I need to make my first giant cupcake for a little girls birthday and am wondering on the best way to decorate it. Should i use buttercream or fondant? Which is easier for a first timer? I've seen a few pic's on here and the fondant ones seem to look neater.

I will prob only get chance for one practice run so any advice would be greatly appriciated!!!

Thanks everyone!

The only one I have done I inverted the bottom and turned it into a barn, but because of it I felt the way they did the bottom was great for if it was just a cupcake. It was take a tip 12 and pipe one line in the grooves and one line on top of the grooves. It looked great. I have seen several ways to do the top including just going with a rough icing look, or tip 1m swirl (I have not cared so much for that one) or take the 1m and do giant stars.

I honestly have never seen anyone do the giant cupcake with fondant so I might have to check that out.

I just did one for my nephews 1st birthday it was his smash cake. I molded he bottom with Wilton's chocolate melts (so super easy) and then you have to either trim the bottom of the cupcake to fit the mold (this is what I did again pretty easy) or I have read that you can bake two four inch rounds and they will fit in the bottom, and for the top I did the 1M tip for "stars" on the top. There are few pictures in my photos

I placed a smaller board on the top of the cake and then carved out to the edges to give the cupcake base shape, covered it in fondant and made the marking allong the side with a toothpick. I then used all of the left over pieces and stacked them on top of another cardbord base, shaping it as the whipped topping, then I rolled a long thick snake and wrapped it around the top of the cake to give it a nicer shape and then covered it again in fondant.
I hope this helps!

I've used the Wilton giant cupcake tin and have done both buttercream and fondant. I've gotta say the fondant was much easier and looked so much better. I iced them as two seperate cakes with their own cakeboards and then just stacked (no supports). I used an Australian buttercake recipe which is a fairly dense strong cake.

http://cakecentral.com/gallery/2034440

I used the Wilton Giant Cupcake Pan.

I used red and white candy melts mixed together for the base. I used just over 1 packet. Melt them, swirl it around, chill it then do another couple of coats. Put it in the freezer until it sets and then once it gets back up to room temperature you can turn the pan over and it should pop straight out.

I baked some 4" and 6" layers and just put them in as they fit. Can't remember exactly what I used. For the top I used the pan.

I did buttercream rosettes starting at the edge and working my way up to the top. Using the Wilton 1M tip.

Thanks everyone, all very useful tips. spoilt for choice now!!

I have a silicone giant cupcake mould that i have tried and it works (never used a silicone one before) Think i might use sweetendunlgance idea and cover the base in fondant and mark the lines with a toothpick (altho i like the very neat look of the chocolate method too). Not sure about the top half, although i like the rose swirls, but i might change my mind again yet!

wish i had a few weeks to try them all...............watch this space ! lol

I Love your cupcake I have been wanting to try this as I love the rosettes and wondered how it would look. How did you make the bow? I'm pretty new to this cake thing if you can't tell lol

Thanks for the compliment

I followed this tutorial for the bow.