Rocky Horror Show Rainbow Cupcakes

I don’t know if you have ever seen ‘The Rocky Horror Picture Show’, but I do know that if you haven’t, you really need to – when I was younger, it was one of my favourite films (which may explain a thing or two, come to think of it).

I loved the craziness of it all, the bizarre characters and the glittering costumes. And most of all, I loved (and still adore) the music. Richard O’Brien really is a lyrical genius! My favourite part (save the scene at the dinner table, where Brad, Janet et al realise that they’ve been eating Eddie for dinner) was always where Frank N. Furter brings Rocky to life in the lab. I used to LOVE the way the fluid in the tank containing Rocky turned all the colours of the rainbow as the crazy, high-heeled and fully made-up doctor added various chemicals, creating the ’secret of life itself’. Looking at it now, it’s hardly the most exciting of special effects, but it’s still quite something to watch.

But what does all of this have to do with cupcakes? Well, not a lot. Not if you’re talking about regular cupcakes. But that is not what these are. No sir, these are RAINBOW CUPCAKES!

I made these for Katy (she of azuki bean stew fame). She has a December birthday, which I always equate to being a bit rubbish. My step-brother has one too, and I have seen what happens time and again: birthday presents wrapped in Christmas paper (inexcusable!), joint Christmas/Birthday presents (lame!) and even joint parties. Hardly the way to make the birthday boy/girl feel special.

Anyway, I wanted to take some cakes to her party, and figured that rainbows were pretty far from what most people think of as Christmassy. Plus, like me, Katy’s a child of the eighties, so there’s always the Rainbow Brite connection for those who wish to make it. They were simple to do – just regular cake mixture, split six ways and dyed accordingly – and a fun way to spend an hour on a cold, dark afternoon.

Incidentally, I know that it’s now January. I just forgot about the fact that I’d made these until now. Probably something to do with holiday hustle and bustle (and my sieve-like memory).

Whatever. I should say two things:

* I stole the idea, shamelessly, from Aleta Meadowlark. But since I worship at the Alter of Omnomicon.com at least twice weekly, I know she won’t mind. Plus, her rainbow cake is a layer cake – I have never seen cupcakes made like this before. Which brings me to point number two:

* Apart from Lucy and Rich’s wedding cakes, nothing I have baked has ever caused so many people to tell me I am amazing. I’m not pointing this out to big myself up – I’m just letting you know that you’ll rock whatever party you’re going to if you take along a dozen of these little twinklies. This is a fact.

I made them lemon flavour. This is not just because lemon is officially the best flavour cake can ever be, but also because the icing is cream cheese and I think the tastes marry quite nicely. You can make them whatever flavour you like though. People are more likely to notice the colours than the flavour anyway. Unless you think of a flavour to match each colour and add it to the coloured mixtures accordingly. I did want to do that, but it seemed like too much work. I concede though, that a six-flavour cupcake really would be a party in the mouth.