Happy 1st Birthday Little Miss
When Little Miss’ 1st birthday was approaching, I began to have grand dreams about her birthday cake. What I ended up with was a cake baking disaster!
You see, I am just a little bit competitive with myself. Family and friends who know me are now chortling at that statement. The pressure of producing something similar to what my other friends had made for their daughter’s first birthday was overwhelming. One friend had made a glorious cake with a sugarcraft Upsy Daisy on top. Another friend had make a phenominal present shaped box with various colours of marzipan decorations. I am the world’s worst cake maker, in England. It’s something to do with the flour and the pan and the oven I think. I never created such disastrous results in the US!
So, for Little Miss’ first birthday cake, knowing my limitations, I looked at the store bought options in my area which resulted in a big, fat nothing. I didn’t want to give my daughter an inedible creation. Little did I know that I would be making an inedible creation! I eventually decided to make my own cake but didn’t have the time to make it “from scratch”. I resorted to a sponge mix from the local co-operative. Thanks to the time constraints (courtesy of my procrastination) I had to make the cake at my in-laws using my mother-in-law’s fancy-schmancy cooker. What I succeeded in doing was browning the bejesus out of the cake while still having liquid cake mixture under the crusty surface. On advice from the MIL, who hasn’t baked a thing in years, I took it out of the oven to turn down the temp and put a bit of aluminium foil on top to stop the browning. I let it rest for a few minutes while the temp went down in the oven. After popping it back in for a good 15 minutes, I pulled the precious cake out of the oven. Thanks to the changes in temperatures, I had created a giant HOLE in the middle of the cake. Not just an average hole but one that went completely to the bottom of the pan. There could be no disguising it. Want to see? (after the lurid pink icing was applied mind you):
What IS that Mummy?
In the US, the FIRST birthday cake is ever so important. What’s usually done is the glorious cake that Mummy (or better yet, a baker) has slaved over is placed on the high chair of the honourable child and he or she is allowed to throw themselves into it. Cake generally ends up in every orifice and icing coats the child from head to toe (and floor) but there is much frivolity and picture taking. This is not so much the trend in the UK apparently as my husband had no clue what I was talking about! But, you know what? Little Miss didn’t really care that her 1st Birthday Cake was complete rubbish. What did she know? This was her review…
Never mind Mummy, It's alright!
I really should have realised my shortcomings and asked a family member to help me or even order a cake from a baker but I wanted to make my daughter’s first birthday cake. I have now accepted the fact that I am complete rubbish at cake making (in this country) and that I should hang up my apron on this category. I can admit it…I’m a CRAP CAKE BAKER and from now on, I will leave this art to the professionals and stick to what I do best…stressing!
(This post is in support of Josie’s Writing Workshop at Sleep is for the Weak using writing prompt #4- Tell me about something you did that would have been better done by a professional. Thanks Josie!)
LOL, I can relate to this after years of attempting to make stunning creations with varying degrees of success. I love the idea of a small child throwing themselves at the cake – sounds like you need to start a new tradition!
Px
I have yet to bake one of the minimads birthday cakes, I just dont feel the need!!
Looks like your critic (though pint sized) knows best! My sister told me when I was making the first cake ‘it doesn’t matter what it looks like as long as it has lots of sweets on it!’ A baked teddy bear (x2), train, Nemo, Doll, Ballerina, Rocket, House, Football pitch etc later I think I agree.
ha ha ha – I always have visions of the cake I’ll make and mine are always poor reflections of the imagination!
Maybe you should browse CakeWrecks and make yourself feel better! I didn’t even have a cake (or a party) for my daughters 1st birthday, so you are one up on me!
thanks for sharing your tale of woe and the cute pics of the birthday girl who seemed to find it all terribly amusing.
Yes, I command all British People to start the 1st Birthday Tradition of throwing yourself into your cake!
Thanks for the comment. 
I’m beginning to NOT feel the need. I think I shall relinquish the honour to my Sister-In-Law if she’s willing
I’m aiming for fairy cakes this year I think. I’m much better when it’s LITTLE!
I could run Cake Wrecks!
Will check it out…thanks for the tip. Yes, Little Miss didn’t seem to notice or mind. She might when she’s 10 but for now, we’ll muddle along. 
Haha,now I know why my American friend gave her 1 year old the whole chocolate birthday cake. I stood there with my mouth wide open thinking she was mad! ;0)
I have a tradition of trying to always make a cake for each child’s birthday. I have stayed up all night before making those damn things. Made trains, aliens, fairy castles…..but all held together with thousands of cocktail sticks..tons of icing to stick it all together- you get the picture? ;0)
I’m sure your cake tasted delicious though.
Well, I’ll have to start a national campaign…now…where do I begin???
We didn’t to the birthday cake the British way for Clever Preschooler’s first birthday, but we didn’t do it the American way either. . . instead I made ridiculously rich brownies with cream cheese frosting and gave him one giant square that filled his little plate completely. He loved it! Just wait until you get to the birthday party stage and find your child being sent home with cake instead of it being eaten at the party. I’ll never understand that one. . .
Hee hee oh this did make me giggle. You poor thing. I know I would have been so fed up! Looks like Little Miss loved it though!
So sorry for the late reply. Finally feeling better so catching up
x