I Must Confess: I don’t really like birthdays. I’ve been known to say (or think!): Oh no – not another birthday!
I’ve had a few bad birthdays in my time, which I shared about here. But it’s not that.
It’s not even the getting older that bothers me.
No, it’s organising birthdays for the other people in my family, especially the kids. It’s a real challenge to us as parents to make it special – and to top last year’s efforts! (Thankfully the hubster is AWESOME at birthdays which takes a lot of the pressure off me!)
When it comes to birthday cakes, the most memorable one in our family history would have to be the one I made when our son turned 5 (he is now 19).
Ahoy There, Me Hearties!
He wanted a pirate themed party, and we were happy to oblige bent over backwards to make it perfect (and obviously burnt ourselves out, because we haven’t thrown him a big party like that since!)
And the cake.
Let me show you the cake.
I was very proud of my efforts – the first (and as it turns out, only) theme cake I’d ever attempted. It required lots of time, patience and strength of will, surrendering the spoon to a wild eyed child, instead of keeping it to myself (and making the job a lot quicker!). After all that effort, it seemed a shame to cut it up and actually eat it. I wish I had a photo of JUST the cake. Surely it was worthy of it’s own photo! But, I do love Mr 15’s expression in this pic, he looks pretty awed and happy with it all.
Not surprisingly, since then we tend to buy our birthday cakes ;-)!
A Very Cool Solution (pun intended!)
If you’re pinched for spare time, or just don’t want to slave over a hot stove to supervise the heights of a favourite sponge, maybe the store bought creations are the best way to go.
One of my personal favourites (cakes are never just for kids!), Ben and Jerry’s ice cream cakes have a treasure trove of flavours and designs, designed around your child’s preferences and the ice-cream they love!
Even better, to get an idea of which of B & J’s flavours you your little one can’t resist, spend some time testing the waters with a tasting spoon. Once you have figured it out, place an order and BAM, instant cake they won’t forget. The praline and brownie stack has my name on it (well not literally – but they could write it on if I wanted!).
Making a cake for your child won’t always be an adventure, especially enjoyable or time-friendly; but the results and smiles are well worth the extra minutes crammed together in order to produce something special.
What’s the best birthday cake you’ve ever made? Tell me in the comments 🙂
Joining up with My Home Truths for another Monday morning confessional.
Ness says
Okay, I confess…
I’ve never made my boys a cake, except out of packet. I know. Pathetic. Ahem. But I figure they’d prefer their cake to be edible.
Your pirate party efforts were fantastic! xo
Janet says
I must confess – the hubster is largely responsible for it being such a success. At least I managed the cake 🙂
Ed @ The Tunnel says
I’ve probably voiced this before but it would be great if there was a quota in place for kids’ parties. There seems to be one (or worse still, two!) kids’ parties every weekend – particularly during the spring racing carnival!
If you are out there and feel obliged to reciprocate a party invitation by hosting a kids’ party of your own: Don’t!!! There are too many parties being organised by hassled parents who don’t want to be icing cakes at 8 am in the morning but feel that they have to because the parents of the other 20 kids at school/daycare made an incredible pirate/Smurf/Peppa Pig cake of their own (even though they probably didn’t want to either).
Let’s stand up to the pressure, the one-upmanship and our kids and say ENOUGH IS ENOUGH!
That said: Cakewise, nothing beats the Womens Weekly cake book.
Janet says
Oh Ed, I remember it well. I don’t miss all the kiddie birthday parties AT ALL now my kids are older!
Aroha @ Colours of Sunset says
I’ve made Nick 3 birthday cakes in his 5 years. The most extravagant was probably the one I made this year for his 5th birthday. A lego batman cake. You can see it here http://coloursofsunset.wordpress.com/2013/06/25/a-5th-birthday-party/
The YUMMIEST and by far EASIEST cake I made was a double layer chocolate cake, covered in chocolate icing, surrounded by kitkats and topped with M&Ms and wrapped in a ribbon. Almost xactly like this, except with boy ribbon http://www.madeinmelskitchen.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/09/088.jpg?w=300
I’ve told him next year we’re going to disneyland for his birthday, so no parties, which almost gets me out of a cake. Will just have one with family.
Janet says
Disneyland!!! I’m joining your family! 😉
Tegan says
I suck at decorating the cake but the best cake I have gotten was a vodka bottle made by one of my friends. It was a mud cake with marshmallow frosting made to look like a unique bottle of absolut. It was awesome. I will tweet you a pic of it!
Janet says
Cool pic! Was it soaked in vodka too?!
Tegan says
Unfortunately no because we had kids at the party.
Jen Hale says
I love making the cake but am terrible at decorating. My cousin is a pastry chef so we tend to grab a cake from him.
Janet says
It’s so nice when you have somebody like that you can rely on!
Pinky Poinker says
I’ve only ever made one which is a terrible confession for a mother of five… and even then it was two pre-bought sponge slabs filled with cream and smothered with chocolate icing and smarties. Strangely not one member of our family likes cake so I don’t bother to even buy them now.
Janet says
Actually Pinky, none of us are huge fans of cake these days either!
Julie says
We LOVE cake in our family. Ours usually don’t last too long. I do find the last minute cake decorating to be very stressful, so I’ve resorted to doing a double-layer round cake but making cake toppers well ahead of time. Looks effective and easy to put together at the last minute! L
You can probably tell I’m a big fan of the birthday party though!
Janet says
Great tip Julie – I’m all for being prepared ahead of time!
Kirsty @ My Home Truths says
You definitely burnt yourself out Janet – what an impressive looking cake! After last year’s very sad effort I am definitely outsourcing cakes from now on. I just have to find some gluten free options – I wonder if Ben and Jerry’s do gluten free? I will definitely check it out.