Practice birthday cake in the oven

[NotABanana]

Bets on how likely it is that it will come out of the tin in several pieces rather than one?

Thank you. I think I might cry. I don't do a lot right for my kids but I can make a cake!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

it's a car! and obviously a car!

you've done well. Go forth and bake more, child.

Looks fab. Should be doing my cakes now instead of being on here! I have sort of started - lined and greased the tins.

Oh well done.
Would like to see a pic of the finished article.
I remember DS's second birthday cake I made - a coconut Teletubby. I had to hoover the little bits of coconut off it as otherwise the green food colouring I'd used to colour the coconut kept staining the white icing. Blooming nightmare.

Wow - that looks just beautiful, NAB!

oh well done NAB

I second grease and flour before putting mixture in, buyt it does look great

Bless you for doing a practice run, I just wing it (panickingly) the night before the birthday and stick together with icing sugar

loks fantasic nab, you have obvious hidden talents

Too big for the box!!

Can't decide whether to let the kids eat it as it is is and then hope they forget about it to do the real birthday one next week.

I'm thinking white choc buttons for the head lights.
Need something red for the back lights and something to outline the wheel arches and the windows.

liquorice strings for outlining in black

you can also get icing in different colours that you squeeze out of tubes but sweets much nicer imo!

I emailed the pic you have seen to my MIL and she asked about the different coloured cake mixture. Why do I feel like she was saying something negative?

what different coloured cake mixture?

does she want you to do a multicoloured one?

I think the key is not to email MIL photos of the cake .

It is just some of it is slightly lighter than the majority.

MIL was meant to be making the cake but seems happy enough not too.

yeah well no-one sees that once it's covered in icing. Icing is your friend. As are sweets. You've done a great job. Don't be put off!

Thank you.

Will cut it up for the kids to eat tomorrow so they can't tell the shape and will remake it on Thursday for the birthday boy.

good plan. Have a proper think about the icing. I always think it will be piss easy and then I screw it up and eat half the sweets and get the black mixed in with the white etc.

Has been suggested I use the ready made regal icing. This was a crazy idea, wasn't it?

When DS1 was one I made not one, not two but three birthday cakes and I don't think more than a bite was eaten. It was Thomas the Tank and I think the lurid blue put people off.

Cake 1 - practice cake , up til midnight doing.
Cake 2 - actual birthday cake.
Cake 3 - another cake for his party with his pals.

it is clear you need no more practise (although if your kids are enjoying the fruits of your labour, then nowt wrong with it)

DON'T do regal icing would be my tip

Kids love plain old buttercream icing. Laarve it. Especially with lots of sweets stuck on top (there's a theme here isn't there!).

What colour car do you want it to be?

I think the car needs to be blue. Any tips at all are greatfully received.

I have been out today and bought some chocolate buttons, pomfret(sp) cakes for the wheels and some icing pens to decorate. Been advised butter cream or butter icing to cover cake in first. Any ideas which would be better?

And can I put the cake tin to wash in the diswasher? It doesn't say on the leaflet and it is still on the side hidden from the kids under a tea towel.

Cake cut up so kids can't tell it is a car and they are having their first piece now. DS2 likes the cake so at least I know they will like the taste of it on the day. Still at the 9 eggs though.

looking good - is that before it is iced?

I second butter cream to ice it and lots of sweeties. Use the paste colouring for a great colour. some great decorating ideas here

Yep, that was plain sponge. It tastes good too.

Have bought all the bits, just need to get some jam to stick the wheels, lights, etc on and there's his cake.

I'll be making the real thing on Thursday when he naps and then will decorate it when he is in bed for the night.