Over the Rainbow Cupcakes

After having my youngest son on new years eve it occured to me that it might be a good time to get all of my children baptised. I dont know why I feel it is important because on the whole I am not particularly religious but i do know that it would mean alot to my family.

Plus I've never been one to resist an excuse for a big party!

 

So I got my thinking cap on and while having a chat with my cousin-in-law he suggested a Mad Hatters Tea Party theme.

 

I loved this idea so guess what? I'm going with it!

 

Might I add that I am going soooooo totally kitsch with this party that even Nigella Lawson would swoon! (Yes i have the drinks fountain complete with lights at the ready!)

 

Anyway I digress.

 

Ive seen alot of people do rainbow coloured sponge cakes by dying them with gel food colouring and it has worked out well by baking them individually, also ive seen some marble effect ones, so I decided to have an experiment to see if i could come up with rainbow cupcakes! (the Mad Hatter would be proud i feel!)

 

I started with a basic sponge mix which for me is equal amounts of caster sugar, butter and self raising flour, a tbsp of milk and 3 eggs per 8oz of the above ingredients, depending on the flour i use i sometimes add a teaspoon of baking powder for a little extra lift.

 

I made quite the quantity of batter! 1lb of all of the ingredients and 6 eggs!

 

I divided the mixture between 5 bowls and coloured them all with a contrasting colour (I had red, green, blue, yellow and purple)

 

 

I put cupcake cases in my tray and started to layer the colours, first red then purple then blue green and yellow (as in a rainbow)

 

 

Well i wont patronise you by telling you how to do this because I assume that i you are smart enough to have found my blog then you are smart enough to know how to put cake batter into a cupcake case!

 

I baked them for approx 25-30 mins on gas mark 6, when you think they are done check them with a skewer and if it comes out clean they are done. If not then pop them back for 5 more mins and check again.

 

Here is the finished product!

I have to admit im quite impressed with the colours, I do need to work on how to stop them dipping in the middle but that will come with practice and possibly piping the batter into the cases. I cut one in half so you can get the full effect of the colours going on!

 

SO for the christening i thought i would shock everone by having plain white icing and leaving the colour to the inside!