Bugs
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Cakes for fundraisingI've just filled in my form for the Macmillan coffee morning event and am thinking about what cakes/biscuits to offer. I am sure we've done a "cakes for fetes" type thread before but can't find it  so any ideas would be appreciated.
Last year I went with my principles and used organic butter and eggs for the things I made; but this made the cost nearly as much as I could reasonably charge for things. So I'm looking for recipes this year that use as little eggs and butter as possible; I will do a banana bread which is made with sunflower oil and one egg and could do with something chocolatey but based on cocoa, and some sort of biscuit things which will be hardest to make without butter. I may be able to get another person or two to help out but to be honest it can be more trouble organising people and smoothing over their fears whether what they have made is good enough - I was highly tempted not to do it at all this year but I thought I'd have another go and if it doesn't go better this year I'll give up.
Bearing in mind people will happily pay £3 for a muffin from McDonalds and the same for indifferent flapjack and sandwich from the the "sandwich lady" why do they fuss and complain when I suggest 50p for a slice of very nice cake (often as much as £2.50 from Costa Coffee etc)? They scoff it quick enough if I offer it for free
I'm talking myself out of it now! Word of the day: misanthropy
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Mrs Fiddlesticks
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How did you know that on todays To Do List was a cake for the cake stall at the village fete tomorrow ( I'm not even on the stall!)
I'm going to do a lemon drizzle in a loaf tin.
I have got some good recipes that don't use much in terms of eggs etc, but today isn't the day for typing them out - remind me and I'll do some when I can. A friend is dangerously allergic to eggs and has promised me an eggless cake recipe for the PTA newsletter so I'll try it out and let you know what thats like.
Oh and theres nothing like a piece of fresh homemade shortbread!
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bagpuss
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I think the standards generally go down well
chocolate
victoria sponge
coffee and walnut
lemon
If you have a copy of nigellas how to be a domestic goddess there is a whole chapter with suggestions
I have never tried it but the ginger bread with lemon icing does look nice
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alison
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That gingerbread method is really good.
Family Circle did a whole feature with ingredients and a days cooking time plan, for a whole cake stall selection.
I'll see if I can dig it out, but most of them I know by heart now.
muffins are also popular.
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2steps
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what about using a recipe that needs eggs but using an egg substutite insted of actual eggs?
I have some written down if you need them
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Bugs
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Egg free recipes and the family circle things would be much appreciated if anyone has time to dig them out; I have a couple of weeks to go! I'll dig out Nigella as well, good point, oh pink stripey contributor 
2steps, what do you mean by egg substitute, like vinegar and baking soda or is there something I'm missing out on? Tell me more...I would like to avoid buying eggs when the bad chickens stop laying so such things would be handy for me too.
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Jonnyboy
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A flourless chocolate cake is great for these things, but it does use the odd egg or four.
You can make it cheaper by using a 'value' dark chocolate (not bakers choc) rather than the good stuff, and adding some cocoa.
Hate to say it, but organic butter is generally hard to come by, and it's only 88p in tesco.
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2steps
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yes bugs, they use things like baking powder, flour or oil
Shall I post the ones I have?
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alison
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I have a recipe somewhere that uses half apple sause for half the fat, I think it is, or maybe the egg. Obviously I took not enough notice.
How many are you going to make
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Mrs Fiddlesticks
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caramel crunch barsright as promised and I have 5 mins here are some recipes for fundraising cake thingys with minimum eggs. I'll do them separate to avoid me getting cross when it looses the post!
Caramel Crunch Bars
4oz marg
4oz marshmallows
4oz caramels
7oz Rice Krispie type cereal
Put the margarine, marshmallows and caramels in a saucepan and heat gently over a moderate heat until the mixture is smooth. Be patient this will take about 5 mins.
Meanwhile put the krispies in a large bowl. Remove the pan from the heat and pour all at once on to the krispies and stir very thoroughly until they are well and evenly coated.
Spoon in to large tin 12" x 9" and press flat. Leave in a cool place until set and quite firm and then cut in to 21 bars.
an old favourite I know but easy to do and everyone likes them!
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Mrs Fiddlesticks
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Chocolate chip crunch barsChocolate chip crunch bars
These are a crunchy cross between cake and biscuit.
4oz soft marg
6oz demerara sugar
1 egg
1 teaspoon vanilla essence ( or less if you're using the pure extract)
8oz self raising flour
4oz chocolate chips
Heat oven to 190° or Gas 5 and grease a tin 11" x 7" x 1" deep.
Place all the ingredients together in a bowl and mix thoroughly. If you find it easier, mix with your hands. Spread the mixture in the tin and then bake for 35 -40 mins until its golden brown and has shrunk from the sides of the tin.
Leave to cool slightly and then cut in to 16 pieces. Lift them out and put them on a wire rack to cool.
makes 16 bars
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Mrs Fiddlesticks
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grantham gingerbreadsGrantham Gingerbreads.
A hollow biscuit, quite high in sugar but very moreish and it makes loads and only one egg!
4oz soft marg
12oz caster sugar
1 large egg
9oz self-raising flour
1 - 2 level teaspoons ground ginger
Heat oven to 150° or Gas 2 and well grease about 3 baking sheets.
Cream the margarine and sugar until soft and then beat in the egg. Sieve the flour with the ginger and add it to the mixture and work to a firm dough.
Turn the dough out on to a lightly floured table. Knead and then roll it into small balls, each about the size of a walnut.
Place these, fairly well apart, on a baking sheet and then bake in the oven for 20 to 30 minutes until they are well puffed up and lightly browned.
Lift off and leave to cool on a wire rack.
Makes about 30 gingerbreads
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Bugs
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Ooh cheers Julie, I especially like the sound of the last but the second will probably go down better, I think people like chocolately things, or at least they think they do. I'll save you a slice shall I 
Alison...not sure how much I will make, there are generally around 20 people in the office, I would like to leave some downstairs for the rest of the building but I think that might be fraught with legal problems. They can put away a birthday cake within an hour on a good day so I think a couple of cakes at most (several people take a slice home for partner/children if it is good stuff) and some biscuits that will keep until the Monday would be best.
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Bugs
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Oh surprise surprise. Of the various volunteers who said "ooh yes that's a good idea I'd love to help" - one is too busy, two are away ("oh, I didn't realise it was this week"), and another has never made a cake before.
Sometimes I really dislike people. Well, I mean, sometimes I dislike people even more than usual. Grr. I'll have to do a load of biscuits now in order to make enough to make it worthwhile. Never again. This takes all the pleasure out of it but now that I've registered I feel I have to do it. I know it's a very minor thing but it just irritates me that people have no feeling of commitment when they promise to do something.
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Mrs Fiddlesticks
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| Bugs wrote: | Oh surprise surprise. Of the various volunteers who said "ooh yes that's a good idea I'd love to help" - one is too busy, two are away ("oh, I didn't realise it was this week"), and another has never made a cake before.
Sometimes I really dislike people. Well, I mean, sometimes I dislike people even more than usual. Grr. I'll have to do a load of biscuits now in order to make enough to make it worthwhile. Never again. This takes all the pleasure out of it but now that I've registered I feel I have to do it. I know it's a very minor thing but it just irritates me that people have no feeling of commitment when they promise to do something. |
happens all the time - says a PTA person! You'd rather they'd been honest in the 1st place wouldn't you? At least you'd know where you stood.
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Bugs
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| Fiddlesticks Julie wrote: | | happens all the time - says a PTA person! You'd rather they'd been honest in the 1st place wouldn't you? At least you'd know where you stood. |
Precisely. I had left the leaflet for a couple of months thinking I wouldn't bother this year, then I was clearing papers and mentioned it, to much welcoming and offers of help, so asked around to find even more welcoming 
If they'd said "no" to begin with that would be fine. I don't know how you manage to put up with it all the time.
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