Let’s get baking! Essential accessories for National Cupcake Week 2017

With the Great British Bakeoff back on our screens and National Cupcake Week running from 18 to 24 September, it’s going be quite a month for cake lovers!

National Cupcake Week is run by British Baker magazine , and aims to help us get back into our kitchens and get baking. If you’ve never baked before, then cupcakes are an ideal starting point – they’re easy, quick to make and cook and a perfect project for children to help with. And when it comes to the decoration, you can really go mad!

We’ve picked out 10 cupcake accessories to help you bake up a storm.

1. Colour swirl decorating set, Wilton

Create some serious cool cupcakes with this icing set, which allows you to pipe three colours at once – each colour whirls and winds together for a unique touch. This set includes two nozzles with a three-colour coupler that can be used with the special piping bags included – simply add your chosen colours to the bags, attach to the coupler and squeeze through the nozzle. £6 for the set, available from Hobbycraft.

2. Peter rabbit cupcake toppers, Luck & Luck

Featuring four illustrated characters from the Beatrix Potter tales, including Peter Rabbit and Jemima Puddleduck, this set of 24 cute decorations are ideal for a children’s party. £9.95, available from Luck & Luck.

3. Asian elephant sugarcraft cutter, Lindy’s Cakes

Use this adorable Asian elephant cutter to cut out cute sugar elephants to decorate your cakes. This size of this elephant means it works perfectly for cupcakes but will also work as part of a pattern on larger cakes too. Leave plain or dress your elephants in brightly coloured outfits for maximum impact. This set is made from food grade stainless steel so won’t rust and is dishwasher friendly. Available in two sizes, prices start at £10.56 from Lindy’s Cakes.

4. Bia glass three tiered cake stand, Amaroni Home

Show off your work in style with this toughened glass cakestand. It assembles and disassembles easily for storage, and is made from high quality glass with stainless steel fittings.  Also available as a two-tiered option. £33, available from Amaroni Home.

5. Rusty the Fox cupcake kit, dot com gift shop

Bakers of all ages will have lots of fun baking and decorating their cupcakes with these cute Rusty the Fox cupcake cases and toppers. Kit contains 24 cases and 24 toppers, and costs £5.95 from dot com gift shop.

6. Let’s be mermaids cupcake kit, Berry Red

This delightful mermaid cupcake kit contains everything you need for a happy afternoon’s baking, with patterned bake cases and toppers including two mermaids with shimmering iridescent foil tails, a starfish and a scallop shell. Pack contains 24 cupcake cases in 2 styles and 24 toppers in 4 styles. £11, available from Berry Red. 

7. Liberty ‘Betsy’ cupcake kit, Cake and Candle Ltd

For an elegant result, how about these cupcake cases printed with Liberty ‘Betsy’ designs? The set contains 48 cases, and also 24 crepe paper tassel toppers in three different colours. £8.99, available from Cake and Candle.

8. Set of two glass cake stands, The Contemporary Home

Grab a bargain with this clever set of two cake stands in clear glass, – the two individual tiers which can be used together or separately. It also makes a great alternative to a fruit bowl on your dining table or sideboard when off duty as a cake stand! Was £30, now just £10 from The Contemporary Home. 

9. Vintage plane Flying High cupcake sticks, Ginger Ray

These plane cup cake toppers are a bit different. Perfect for a children’s birthday party, they’ll be a real focal point. Each pack, £3.99, contains 10x 3D cup cake toppers in the shape of red planes. Toppers are 10cm in height. Accessories with blue and white cupcakes to simulate clouds. Available from Ginger Ray.

10. Cupcake boxes, dot com gift shop

If you’ve baked a cupcake as a gift, try one of these cupcake boxes (with stickers). These boxes come flatpacked and measure 7.5x 8.5 x 8.5cm when assembled. They come complete with stickers to seal them with, and cost £2.95 for six from dot com gift shop.

By Sara Walker.