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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

To not understand why

89 replies

ineedsomeinspiration · 19/10/2014 23:27

people can't just make their own child's birthday cake anymore. It seems to be the current trend to pay someone a stupid amount of money to make a huge elaborate cake for your child. What the hell happened to a chocolate cake with some smarties on the top or a really bad attempt at Thomas the Tank Engine.
I know someone who recently had a great big three tier affair for a second birthday fgs!

OP posts:

Thread gallery

wonderingsoul · 20/10/2014 18:35

i semi make my own.. kinda.. not really...

i get atesco value cake the rectangle one is the BEST victoria sponge shop brought cake ever

i took the icing off and made a minecraft one.
i normal try to work with what iv got to make it my own

DaisyFlowerChain · 20/10/2014 19:12

Hahaha I've had DS's made for years by a friend. She loves to practice with her new gadgets and make a little money and DS gets the exact design he wants. What's not to like?

I can't sew either so buy clothes and also buy grated cheese, I'm obviously going to hell in a handcart

Original poster

ineedsomeinspiration · 20/10/2014 20:20

These are the sorts of cakes I'm talking about.

OP posts:

supermariossister · 20/10/2014 20:26

I don't make cakes myself I'm terrible at decorating. most years I buy from supermarket but year before last I paid someone to make a ninja turtle cake . couldn't get one locally at the time, ds was mad about them and I had the money too so why not. if yoh want to make your own that's fine doesnt mean everyone else has too

supermariossister · 20/10/2014 20:27

I buy grated cheese too daisy too much effort to grate it every time someone wants a wrap. lazy mare I am

littlehayleyc · 20/10/2014 20:31

My mum always made our cakes as children. I can remember us spending ages looking though her party cake book to choose what we wanted each year. We loved that they were home made. Personally I would never spend a fortune on a 3 tier cake for a child's birthday. Either me or DH have always made our children's cakes. They might not be as fancy but at least the cake tastes nice, and hopefully they'll appreciate the efforts we've been to when they're older!

JustScreamNobHurts · 20/10/2014 20:31

If I can't make the requested cake than I'm quite happy to pay a professional to do it. Thankfully the dc like my attempts.

However it's not a bargain to bake your own, butter fondant and colouring isn't cheap.

EvilEmperorZurg · 20/10/2014 20:40

I make my kids cakes - always have done and consequently have gotten better over the years (or so I thought). However last birthday for my 5 yr old I had to (note: had to ) go to a friends hen party the night before so was only fit to pick up a Spiderman Tesco cake on the way home the following morning. It was pretty vile: plastic icing, styrofoam sponge and sweet cream and jam filling. The traitorous DC adored it and are still talking about it. DS is asking for something similar ("...a shop-bought one not homemade pleeease..") this year. Just as well I don't have feelings.....nor really put much effort into those cakes I slaved over birthday after birthday (sob!)
So that's possibly why OP.

aermingers · 20/10/2014 20:51

I sort of cheat, I do the Annabel Karmel ones where you buy a load of ready made stuff and stick it together to make a train or a pirate boat. I do go to a massive effort for my little boy's parties though, on the food and I build things to play with like castles or pirate boats out of cardboard. But it's mainly my own effort. I want them when they're older to be able to look back on their birthdays and know someone cared enough to make a big effort for them. To me that's doing most of it myself, and I can't really afford to do it any other way, but I do understand for other people that's just not their kind of thing so they buy something impressive in instead, it's the same motivation at the end of the day. I don't judge, they're just trying to do something nice for their kids.

Original poster

ineedsomeinspiration · 20/10/2014 20:53

EvilEmporerZurg I am talking about one and two year olds that can't even really talk.

Daisyflowechain I couldn't sew clothes either but sorry grated cheese is just yuk.

OP posts:

wingsandstrings · 20/10/2014 20:55

I have to say, where we are (naice west London) it's seen as completely fine to have either a home made one or a supermarket one, but a big made to order v expensive one would be seen as naff, a bit 'big fat gypsy wedding' . . . . those are not my feelings, those are snobby feelings, please don't flame me, but I know for a fact that's how it would be viewed.

My poor mother used to slave away and make creative and delicious cakes for my birthdays, and I repaid her by begging for a shop bought one as that's what my friends had and I thought it was cooler. I can't bake for toffee so I buy my DS a shop bought one and he begs for a home made one because that's what his friends have and he thinks it's cooler! It's gone full circle.

One year I did make DS a cake, and by the time I got some specialist icing, decoration, food colouring etc etc it came to about 3 times what a nice supermarket one on the same theme would cost. It isn't an economy.

BauerTime · 20/10/2014 20:57

ineed well you'd hate me, we paid £105 for DS's first birthday cake AND it had 3 tiers!

We had a massive party and needed cake to feed about 60. We are by no stretch of the imagination show-offs, but he is our pfb and we wanted to celebrate so we went a bit mad.

Next year he is having a small party at the local soft play and a cake from Costco, probably costing less than this years cake alone.

I fucking hate baking.

ithoughtofitfirst · 20/10/2014 21:08

If you're not going to enjoy making it or think it would be crap if you did then i can see why you'd buy it. Even my mum who is a very WI stepford wife type of lady used to buy ours as children.

I make mine because i honestly think my cake is the best nah only messing i just really enjoy it but if i didn't i would buy.

nokidshere · 20/10/2014 21:27

i had never baked a cake until I had my first child 15 years ago. I made him one for his first, it was terrible, hard work and bloody expensive! But I really enjoyed doing it.

15 years down the line and I make cakes for both my boys birthdays, for friends, for fun ?? I love doing them and although I am a very long way from professional they now look and taste great ??

Sometimes I make cakes for other people just so I can practice new ideas! I made an ace two tier one for someone recently - she was surprised and loved it.

Why would anyone care what people do for their parties? I have no idea how many of my friends but or make them and don't really care. As long as the recipient is happy that's all that matters.

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