Categories: Food & Wine

How to Make a Giant Cupcake Party Cake

Have you ever seen those commercials on tv where they feature a baking pan set that allows you to create a giant cupcake? The cupcake, made for a party, can feed several people. Children love the huge cake for their birthday parties but it can be made and served for just about any special occasion. The cupcake can have a secret, delicious filling or can hold ice cream inside. They look scrumptious, no doubt about it, but why buy the pans? After all, you can easily make the pans any time you want, and throw them away when you’re done, so there’s no cleanup.

The most important thing about making the giant cupcake pan is to find some appropriate dishes from around the house. The bottom of the cupcake can be made with ordinary pans. Use two or three ordinary, round cake pans to create the bottom for the finished cake. To make the top, though, you might have to use your imagination a little more! Set one of the round pans on the table then set about trying to find a bowl, pot, punch bowl or other object that will fit over the pan. Some candy dishes can fit the bill or even certain pans. An upside-down bowl will often work fine. The bowl should extend beyond the round cake pan so that the top of the cupcake is much larger than the bottom.

The new pan you make doesn’t necessarily have to be the exact same size as the bowl or pan you select. That is, you’re most interested in the shape of the object; the size can be altered as you make the new pan. Use two to three layers of thick foil to make the pan. Place the foil stack over the bowl or pan. Shape it to the object then remove it. You can fold the edges down to make the pan much smaller if you want. Set the foil pan on a cookie sheet. Place in and out of the oven only while the foil pan is on the sheet.

Spray the foil with non-stick cooking spray and add the cake mix. Bake according to package directions. When cooled you can begin assembling the cake. Place a layer of frosting on the first round cake, then settle the second cake on top, doing the same again with the third layer. When you have the intended height of the base of the cake you can move on to adding the top of the cupcake to the stack. Most people find it easiest to frost the entire bottom of the cake before placing the cupcake top on the cake. To proceed, peel the foil back slightly, turn the cupcake top upside-down, and position it on top of the cupcake bottom. Now finish removing the foil. Frost the remainder of the cake.

The above is a step-by-step guide to creating the basic cupcake. However, there are many different types of cakes you can make from the cupcake mold. Stack the cakes which form the bottom, cut a circle out of the middle, then fill with pudding, ice cream, chocolate syrup or other choices. Frost the outside of the cake as well as the ring around the cut-away circle. Now set the cupcake top in its position.

Any number of candies and other goodies can be used to create the finished design. A partial list of things you can use to create the perfect cake include shredded coconut, gel frosting, candy sprinkles, chocolate-covered candies, assorted cereals, gummies, chocolate bears, bunnies or other animals, licorice or even gum drops. Make cakes with a holiday theme, birthday theme, graduation theme and many more.

Using foil to make your pans you can create more than just a giant cupcake. Have a beach party with a sand bucket cake! Get a sand castle-shaped bucket, turn it upside-down, and cover it with plastic wrap. Mold the foil over the castle shape making sure to create the indentations or other shapes on the bucket. Remove the foil pan, spray it, then fill it with cake mix. To fill this cake with pudding or ice cream, cut it in half after it’s cooled. Set the top half aside, cut a hole in the center of the bottom half, then add the desired filling. Set the top half back in place and frost the entire cake. Use embellishments to outline details on the castle.

With foil pans you make yourself you can create any number of cake designs that are unique but very easy to create. Your guests will be stunned when they find out you made the entire cake – and pans – yourself! You’ll enjoy it so much that there will be a new cake for every occasion – maybe even for everyday! After all, you need to get in lots of practice!