HAVE YOUR CAKE & EAT IT TOO!

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 Sunflower Cake

Somehow...we have a double pic situation going on, and can't get it fixed. Thank you for overlooking our "oops". The party must go on!

What would a party be without a cake?  However, a lot of us are intimidated by the thought of decorating one ourselves.  As a result, we end up purchasing one at a store or bakery.  While there are definitely those times when buying a cake premade is the best option, please don't let the thought that you can't create your own keep you from trying.  After looking at the pictures in this post, I'm sure you will see that ANYONE can make a party cake.  

The cakes in the pictures show a variety of easy techniques that, in the hands of those more capapble than I, yield professional looking results.  Trust me.  I saw the pics to prove it. 

TIP #1: THINK OUTSIDE THE BOX
As you've noticed, cake #1 isn't a cake at all.  Who says a person has to have cake on their big day?  This birthday girl received truffles for her celebration.  Birthday girls & boys at our house have been known to request pie, cheesecake,  frozen dessert, and funnel cake instead of  traditional birthday cake.  We've also used cupcakes and sugar cookie cutouts before too. Somehow, knowing that your special day is uniquely your own ups the fun factor considerably.

TIP #2: LARGE ON LESS ISN'T ALWAYS ABOUT MONEY
Sometimes the area of our life that is stretched the farthest is that of time.  That's when it's time to take advantage of the many already prepared bakery items available.  In the military-themed boy's cake, a cake from the grocery store bakery was spiffied up with a camoflauge ribbon and toy military figurines.  This could be tweaked to fit any interest.  Gingham ribbon with toy animals.  Pastel ribbon with baby items to welcome a new arrival.  There really are no limits to the possibilities here.  A bright colored ribbon with animal crackers on top would be absolutely adorable.  I'm going to have to use that idea.


TIP #3: USE WHAT YOU ALREADY HAVE ON HAND
Tip #2 has a few ideas that overlap with this one.  The pink cake on the white pedestal is our example for this tip.   Let's face it, there are simply times when purchasing extras isn't going to happen.  What do we do?  We look at what we have.  A two-layer round cake frosted with buttercream frosting and wrapped with coordinating ribbons was the perfect birthday cake for a little princess. 
Specialized cake pans aren't necessary.  A multitude of cakes can be fashioned using standard kitchen items. A fashion doll cake can be created by baking a cake in a 6 qt. glass measuring bowl or any oven safe bowl of desired "skirt" size.  Once the cake has been removed from the baking container and cooled, a fashion doll (Barbie, one that can get dirty) can be inserted up to the waist in the center.  The cake is the doll's skirt.  Using frosting in the desired color, frost the cake.  Don't forget to frost the bodice of the fashion doll too.  The dress can be embellished as desired.  The same technique could be used to make a baby shower cake by replacing the fashion doll with a baby doll and decorating the dress to look like a sweet, little baby's gown.  Even a bridal shower could use a cake made in this way.  Using a fashion doll with a vintage appearance would create a very chic "bride" for the shower table. 
Cakes for celebrations needing a masculine look could also utilize a dome-cake.  Frosted in browns and greens the dome-shaped cake becomes a mountain for  toy dirt-bikes to ride.  A mountain could also be home to toy plastic bear and other animals for a wilderness look.  OR a dome cake could be frosted to look like a head.  Stick a round cookie in each side and frost in brown to make a bear's head. (eyes, nose, and mouth would be needed)  Larger round cookies added could end up looking like a mouse.  See what I mean?  The possibilities truly are endless.
A bundt pan provides a fun little space in the middle of the cake that can be filled with a surprise and/or gift.  The hole can be covered with a cookie then frosted over until the surprise is discovered.
 Look through the cupboards, find some fun-shaped pans, and turn loose your imagination!
*We have used the dome shape as our example, but any oven safe container can be used. 

TIP #4: FOLLOW THE INTERESTS OF THE ONE BEING CELEBRATED
Our sunflower cake made from a single layer round cake that was frosted with brown buttercream frosting, topped with choc. chips, and surrounded with twinkie-type cakes probably isn't what most one-year-old girls celebrate with.  This birthday girl however was absolutely enthralled with sunflowers the year of this celebration.  Her mama could have slaved over creating a beautiful masterpiece worthy of her child's first year of life celebration.  Instead she decided to go with something her daughter enjoyed.  It is supposed to be about the birthday girl after all.  What a freeing experience it was too.  Another year, a "froggie cake" was created by frosting a 9x13 cake in blue buttercream frosting and placing cupcakes decorated like frogs on top and all around.  The birthday girl still talks about her froggie cake- two years later!  To make the frog cupcakes, cupcakes were frosted with green buttercream frosting.  Two mounds of green frosting were placed on top (where eyes would be), two smaller mounds of white buttercream frosting were placed in front of the the green mounds, and two black dots were placed in the front of the white mounds creating eyes.  Super easy and loads of fun. 

TIP #5: DON'T ALLOW THE UNSEEN PRESSURE OF PERFECTION TO KILL THE ATMOSPHERE OF CELEBRATION
Years and years of my motherhood were spent under an illusion of expected perfection.  Then, when the results of my efforts fell drastically short of the perfect goal, condemnation would sweep over like a tidal wave.  I was unable to enjoy my children's big day and sometimes, the rest of the family didn't enjoy much of it either.  FINALLY, I realized what I was doing to my family and decided to change.  Does it really matter if the cakes I make end up looking homemade?  They are homemade.  Once this change was made, the cakes I made actually started to look better.  The best part has been that now I can celebrate the life of each child without feelings of guilt spoiling the party.

Easy, creative cake and cupcake ideas abound online, too many to fit in one post.  Google it in have fun with the results.  Be warned though, you might want to grab something to drink before you sit down for the search.  There's a lot out there. More ideas will also be included in our "PARTIES WITH A THEME" post later on this week.  Thanks for dropping by.  We can't wait to see you tomorrow!  We're making gifts for a variety of special celebrations.  Until then, keep partying Large on Less.