but my go-to easy recipe is Pinapple Fruit Cake.

It's sugar, mixed fruit, pineapple pieces and melted butter. You just stick it all in the pan, let it cool down and stick an egg or two (can't remember which) in and some flour.

The only tricky bit is being patient enough to let it cool down sufficiently that the egg doesn't curdle.

The best part is that it makes enough for two cakes, so you can eat one and freeze one.