Slightly OT- Cupcakes...Any baking type people?

My advice is....save yourself the stress and time and just buy some cupcakes!! M&S do amazing ones!!

Go for cream cheese frosting (just cream cheese and icing sugar, so completely delish), and maybe try another batch with smaller eggs?

Currently boy is making me and my workmates cupcakes for tomorrow (it is my cake day and I am too tired to do it!), he is doing a Hummingbird recipe, I will let you know if they work out so you could try the recipe maybe?

I always use a victoria sponge mix.. its much lighter. For the icing I such stalk marg and use double the amount of icing sugar ie; 100gs marg 200gs icing sugar...

It's always worked for me... flash them when you've made em

You are right, it could be that the eggs were large.

Jamie oliver says....... weigh your eggs first, and use that at the base for your recipe. So, 2 eggs weighs approx 100g. Whatever the eggs weigh (eg, 120g), thats how much flour, marg and sugar you use. That way, your ratio is exactly right.

Haha teapotty- OH said the same thing! I'd like to try myself first though but buying some and just putting the toppers on is a definite possibility if all else fails!

Thanks to everyone on the baking help. I'll try the cream cheese frosting Gurzle. Just been chatting my my cousin, she said I could use the Betty Crocker Buttercream stuff in a tub but I'll try the cream cheese thing first.

Sparkles- that is a fabulous tip- THANKS! I'll weigh the eggs and go from there then, bless Jamie Oliver! Hoorah!

Another test bake on Saturday then I think, hopefully they'll be better this time.

Thanks all

The Primrose bakery recipe is my go to vanilla recipe. Perfect every time - with large eggs. Make sure you beat the sugar and butter (unsalted) for ages and then ages again with the eggs. This is where all the air gets added! Definitely use unsalted butter for the icing - even if you're making cream cheese icing. It's the quality of the ingredients which creates the great taste! For buttercream - 110g unsalted butter, 300g icing sugar (more to taste if you want), tbsp milk and most importantly 1tsp high quality vanilla extract - the Madagascan one is the best!

If you have normal size cake cases use a basic mix of 2 eggs, 100g each of sugar, butter and sr flour. If they are large cupcake cases use 3 eggs and 150g of each. 100g butter and 200g icing sugar for buttercream