Having your cake

As Lil-lil's fourth birthday approaches, I've been thinking about cakes. I'm a not a cake decorator by any stretch of the imagination, but one of the things I always wanted to do as a mum was make my kids cakes for their birthday.

Growing up I used to pour over the Women's Weekly Cake Book every time I visited my best friend's house. We'd sit and pick which cakes we'd like to have. I think this inspired me and I decided I wanted to pour my love into making a special cake for my children on their birthdays. A handmade way to celebrate their special day.

As I said, I'm not a cake decorator. Actually I'm not much of a baker, it's all a bit too precise for me. I'm a bit more rough and ready when it comes to the kitchen. I can whip up a banana bread when there are rotting bananas in the fruit bowl or a batch of choc-chip cookies when need be, but I have a bit of an Italian view when it comes to cakes and pastries – leave it to an expert.

When it comes to a child's birthday cake all that changes. I'm happy to get elbow-deep in garish food colouring and hundreds'n'thousands. I guess I'm hoping my kids will remember these wonky homemade creations with fondness and know that I went to an effort because of how much I adore them. It would be easier to get an expert to make them – and they would certainly look a lot better, but it just wouldn't be the same.

This week, I'm attempting a butterfly/fairy cake. It will probably look a bit rough around the edges, it will most certainly look a bit homemade and sad (just like every other cake I've made). Her whole party will be old school – fairy bread, chocolate crackles, homemade sausage rolls, crepe paper and balloons. There won't be fancy decorations and not every child will win in pass-the-parcel. It won't break the bank. It will be like the parties I went to as a kid and it will be filled with fun and most of all love. I hope Lil-lil will have a smile on her face that will last until she falls asleep that night.

Here is a sample of my past cake efforts. I think you'll agree that Lil-lil has done a bit better than poor old Goosey.

Lil-lil's first birthday – my first attempt.

Lil-lil's second birthday, was supposed to be a Winnie the Pooh cake but disaster struck and it had to be changed about 5 minutes before the party using dolls from a present, an old tea towel and some fairy bread scraps.

Goosey's first birthday – a strange attempt at a fairy castle.

Goosey's second birthday – she wanted a Buzz Lightyear cake and I had no idea what to do, as you can see.

So now you'll understand just what I mean by looking handmade. Can you call a cake rustic??

You may be wondering, what happened to Lil-lil's third birthday cake? Well, I did in fact opt out that year, busy throwing myself into arduous fairy bread and choc crackle making, my good friend and Lil-lil's godmother took on the task of making the cake and fabulous it was. Look, see below. I did make Lil-lil a chocolate cake on her actual birthday decorated with hundreds'n'thousands.

A mermaid in the sea. T'was delish!

Tune in next Sunday to see what Lil-lil's fourth birthday cake looks like!