My cake dilemma

£8-£10 would be absolutely fine. I have been to loads and loads of kids parties in my time and I can’t remember any of their cakes.

Nobody I know would care about this stuff as a guest or a host. You just need something to stick the candle in: a supermarket cake, cupcake, brownie, bread roll or potato. Just choose something that won’t be wasted. You are really overthinking this.

Let's have a proper think about this. What would it say about a person if they judged another person for the cake they provided at their child's birthday party?! I live in a terribly posh area where 'friends' have openly told me that they wouldn't DREAM of sending their child to the local primary school (where my kids are thriving). Fancy cars everywhere, etc.

I bought a cake from Tesco for my son's birthday party because that was the one he wanted. I didn't think twice about it and people are free to judge if that's what they need in their lives... but I genuinely do not care.

Why do you care? I suspect you are a fabulous person. I know I am 😀

Just take your DD's cupcake out of the box and stick a number 4/5/6 candle in it! No waste at all.

We have been to a party with lovely boxed cupcakes to take away and a cake where the candles were blown - think that was a dinosaur but honestly don't remember, it wasn't a fancy one. Definately didn't think of it, appreciated the lovely boxed cupcake and the fact there wasn't cake all over the party bag stuff

Actually this is a really good idea rather than a supermarket one for blowing cake

Yes, this! I was going to suggest one of those small supermarket cakes (usually chocolate or lemon flavoured) they’re usually £4 or less and stick a number candle on it. I think the above suggestion is best though.

😮

Well you certainly won't look cheap.

Honestly if it's not too late to change your order I'd just ask the baker if they can make one unicorn cake and give you cupcake boxes for each child to take their piece home in.

The simple solution to this as pp have said is put candles in the cupcakes!
Either put a few on a cake stand or plate and bring out with candles to blow out.

Or if you don’t want to take them out of their individual boxes. Stack the boxes up on the table to make a bit of a feature of it and then additionally put your daughters cake on a plate (jazz it up with confetti if you like) and put with the boxes and then light at the end for dd to blow out.

Don’t buy an extra cake to blow out, it’s really not needed. You can still have the blow out experience with the cupcakes.

You have spent £5.50 on beautiful themed cupcakes, literally no one is going to think you’re being tight!

Sorry, but you must be absolutely crazy if you're going to pay £5.50 for each cupcake. What's wrong with Colin the caterpillar?

Completely agree that cupcakes in boxes are so much easier to give out ( and don’t go all soggy / stale in a napkin)

go and get a Collin the caterpillar to have candles on - he’s always delicious ( other supermarket brands are available but for me, there is only one Colin!)

I probably would have bought the M&S chocolate cake which is in individual squares and spells out ‘Happy Birthday’ (each piece is fully encased in chocolate so not messy) then just bunged it in the party bags after blowing out the candles.

But if you already ordered the cupcakes and can’t cancel, agree with PPs that something like a Colin is the way to go. Waitrose have a good selection of other types of decorated cakes though you will risk some waste either way (unless you still did the individual M&S squares one and handed some to the parents when they collect?)

Noone will think you're right (especially when they see the cupcakes which sound super special). I think a number candle in the cupcake sounds really smart but if you're not going for that you will absolutely get a sheet/tray cake at a supermarket for that budget and they are often used at parties. Alternatively Lidl/Aldi you will get a sandwich cake. You could get a nice unicorn name topper if you wanted but I'd probably just add candles and be done. Hope you both have a lovely time. I get that sometimes you stick in a loop and especially if it's a first party and we've all got out of the habit during lock downs.

I think Waitrose do really good value birthday cakes. I spent a fortune on my child’s party and was pleased to find something more reasonable, cake-wise
https://www.waitrose.com/ecom/shop/browse/entertaining/cakes_and_biscuits/childrens_birthday_cakes

Just put a candle in your daughter’s cupcake. I’ve seeen this done at parties before.

£5.50 for a blimmin' cupcake! For a children's party!

Since you've well and truly been led down the cupcake path, I would stick with the theme and buy one of those giant cupcake cakes (around £10-15) from Asda/Tesco for your DC to blow out their candles.

Planning kids parties does weird stuff to parents. It's one of those tasks that sound like it should be fun, but is actually insanely stressful. So I don't think you can be blamed for the cupcake debacle. But ime kids don't like expensive cake/icing anyway - next year, keep it cheap and sweet!

Cupcakes in boxes to hand out are perfect for giving out at the end of a party, money well spent in my opinion. I’ve been the mum frantically trying to portion up a cake while kids are ready to leave and worrying I won’t have enough portions for everyone.

I’d get your DD’s cupcake out the box, stick a candle in it and let her eat it straight away. Honestly, no-one will bat an eyelid.

Can you bake at all?
Home made cake tastes much nicer then supermarket cake..

This is a learning curve for you. You've tried to make things a bit nice and realised why most people dont bother.

I would put the candle on the birthday cupcake.

Noone is judging how instagrammable your party is and, in the nicest way, the kids wont appreciate the posh cupcake.

You ask if a £8 cake will look cheap. No, it wont, and noone will care anyway.

Another perspective is that of you are wasting £8 on a show cake, you might as well waste £15, £20.... imo the waste is on the cupcakes if you arent happy with them.

Again, I say this nicely, your kid doesnt care about a show cake, you do, so in that respect this part of the party is for you so do what makes you happy and stop overthinking it. Buy a cake you'll he happy with if that's what it takes. If a £15 cake makes you happy and gives you peace of mind then just go and buy it.

Oh OP you’re overthinking of course!
It would be fine to buy a supermarket cake and put a candle in it.
It would be fine to take her cupcake out of the box and put a candle in it for blowing out. I don’t think you can go wrong!
Personally, I’d make a big nice pile of all the cupcake boxes and put hers on the top with candles in it. That way, everyone can see the pretty little cakes they’re getting by example of her one, and you’re making the attractive boxes work for their keep by being on display.

We did candles in a Krispy kreme doughnut for blowing out at end of a party when it was covid time - seemed more hygienic, in the circumstances- and then everyone had a separate doughnut out of the box to take home.

If you do go for a bought cake for candles, I bet you can get a similarly themed unicorn-y one without too much trouble. You could then have it for pudding at home for a few days in a row, as long as it isn’t too big! But I’d just candle in the cupcake.

Innit. Parties when I were a kid were party rings, mini rolls, hula hoops, cherryade and sandwiches. Cake was homemade or shop bought usually.

I'm waiting for the days society does a u-turn back to simpler days rather than all this ostentatious shite for showing offs sake.

This is the nicest cake ever!

We got in one year for DD and ever since then all my teen (and 21yo) sons ask for this for their birthdays (just a family affair so no one to see it but us)

It's delicious 😋

Buy an Aldi caterpillar cake for blowing, they’re universally loved. Also buy yourself a copy of the book overcoming low self esteem so you can live a more peaceful life free from the worry of what others think of you