Hi Folks!

I have my own part time home baking business (fully licenced in the UK) and I advertise on my website that I can also make fake/dummy cakes to hire or purchase.... not many bakers advertise this as an option and I thought I may as well... you never know hey!

Anyhows (getting to the point now) I had a request from a client today for a variety of fake cupcakes to display on her cake stand (presumably for a wedding although she does not say this!) - I can't help thinking this is a strange request - so I wanted to put the topic out on CC to see if I can get some feedback on whether any of you have ever been asked this and if so how would you go about making a fake cupcake in a wrapper etc?

Any feedback/opinions on this would be enlightening!

Cheers guys!

Anna

I can't help but wonder why would anybody want a fake cupcake. Even for fake cake, the price is about the same for real as for fake, but I can sort of understand it. But for a cupcake - a fake cupcake would in my understanding cost much more than a real cupcake with the same design. Point it to your customer!
I can see ... somehow ... one possibility only why I would get fake cupcake - to display it for a long time or again and again.
In all other cases - get a real cupcake and use it as favor if it won't get eaten.

To make fake cupcake - you would need to make a cupcake dummy. Easiest and quickest would be probably to use construction foam and use cupcake pan. Messy, but doable.

Maybe she wants to use them as props to sell cupcake stands? Or for decoration in a gift shop? Cupcakes are supposed to be very Shabby Chic.

Thanks for your thoughts guys! majka_ze I also couldn't think of a reason why you would want a fake cupcake as it would definitely be less for a real one, of course unless it wasn't for a wedding and is something more for a display as you said Jen 80. either way I think I may have to delve a little deeper and find our exactly what she wants as she was very vague in her email! I just wanted to hear some thoughts on the matter! Cheers!

You can buy styrofoam cupcakes from a place called Bakers Nook.



There are other sources too, all in the US. But, by the time you've had them shipped to the UK, depending on how many she wants,. they will be pretty pricey!

You could always decorated then with RI swirls or whatever which will last a long while.

Wow, now that's different! I've never heard of fake cupcakes. I learn something new (around here) every day! LOL!

I've seen dummy cakes & I can only see them being practical to a decorator for display purposes. That would be a total waist for a customer.

I agree Bella thats what I thought which is why I just had to ask about them on CC to get other opinions! Unless of course they are for a display of some sort in which the customer wants them to last a long time! Its weird, plus more strange since I have no pictures at all of cupcakes on my website! I'm going to look into it before replying to the client, going to look at the Bakers Nook link mentioned above!

Oo Uniqueask you posted while I was writing.. i'll look there too.. but price wise if I have to get items from the USA then they will definitely not be cost efficient for a wedding compared to normal cupcakes!

Just saw the ones at globalsugarart and what I can't get my head around is how you are meant to decorate them (or any cupcake dummy) to look like real cupcakes... since you usually can see some of the cake under the icing, and these are flat and white - no dome on the top or anything, it would take a lot of work to make them look real don't you think? I think this request is going to be more trouble than its worth! lol

I agree, I would find out what she wants them for...if it's for a wedding that could be a really bad idea. Unless they remove them from the table immediately after cutting the cake (maybe before) then people might grab the fake ones and try to eat them! I've had kids grab a cupcake BEFORE the cutting of the cake! So if this is for a shop display then ok but you should warn her about putting them out for a wedding. And, BTW, wouldn't people be expecting real cupcakes after the cutting of the cake? This is an odd one indeed!

Good luck!
Cat

You don't need dummies for cupcakes. Just make cupcakes and don't fill or cover. They'll dry out.

hi again cheers for everyones input... while i was searching for an alternative to cupcake dummies I came accross these are these too cute or what! I want one to put in my kitchen!

Sometimes people have a cake platter that is in their home that they just want something to display on. It's the same concept as a bowl full of fake fruit. I think it would be cute to have fake cupcakes displayed on my kitchen table all the time.

You can buy cup cake dummies online. Just search it. You can decorate them the same as any other cake dummy. They will be cute. Just make sure to charge her enough! These are works of art. Have fun

I saw a cupcake the other day made out of a styrofoam ball put inside of a cupcake liner with a little hot glue.

You can also make them out of plaster. I poured the plaster into rubber cupcake forms that were place inside a muffin tin. When they set I took them out and let them dry. Place into the paper and decorate with drywall compound or fondant or play dough.