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Original poster

Kids birthday party and a cake question

37 replies

Cobblersorchard · 22/08/2024 22:26

For reasons I won’t bore you with, I am not going to know exactly who is coming to DD’s 5th party until the last minute. I will have enough food and party bags for the maximum plus spares but am stressing about the cake quantity.

The cake she wants from M&S serves 28 max but we could end up with 34 plus a few siblings. Is it acceptable to get an additional cake that won’t be the same to cater for the overflow? Main cake is a dinosaur affair but is essentially a chocolate cake covered in choc ganache, so thinking about a second ordinary choc cake? I can’t run to two of the main cakes as they are £65.

I can’t imagine 5 year olds giving much care to it but people get very upset about show cakes that aren’t served at parties….

OP posts:
Sweetswede · 22/08/2024 22:33

A chocolate traybake will be fine

Swollenandgrouchy · 22/08/2024 22:34

If it were me I’d just serve smaller pieces. It will be fine !

Sparrowball · 22/08/2024 22:35

Could you bring the main cake out for your daughter to blow out the candles, then take it away to cut it, mix the other cake slices up with it and then bring them out to serve?

I don't think anyone would mind either way, most of the kids, if any, won't notice.

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llamajohn · 22/08/2024 22:35

Just bung a second tray cake on the table after for cutting up. Kids really won't give a shit. They just want cake.

llamajohn · 22/08/2024 22:36

Swollenandgrouchy · 22/08/2024 22:34

If it were me I’d just serve smaller pieces. It will be fine !

Moving from a "suggested" serving of 28, to maybe 40 or more would mean some fucking tiny pieces of cake!

MamaGarl85 · 22/08/2024 22:36

I will be honest, I probably wouldn't even notice what cake my LO was given and the kids definitely won't notice/care!

otravezempezamos · 22/08/2024 22:37

Sparrowball · 22/08/2024 22:35

Could you bring the main cake out for your daughter to blow out the candles, then take it away to cut it, mix the other cake slices up with it and then bring them out to serve?

I don't think anyone would mind either way, most of the kids, if any, won't notice.

Genius!!!!!

PandaG · 22/08/2024 22:39

Absolutely fine to have a tray bake as extra. In the past when DD had 2 'parties' (one birthday tea for family friends, another more structured party for nursery friends) I baked 2 identical cakes, base iced both, and only did the delicate decoration on one. First party we sang with the fully decorated cake, then cut the plainer one to go in the party bags, and ate the decorated one at the tea party the following day. No one was any the wiser.

Singleandproud · 22/08/2024 22:40

i always had the 'nice' cake that gets spat on blown all over as the family cake and took it home to cut up as a single parent hosting alone trying to supervise, socialise and cut up cake was one step too far so having a pre cut cake already in the bags was a game changer. This works really well if you do a Colin the Caterpillar Cake as they do miniature versions so no arguing over who gets chocolate face/feet etc. or M&S do mini chocolate cakes that spell Happy Birthday which are lovely.

Original poster
Cobblersorchard · 22/08/2024 22:46

Sparrowball · 22/08/2024 22:35

Could you bring the main cake out for your daughter to blow out the candles, then take it away to cut it, mix the other cake slices up with it and then bring them out to serve?

I don't think anyone would mind either way, most of the kids, if any, won't notice.

It’s going in party bags so they will do candles then it will be cut to take away. So they won’t see what each other have.

OP posts:
strawberryandtomato · 22/08/2024 22:46

Cake maker here. Hate when other cake makers tell you an 8 inch cake with 4 layers of sponge will feed only 20.

You cut the cake not into triangles. You cut across. And then down. And then halve it. You will absolutely get more slices than you anticipate using this method.

Failing that. Get a Colin for the rest

AtomHeartMotherOfGod · 22/08/2024 22:48

Is it acceptable to get an additional cake that won’t be the same to cater for the overflow?

Yes, with knobs on.

Original poster
Cobblersorchard · 22/08/2024 22:49

Singleandproud · 22/08/2024 22:40

i always had the 'nice' cake that gets spat on blown all over as the family cake and took it home to cut up as a single parent hosting alone trying to supervise, socialise and cut up cake was one step too far so having a pre cut cake already in the bags was a game changer. This works really well if you do a Colin the Caterpillar Cake as they do miniature versions so no arguing over who gets chocolate face/feet etc. or M&S do mini chocolate cakes that spell Happy Birthday which are lovely.

Edited

Alas she won’t have a Colin. It has to be a dinosaur cake. But it’s too big to have as a family cake.

It will probably be big enough but you don’t know how it will cut. So I’m not assuming it will serve 28 and we may need 40 portions.

OP posts:
Original poster
Cobblersorchard · 22/08/2024 22:50

strawberryandtomato · 22/08/2024 22:46

Cake maker here. Hate when other cake makers tell you an 8 inch cake with 4 layers of sponge will feed only 20.

You cut the cake not into triangles. You cut across. And then down. And then halve it. You will absolutely get more slices than you anticipate using this method.

Failing that. Get a Colin for the rest

It’s a square cake so no triangles involved.

OP posts:
mondaytosunday · 22/08/2024 22:50

Sure it will be fine. I hate cakes given out at the end for kids to take home though - always ends up a crumbly mess on the back seat, so I hope you serve it at the end of the meal.

Original poster
Cobblersorchard · 22/08/2024 22:51

mondaytosunday · 22/08/2024 22:50

Sure it will be fine. I hate cakes given out at the end for kids to take home though - always ends up a crumbly mess on the back seat, so I hope you serve it at the end of the meal.

Absolutely not. I’m not clearing up the crumbs in the hall! That’s the parents problem.

OP posts:
Holidayissues · 22/08/2024 22:52

Easier than that. Get some cupcakes / fairy cakes (those packs of 12 - with or without icing) and put those in the bag.
I always bake some cupcakes because I know they go down better than actual cake!

if you don’t have as many guests you can don’t need to open the extra cupcakes at that point!

Sparrowball · 22/08/2024 22:55

Cobblersorchard · 22/08/2024 22:46

It’s going in party bags so they will do candles then it will be cut to take away. So they won’t see what each other have.

Show quote history

Have the other cake already sliced and bagged up, then just cut and slice the main one after the candles are blown out.

DappledThings · 22/08/2024 22:57

Is it acceptable to get an additional cake that won’t be the same to cater for the overflow?
Yes, this is 100% ok

people get very upset about show cakes that aren’t served at parties….
Do they? Absolute weirdos. I have never noticed if the slice of cake in the party bag was from the main cake or not. Even if I had noticed I wouldn't care, like 99% of people. Children certainly won't.

Original poster
Cobblersorchard · 22/08/2024 22:59

DappledThings · 22/08/2024 22:57

Is it acceptable to get an additional cake that won’t be the same to cater for the overflow?
Yes, this is 100% ok

people get very upset about show cakes that aren’t served at parties….
Do they? Absolute weirdos. I have never noticed if the slice of cake in the party bag was from the main cake or not. Even if I had noticed I wouldn't care, like 99% of people. Children certainly won't.

Oh yes, there has been many a mumsnet thread about show cakes!

OP posts:
Noseybookworm · 22/08/2024 23:03

It's fine. Just get a Colin the Caterpillar for the extras. I honestly don't think anyone will notice or care

Original poster
Cobblersorchard · 22/08/2024 23:04

Holidayissues · 22/08/2024 22:52

Easier than that. Get some cupcakes / fairy cakes (those packs of 12 - with or without icing) and put those in the bag.
I always bake some cupcakes because I know they go down better than actual cake!

if you don’t have as many guests you can don’t need to open the extra cupcakes at that point!

I did think about cupcakes but they are so different to the actual cake. Which is this one.

Kids birthday party and a cake question
OP posts:
jazzyBBBB · 22/08/2024 23:05

Keep the nice cake for home. Buy a cheap cake for party bags or don't bother. Honestly the amount of times my kids leave the cake to go stale made me think no I'm not giving it out!

Holidayissues · 22/08/2024 23:09

They don’t have to be the same as the main cake but all of the supermarkets have trays of chocolate cupcakes. From about £3-£7 for a tray of 12.

That would match the theme and probably be less wasteful!

Holidayissues · 22/08/2024 23:10

But failing that - a chocolate traybake will be your best option!