Page 7 | Are Expectations for birthday cakes getting out of hand?

Yellowmellow2 · 2022-04-24T15:33:28+00:00

More and more I see threads on social media, of people showing photos of incredible birthday cakes (castles, palaces, Disney characters etc), and asking if anyone can make one for their child? When did this become a thing? Is a normal cake not enough any more? People just put so much pressure on themselves.

balalake · 25/04/2022 15:56

I think it is just one part of the upscaling of events. Think 'big' birthdays, baby showers, Valentines 'weekend', as other examples.

helloitsnotmeanymore · 25/04/2022 16:13

A lot of people around here boy the cake maker cakes. I imagine they are around £100 and something. They look great but yes you paid for it. I make my own ones, badly but it's done with love and honestly the kids appreciate the idea. Maybe when they are older I'll just buy one. I did get a great paw patrol one from Asda a few years back, it was chase's face and was great. Then I forgot to do the cake at the party, so he never left his box apart from me eating him.

Giraffesandbottom · 25/04/2022 16:31

I make my own ones, badly but it's done with love and honestly the kids appreciate the idea

I order one with love too! My children would absolutely not appreciate the level of effort it would take for me to bake a cake for 40 guests and I would be under mammoth amounts of pressure to make sure it was perfect as I’m a perfectionist. I am much happier outsourcing!

knowinglesseveryday · 25/04/2022 16:42

I'm not very good at making cakes, and worse at decorating them, but I did many years ago slog my way though to making a large Scottie dog cake for a 3 year old. As I was carrying it proudly through the kitchen to place it in a pantry, I tripped over an abandoned shoe and it flew across the room, landing on the cat food. So I made another, once I'd recovered, and on the day of the party (in the garden on the lawn) my 10 month old crawled over to it as I was rescuing a child from a bush. By the time I'd turned round he was sitting in the middle of it with a lump in each hand. That was the last fancy cake I made., although I'll knock up a coffee buttercream or fruit cake.

PleasantBirthday · 25/04/2022 16:46

I'm getting an excessively fancy cake made for my soon to be seven year old. She hasn't had a proper birthday party before for various reasons and I've been saving for months to make this really special for her so she's getting the cake that caught her eye and having all the other nonsense she wants for once.

Iluvperegrines · 25/04/2022 16:57

Honestly don’t see an issue, I always buy store cakes for kids birthdays and had my mum make me a basic Victoria sponge for my wedding (very low key!) but if people like fancy cakes and are happy to pay, what’s the problem, it’s supporting small businesses.

fishingforflies · 25/04/2022 18:38

Itmustbeaproblemwithyourdoodad · 24/04/2022 19:29

I love making my kids elaborate birthday cakes, and I post them on social media every time and I’m not going to lie, it’s nice to get the appreciative comments! But I wouldn’t do it if I didn’t genuinely enjoy the creative process of coming up with the concept and then turning it into reality. I absolutely loathe the taste of fondant but it’s soooo fun to work with. Really therapeutic. I also like the fact that I can create art without adding clutter to my house, because it all gets consumed in the end. Though always feel emotional when my cakes get cut!!

Recently my 5 year old asked for an Encanto cake with Isabella and Mirabel hugging and the candle burning bright and they are in Isabella’s room with all the flowers. It took me hours but I enjoyed the challenge. And seeing her face light up when she saw it was just priceless.

@Itmustbeaproblemwithyourdoodad

photo please!!!

GETTINGLIKEMYMOTHER · 25/04/2022 18:47

I did once make a Fairy Castle cake for a Gdd 4, from a recipe in a magazine - the turrets were baked in soup or baked bean tins! It turned out brilliantly, so I was well chuffed, since at the time we were living abroad in a largely non-Brit community where the women liked to think - and would tell you! - that English women couldn’t cook. So that did shut them up for a bit. 😂
Little dd was too young to appreciate it, though.

valerianaofficiana · 25/04/2022 18:53

Home baked delicious cake with minimal decorations is the only one allowed in this house.
Loathe the icing and buttercream in general, tasteless gunk, sugar and cheap butter.🤢
Daft monstrosities built with the help of inedible crap to make it look' in theme', why?
So common.
( Ok, shoot me 🙄).

valerianaofficiana · 25/04/2022 18:53

Home baked delicious cake with minimal decorations is the only one allowed in this house.
Loathe the icing and buttercream in general, tasteless gunk, sugar and cheap butter.🤢
Daft monstrosities built with the help of inedible crap to make it look' in theme', why?
So common.
( Ok, shoot me 🙄).

valerianaofficiana · 25/04/2022 18:54

Yup. Strong feelings here.

Theredtoyphone · 25/04/2022 19:20

I buy professional cakes from a local small business. They are excellent quality and the ones I get taste miles better than supermarket ones. Possibly as the baker doesn’t do all that many so they retain the “home baked” taste.

I’m happy to pay more for what i see as better quality. Just as I would with lots of other foods.

People who smash cakes for photos are idiots though. For a variety of different reasons.

Comefromaway · 25/04/2022 19:22

I have professional cakes for special birthdays. So 13th, 16th, 18th & 21st.

Giraffesandbottom · 25/04/2022 19:31

@valerianaofficiana

i suspect you haven’t seen any actually decent professional cakes…

Original poster

Yellowmellow2 · 25/04/2022 20:00

valerianaofficiana · 25/04/2022 18:53

Home baked delicious cake with minimal decorations is the only one allowed in this house.
Loathe the icing and buttercream in general, tasteless gunk, sugar and cheap butter.🤢
Daft monstrosities built with the help of inedible crap to make it look' in theme', why?
So common.
( Ok, shoot me 🙄).

😂😂

OP posts:

SleeplessWB · 25/04/2022 21:26

I always get a cake made for my daughter's party/ birthday. She is allergic to eggs and you can't get any nice egg free ones in the supermarket. A local baker does them, about £50 a cake and it is worth it for her as she never gets to eat cake at anyone elses party so having her own egg free special cake means a lot to her.

WhiteFire · 25/04/2022 22:56

I've made a wide variety of cakes for mine, the number 8 cake perhaps turning out the best.

This year I gave up and DD had a Colin for her 16th. DS doesn't eat cake so I buy the small malteser cake just for his candle.

The professional ones often look amazing, but I wouldn't buy one, however the only cake I remember growing up was one of the Barbie cake dress ones, my Aunt made it, so maybe they are more special after all.