I have been baking with my students as service projects.  Pumpkin bread for Thanksgiving baskets, cinnamon ornaments, and even a dog biscuits for animal charities, etc.  Now, I have teamed up with the art teacher and we want to have a cake decorating contest.  The kids have created gingerbread houses for Christmas, but the ingredients were all purchased.  Now, I want to bank the cakes in sheet pans and then have teams of kids create.  What is the best and least expensive recipe that I could use.  Also, any tips for icing, fondant, etc would be appreciated.

Hmm… I’m a kid who likes cake deco myself, so I’m just thinking what I would find easy,
A firm delicious cake that isn’t too crumbly (Carving a sponge/butter cake can turn into a nightmare without proper practice!)
Simple icing, not too sticky, crumb coating is of upmost importance.

If you like fondant, maybe a set of cupcakes (four to six cupcakes each child) and teaching them to pipe buttercream swirls and make simple fondant deco (like with playdough) would be less challenging and mind-boggling, yet TONs of fun. Cake covering and icing has to be a careful, thought-out process, and children are more often than not impulsive (can’t wait to get “into” the cake) and can overdo everything !

Just my thoughts, hope it helps!