These City Days likes cake, and let's face it, who doesn't?! so as blog host and founder, I decided to bring in a guest blogger to bring you all things baking. So please say hello, comment, and sit back with a cuppa and look out for plenty of cakes and bakes.
Hi all, just a few words to introduce myself. I'm Vicky, a 31-year-old mum to be from the sunny Isle of Wight, who is obsessed with all things cake! I have a particular affection for cupcakes and buttercream! I'm very excited to have been asked to contribute some baking loveliness to Lauren's fab new blog and hope to include reviews of baking gadgets, techniques, and a recipe of the week in the coming months.
I start this week with a review of the Big Top Giant Cupcake Mould. I lusted after one of these for what felt like an age, but finally got round to trying it this week courtesy of a generous husband trying to keep his wife occupied on maternity leave! In all honesty, I didn't hold out much hope for the end result, after all, how often do baking gadgets promise professional results but leave you bereft, surrounded by icing explosions or a pile of burnt biscuits. However, I gave it a go buoyed by the marketing spiel of a cake 'easy to build, assemble and decorate'.
The red silicone mould retails at approximately £6.00 to £10.00 and is widely available from eBay and Amazon. This is pretty competitive when compared with its tin counterpart, which can set you back £20.00 to £30.00. It comes in three separate parts: top, bottom, and an insert that enables you to create a well for your favourite fillings - cream, jam, or fruit for the more virtuous of you ( not me!). The possibilities are endless.
The instructions are clear but to the point, but the included recipes are limited. However, a quick trawl of the internet brings a plethora of options for all tastes. I plumped for the good old tried and tested vanilla option.
Whilst the moulds are silicone they do need to be thoroughly greased prior to use. You can use butter, but I would really recommend a baking release spray - less mess, more economical, and a better result. Dr. Oetker Cake Release Spray is a good place to start and is readily available at most supermarkets. You can also use a cooking spray with similar results.
*TIP* Cooking timings are included but think they can be fairly hit and miss, and much depends on the type of oven you have. Bear in mind the top section needs less time to cook, and you will need to keep an eye on both parts to gauge the bake. As the top can often cook quicker, to prevent a burnt top, you can cover it with baking parchment or a silicone sheet.
Having left the moulds to cool for an hour post-baking, which for me, as the least patient person known to man, was blooming difficult, I was pleasantly surprised to see both parts of the cake pop out the moulds with ease. All that was left was to trim both cakes to ensure they sat flush and then to go wild with jam, buttercream, and the fondant deco ,( see pics) with a bomb site kitchen testament to this!
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| The Finished Result! |
I would really recommend this product to all bakers. Giant cupcakes are as popular as ever for birthday and wedding cakes, with great scope for personalisation. They often come with a hefty price tag if you buy one (£30.00 to £40.00) so I would say have a go yourself.
*TIP* The mould is also really useful for a chocolate piñata, a chocolate cupcake shell full of sweets. All you need is a couple of layers of chocolate or candy melts, left to cool in the fridge for 15 minutes between each layer. Check out some of the fab YouTube tutorials for more info.
Well, that's all folks, and thanks for reading. Get baking!
oooo i want one!!!!
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