To be sobbing over a birthday cake

[meepmoop]

DS is having a birthday party on Sunday so I'm making him a car cake. 2 tiers and everything.

I've spent ages making it as only have space in the oven for one cake. I've just gone to cut the base cake in half and it's not cooked so I've got to do it all again and still need to buttercream and ice it.

I'm literally crying over cake,

As a professional baker, I can assure you shit happens, all the time. Imagine delivering a wedding cake, then being smashed from behind whilst driving, opening the boot to see a pile of crumbs....

You’ve got a whole day to bake, there’s also the option of a store bought cake!

I decided to make ds1 a twirlywoos birthday cake from scratch... made the characters easy enough whilst the sponge cooked.. checked on the sponge.. spilled fucking cake mix all over the bloody cooker!! Was so stressful!

DS2 got a bettty Crockett chocolate cake mix with fingers round the outside, biscuits on the top and a chocolate racecar from Thornton's! Looked fab and was so much easier!

M&S caterpillar cake - has been making children happy for nearly 30 yrs to my knowledge, possibly longer!

Honestly - unless you simply enjoy the baking, children's party cakes come from M&S or Costco depending on the numbers coming

I've never made a cake in my life. I know some people reckon that cooking cakes is relaxing and a hobby but it's never appealed. I buy cakes if I want cakes - so I get really bemused by people getting so stressed out over cooking them.

There used to be a fab mum blog where the writer made a chocolate birthday cake that ended up in pieces - she just stuck a toy digger in it and said it was a buildng site.

could you take a few minutes away from the cake to make the buttercream.thats an easy bit.take your mind from the stress of the disaster in front of you but also getting something done.this you can then put in the fridge.
your not bad for caring.your great for trying.
cakes are so much harder than people think they are.especailly to make something look anywhere close to proffessional!

To cheer you up...

And i think you're flipping lovely for going to the effort, heavily pregnant, in this heat too.
Whatever you end up with will be great, I'm sure.
Good luck.

I once had to make a cake into a trifle (it was that bad 🤣). My kids laugh about my non existent baking skills now.

Just buy a cake . Being a good parent is much more than baking a cake xx

Well here it is..
It's very imperfect but I'm very happy with the outcome.

Does anyone know how I should store this until tomorrow as I haven't got any tubs big enough?

Stick it inside a carrier bag and tape it to the bottom.

Ooh, you made a good job of that, op. It's lovely.

Stick some tooth picks strategically on top of the cake and cover in clingfilm. Easy enough to rub holes to close when ready to go.

Ooh well done, fabulous job.
Hope the party goes well tomorrow.
I second the carrier bag idea for storage.

PS: Save me a slice

You've done a really good job there OP. Don't store it in any kind of plastic - fondant does not survive plastic and heat, or even just plastic. Ideally cover with a big cardboard box, but failing that just as it is will be fine (I bake a lot).

Well done OP. Glad you got there in the end.

Amazing, well done op!

mostly Ive told everyone I'm making it

Nobody will know or care. He is 2 and he won't know or care. Buy a cake and put a little car on top - done ! He'll love it.

So much effort
And only to what? Impress your friends
Not worth it.

Looks fab - he’ll love it!

My secret for birthday cakes? Recover a plain supermarket one and get yours reputation for crap decorated cakes - then present it with a ‘ta-dar’ and everyone laughs - job done!
(Although I do think some of them were quite good!!!)

*yourself

So much effort
And only to what? Impress your friends grin
Not worth it

To make your little boy happy on his birthday?

Great end result!

Hope the party went well.

I dropped DS's second birthday cake as it came out of the oven. I stuck a toy digger on it and turned it into a building site themed cake.

Meep!! That's really good!

And I'm not the mum blogger upthread, I see great minds think alike!