I have purchased my first ever shop-bought birthday cake

[TheDuchessOfNorksBride]

and I'm gutted!

I love making the DCs birthday cakes but I just don't have the time to make one. DS1 has chosen a red racing car. So he's happy with it even if I'm not!

I blame bloody pre-school Chairs job. I spend so much time on the welfare of 50 other children that my own DCs get shop-bought cake.

OK. Rant over. Thanks for listening.

Oh well, save your cakes for when they are old enough to appreciate them - my mother used to still make me birthday cakes when I was a student and I loved them more than I ever did as a child

Well to be honest - if it's for a party, you get your child plus several others spitting all over it when blowing out the candles and by the time you've given a slice to everyone for the party bag, there isn't alot left anyway.

oh god

a shop bought cake?

I normally make our cakes but my DSs always prefer shop bought for their birthdays (chocolate cake smothered in ganache). That makes me feel hugely inadequate.

Shame on you!

I always used to make my children's cakes (somehow thought that made me a better mother) but my DS asked one year "When can I have a shop bought cake like everyone else"! Stop feeling guilty and enjoy the birthday! If you do continue to feel guilty and things like making cakes are really important to you (and why shouldn't they be?)then maybe it's time to give up the chair's job. But then again, perhaps you're contributing more to life by doing that than making a cake?! Only you can decide what's right for you, no matter what anyone else says! (I have these kinds of discussions with myself all the time!)

What a co-incidence. I've just made my first ever cake.

Congratulations Seamonster- what's it like? Did you enjoy making it and were you pleased with it? I really enjoy making children's birthday cakes - I just think people shouldn't feel under too much pressure to do it if they are too busy with other things (and of course, that's exactly when cakes will go wrong!)
Perhaps we need another thread on easy children's party cakes (or it might already exist). Don't want to hijack this thread but have made a couple of dead simple & effective ones.

ahh kathy - what a sweet thing of your mum to do!

I saw a dalek cake in sainsburies today and it was brilliant. Some of those shop made ones are really eye catching!

I got a shop bougt one this year for DS1 as I ran out of time to make one.

i kept apologising and asking for reassurance that he really didn't mind.

He thougt it was the best cake he'd ever had

I am an awful cook and an even worse baker, so I always buy shop bought cakes - much better than poisoning all their friends.

On sunday DS2 is having a lovely chocolate dragon from Waitrose

That racing car one is FAB. Who cares who made it? My sisters and I had home-made dolly cakes every year, so I appreciate the variety available in shop bought ones

I am cool & relaxed now. If I finish my work by 10pm I can wash my hair & paint toenails instead of fiddling with bits of icing.

Last years DS1 birthday effort is last photo on my profile should anyone wish to view pirate ship cake

I'm ashamed to say that although I quite liked making it, it turned out rubbish. Oh well.

The party was great. The weather was perfect. The cake looked brilliant but tasted weird and most of it is in a box in the kitchen.

I rather hope it is the also the last shop-bought birthday cake we ever have!

I still haven't made one

First year I didn't see the point, 2nd year I was getting married the next week & she broke her arm - no time, 3rd year, DS was 3 months old, no sleep or enough norkfree time! This year, started WAHMdom and sod all time

DS's birthday week was hell and didn't have time for him either.

Next year I have big intentions!

I have made & bought shop ones.

The kid doesn't give a shit.

TheDuchessOfNorksBride couldn't see your cake

don't beat youself up if he's happy.

because of when DS1's birthday is, i have learnt to make it in advance and freeze it as i nearly collapsed the first year with trying to fit in everything the night before and didn't enjoy his actual birthday as much as i could have done.