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Original poster

To spend £100 on a 1st birthday cake?

237 replies

FannyTheFlamingo · 05/11/2017 08:11

DD is almost 1 and we're having a small family get together to celebrate. I've seen a couple of beautiful cakes and would like to have one made, but it costs around £100. DP says this is ridiculous and wants me to get a cheap(er), supermarket cake. I'm so excited for her 1st birthday and just wanted a special, unique cake. I know she won't remember, but she'll see the pictures one day.

For info, we can afford it, so it's not a budget issue. The small party isn't really costing us anything as it's at home with a bit of party food and some balloons. If I had the time and the skill I'd love to be able to make my own, but it would be a disaster!

FWIW, DP thinks a family party is a silly idea and I should have a get together with mums and babies from the baby groups I go to, which I've tried to explain is a silly idea because I only talk to a couple of the mums, so it would just be awkward!

OP posts:
DeadGood · 05/11/2017 08:56

“Especially as it is for someone who will not understand its value.”

Seriously?

Everybody knows that first birthday parties are for the family, not the baby Hmm

MooPointCowsOpinion · 05/11/2017 08:56

For my eldest's first birthday I rented out a hall, a bouncy castle, bought a tonne of food, got a special hungry caterpillar cake made to match the 'theme' of the event...

Now I know that's bonkers. But I was so happy to have a daughter, and to celebrate her turning one was more for me and family and friends. She had a blast, played loads, people travelled in for the party too and the whole family had fun and it's a lovely excuse to get together.

For my second child I invited everyone to my house, still went a bit overboard with the theme and food and cake, but I've learnt to bake so I can make elaborate cakes myself now.

It makes everyone happy to celebrate a baby, just do what makes you happy.

Wilburissomepig · 05/11/2017 08:58

It's such a lot of money for a cake for a 1st birthday.

I did this once when DD was about 3, I spent around £80 on the most beautiful looking In The Night Garden cake (her party was around the same time as a visiting relative so we had more people than normal). It looked absolutely amazing, but to be honest it tasted pretty rank. It was dry and I was so embarrassed afterwards that I'd spent so much money on a crap tasting cake. I think that it took so long to decorate that by the time it was finished it had pretty much gone past it's best!

Bluetrews25 · 05/11/2017 08:58

I agree with Me264 in that you could make your own yummy creation with a sponge baked in a roasting tin, then cut into a shape (I've done dinosaur, castle, football pitch, spongebob squarepants), covered with buttercream and embellished with choc buttons, choc finger biscuits, and any other sweets you need to make something individual and special. They weren't perfect, but they were good enough, and made with love.
But this was long before everything we did was judged and found wanting on fb. Hmm

Phalenopsisgirl · 05/11/2017 08:58

Ps you don’t need to justify it being for the child, it’s for you, if you want to spend your money on a cake to share with your friends and family to celebrate a year surviving parenthood then you should do, people saying yabu can choose to spend their money on what they enjoy or feel is important to them. It’s no ones business but yours.

LagunaBubbles · 05/11/2017 08:59

A home made cake from a decent cake maker will always taste better than anything from a supermarket.

KERALA1 · 05/11/2017 09:00

You can afford it.
It will make you happy.
Presumably supporting a local business.

Go for it!

Farthingwood143657 · 05/11/2017 09:00

The cake is for you! But so what!!! You want to make it special for your child, that’s not a crime! But it, it will make you happy, show your child when older you went all out for her first, and would support a small business.

I can’t see a negative, apart from I won’t get any of the cake!

daisychain01 · 05/11/2017 09:02

I’d sooner splash out on a cake from Waitrose or M&S for £30 (you can get a beautiful cake for that money serving 12-15 people) and spend £70 on clothing or a teddy for baby. I just couldn’t justify £100 even if money is no object. But it’s your choice

Mummyoflittledragon · 05/11/2017 09:02

I always made dds cakes until one year she decided she wanted a shop bought thing for £10. As a mother personally, I prefer to make than get one made. But I’m not you. I had a couple made for me when I was a kid and although they looked nice, they didn’t taste nice. My mother’s looked awful but tasted good. I preferred the look. Dd has been given the choice of specially made cakes and not taken the opportunity.

For now, honour your dd in the best way you want and when she is old enough to choose, honour her choices. I’m not brilliant at cake decorating but dd loves my cakes and I did manage to make a double tiered princess castle one year and a princess cake with a massive skirt and dolly sticking out of the top another. For dds first, I just made a cake covered in butter cream and chocolate buttons and wrote her name in the buttons and surrounded it in fruit, which the little kids age.

I think £100 is going to give you an awful lot of cake unless you have a lot of guests.

SandyDenny · 05/11/2017 09:03

How many people would be eating the cake. The mention of 2 tiers for that price has made me wonder how big the party is. I suppose if there are 50 guest it's not much per head but if it's 10 it's a different matter

KERALA1 · 05/11/2017 09:03

This sort of thread brings out the sackcloth and ashes brigade "make your own" "give the money to the food bank" snort.

Crazmas · 05/11/2017 09:05

Get it OP ! £100 is not that much in the grand scheme of things - it’s a 1st birthday and means a lot to you. If u can, ask for some samples so u see if you like the taste.

ConciseandNice · 05/11/2017 09:06

If you want to and can afford to why not? I personally would feel extravagant and embarrassed to spend that kind of money on a cake.

LagunaBubbles · 05/11/2017 09:06

That made me laugh Kerala. And it is possible to get a cake that tastes nice and looks good to made, can only assume the people that have had dry cakes that look good hadn't followed recommendations.

BeeMyBaby · 05/11/2017 09:06

Why not try the M&s website- I seem to remember they have fancier cakes online than in their stores and they cost about £25 each- they are still very well made and perhaps you could get it personalised? You may be able to afford the £100 but whatever you both do for work, it probably doesn't feel that great to think you are spending time away from your DC to earn sufficient money to splash out on an overpriced cake.

AppleTrayBake · 05/11/2017 09:06

If you want it, get it!

I made the cake for my DD's first birthday. I spent atleast a month planning it and me and DH decorated it with chocolate buttons made to look like ladybirds. We were so proud of ourselves. When I look back at the photos, it looked shit Grin

1st birthdays are a big deal, a celebration of surviving your first year of parenthood. Do what makes you happy.

hmmwhatatodo · 05/11/2017 09:07

Get it if that’s what you have your heart set on. Supermarket cakes taste rubbish anyway. £100 to create a nice memory and feeling isn’t ridiculously expensive (unless it will be spoilt by people whinging and commenting on the cost of the cake throughout the party!) who will make the cake?

Original poster
FannyTheFlamingo · 05/11/2017 09:07

@BertrandRussell don't want to post a pic, but it's a number cake, equivalent to 8inch round cake, approx 30 servings, decorated with various girly things with sugar blocks spelling out DD's name in front of the cake. Do you think £100 sounds too much?

OP posts:
SendintheArdwolves · 05/11/2017 09:08

Well, I think maybe you Do have a bit of a DH problem, fanny - is he like this about other stuff? Is he generally supportive and involved, or has it 'just happened ' that your life has been turned upside down by the arrival of your DC whilst his has hardly changed? Does he usually try to put you off when you suggest seeing your family? Does he have other ideas about what you "ought" to being doing now you're a mother?

I don't want to make a mountain of a molehill, but it just jumped out from your post - it seems so odd that he thinks you ought to be celebrating with "other mums" not your family.

Tealdeal747 · 05/11/2017 09:09

Some of the supermarket cakes are amazing!

Put the £100 into an account for her for when she's older.

Bowerbird5 · 05/11/2017 09:09

Are you in London? I think that is a lot of money and I make cakes. Not so much now because I put my prices up as I was too cheap. If it is a two tier cake with fondant/ royal icing and handmade flowers then that would be about right. If it is a large fruit cake iced and a plaque and flowers it would be acceptable. If it is a novelty shaped cake which is very unusual and a good size like a pony then it would be about that price.
If it is a Victoria sponge with fondant icing, the child's name and one small figure it is too expensive in my mind.
People often remark on the taste of my cakes but they are mostly just Victoria sponges. I find lemon goes down best as I think it cuts through the sweetness. I put lemon curd and buttercream filling in too unless someone wants jam. If they are making cakes regularly you should be able to taste a sample.k
If you really have your heart set on it can you chose a different cake/ cake-maker and not tell DP how much it cost if you pay for it. I discovered early on not to tell DH the price of things. I didn't go way over the top but he was unrealistic when it came to birthday parties etc
Tell him this first year is very special to you and you'll learn to make a cake for DDs second birthday. Then have fun practising all next year.

LagunaBubbles · 05/11/2017 09:11

OK I would charge £50 for what you describe. But as I said it depends on where in the country you are.

usernameavailable · 05/11/2017 09:11

Go to a decent cake maker. The statement 'will look nice bit be too sickly' is not true at all!
My DP is a cake maker and he doesn't over use fondant. His cakes are not only beautiful to look at, we have had cake makers come and ask us for recipe for taste. If you find the right maker then the taste should be just as good as it looks

LagunaBubbles · 05/11/2017 09:12

OP

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