Next week my daughter will be turning seven years old. And we are starting to discuss the all important birthday cake! Yikes! You probably think that the creativejewishmom should be the last one to feel inadequate when it comes to birthday cakes, but truth is, when it comes to baking I never really know what I'm doing, and it's just my ability to make something from nothing that usually saves the day! So in preparation for another loving attempt at making a birthday cake that will make the birthday girl proud, I thought I'd show you what I've done for the past 6 birthdays!
On my daughter's first birthday I decided that I needed to learn how to make nice cakes. I bought colored marzipan and chocolate candies for the decoration. I made the two-layer cake too late in the day and didn't know that a cake has to be totally cool before you ice it. Thus the crumb-speckled icing! Good thing I had that thick pink candle on hand, it really saved the day. This photo is of half a cake because there was some problem with the camera before the party! The half cake looks cute too, no?
On my daughter's second birthday the cake burned and fell apart as I tried to take it out of the pan. Good thing I'd made some cupcakes on the side, as they helped cover the broken areas, and gave the cake it's unique flying saucer cake look. The parve whip didn't whip, (I now know that my mixer isn't fast enough!) and i sort of poured it over the cake! Good thing I had some chocolate wafer candies to decorate the cake and those pink candles!
On my daughter's third birthday I stayed up really late making the decorations for the cupcakes to take to nursery school. (Made from craft foam, tulip fabric paint in a squeeze bottle and toothpicks.) The cupcakes were a hit, but the cake for the house somehow didn't merit more than just a tiny bit of leftover icing. Okay, it was erev Shabbos.....and the wall decorations that I did more than made up for the slightly bare looking cake!
On my daughter's fourth birthday I tried to make a castle of sorts from rice crispy treat bars, but didn't realize how many marshmellows one needs to make the huge cake I'd dreamed of! Nonetheless, the results were cute on account of the decorations, the children in her nursery school oohed and ahhed and the birthday girl was very happy with the results.
On my daughter's fifth birthday we must have celebrated on Shabbos and I must have made and decorated the cake at the last minute, as I have no pictures, and only a vague recollection! Hmmm.
On my daughter's sixth birthday I finally felt like I'd arrived, PHEW a birthday cake that even I was proud of! A bundt pan, and balls made from rice crispies and dates covered in coconut brought my efforts to an all new level. Now the question still lingers, what will I make for her seventh birthday? Stay tuned!
