The sweets around here this week have been all about the birthday girl – your birthday is the day when you get to choose the menu for everyone in our house, and Gemma couldn’t have been happier about the challenge.
Breakfast was fruit and yogurt cereal, lunch was cheesy noodles, and dinner was homemade chicken noodle soup and pepperoni pizza with a side of whole wheat bread with butter (I know, what?!). For her little party, she wanted mini cupcakes “so they wouldn’t have too much sugar”. Those were all easy choices, but the cake! That she has been planning for a solid month at least, and we even had to do proper sample drawings to ensure we were on the same page for her to get exactly what was in her mind.
This was the result, and everyone was well pleased; me mostly because it was round and simply frosted with minimal artistic ability required, and Gemma because it had lemon, berries, icing, and purple sprinkles.
“A three layer cake, two layers of lemon cake and one layer of vanilla cake, with lemon between the layers, all topped with vanilla icing and a strawberry flower with blueberries for the pollen” – those were my directions, and the purple sprinkles were my nod to her favourite colour and love of sprinkles, because I had to surprise her just a little. I was relieved it met with her hopes and expectations, and I can only imagine what her mind will come up with next year!
I went with box mixes for the cake layers and homemade lemon curd for the filling, but the vanilla icing is a recipe I don’t believe I’ve ever shared, and it is honestly one of my very favourite foods in the world. I am that person that eats all the cake and leaves the icing for last, and this icing is well worth every calorie. In fact, I could totally do without the cake.
What’s the most memorable kids’ birthday cake you’ve ever made? I’m wondering what the next years will bring…
- 1 cup butter, softened
- 6 cups confectioner's sugar (aka powdered sugar/icing sugar)
- 3 tsp vanilla extract
- 2-3 Tbsp milk
- Cream butter with 4 cups of the confectioner's sugar. Beat in vanilla extract, 2 tbsp milk and remaining 2 cups confectioner's sugar into the mixture. Gradually add another Tbsp of milk into mixture if necessary and beat until smooth and desired spreading consistency. (For chocolate icing, add ⅔ cup sifted cocoa powder.)
Source: Adapted from the back of the Rogers Icing Sugar bag.
Lemons, and vanilla, and strawberries (and blueberries…for pollen!), oh, my!! You pulled this one off brilliantly! :D
I loved being able to pick out my meal and cake when I was little. Pretty sure I was never that specific! :) This is a perfect birthday cake!
What a great idea, love how they get to pick the menu.
Such a pretty cake as well.
Thanks, Meg! We always got to pick our birthday dinner and cake as kids, and it’s definitely a tradition I want to continue!
That looks fabulous! My oldest son’s favourite cake is chocolate with chocolate-orange icing.
A beautiful cake for a beautiful girl from a beautiful mom! Sorry we couldn’t be there to celebrate with you all.
What a pretty cake for the birthday girl! I would totally be all about planning the cake too. The frosting looks perfect!