Birthday cakes

We had a system for the children's birthdays, that I would make a cake one year and the next buy we would buy one. This system worked brilliantly until my eldest daughter turned ten (she's now twelve). I wanted to make her a better cake than I had made before to celebrate her getting to double figures. It started there.The next birthday was my baby boy, who was turning one; I had to do something special and after that I couldnt go back to making simple cakes, they had to be better every time. The day before each of their birthdays is devoted entirely to cake making.

A three layered cake of vanilla, chocolate and strawberry. I used a basic sponge recipe from an old bero book I'd had for years ( It was my mother's ) and added flavouring. It was ok, as were all my cakes. Was it brilliant? no, but I was learning. I sprayed it gold with edible spray for effect and baked the 10 for the top.

When my baby boy turned one he had a 'The very hungry caterpillar' teaparty. As well as the caterpillar cake, he also had themed food relating to the story. Apples for Monday, pears for Tuesday, plums for Wednesday, strawberries for Thursday, oranges for Friday,


















and for Saturday one piece of cake, one icecream cone, one pickle, one cupcake, one slice of watermelon, one sausage, one piece of cherry pie, one pickle, one salami, and one slice of swiss cheese.

The little namecards I found on ebay. They cost a couple of pounds, needed cutting out and sticking onto card, but fit so well with my theme.


The caterpillar themed cake was made of chocolate cake ( another bero recipe ) and iced with buttercream. It was made using a giant cupcake mould. The bottom of the cake is lined with chocolate fingers. I made a cupcake, lollipop, watermelon, slice of cheese, a sausage and a cherry pie out of fondant icing. The caterpillar himself is made of cake pops covered in candy melts. There are also wafer butterflies on the top ( these I found on ebay ).

 

Next was my eldest son's 7th birthday. At the time he was a massive lego starwars fan. He had the game, the figures and a bedroom decorated to match. So naturally I was going to make a lego starwars cake. It was my first attempt at a fondant 3d figure. It didnt go too badly.

 

 

 

The cake itself was a victoria sponge, the recipe this time coming from Mary Berrys complete cookbook.

• 175g soft butter
• 175g caster sugar
• 3 eggs
• 175g self raising flour
• 1 1/2 tsp baking powder

The method is very simple. It says to combine all the ingredients in a bowl and beat well. Divide the mixture between to tins and bake in a preheated oven at 180oc (gas mark 4) for about 25 minutes. Leave to cool, then sandwich together with jam. It really is one the easiest recipes I have come across.

 

 The cake is covered with royal icing and spray painted silver. The Darth Vader and the lightsabres are made from fondant icing.
I used a lego Darth Vader figure for the inspiration for the figure on the top of the cake.