Is doing a themed birthday cake for a young child really worth it?

[thereistheball]

They look so hard to do: are they really appreciated?

(Considering leading a backlash in favour of cakes that look like cakes.)

Cake (nigella buttermilk sponge)
Butter icing, in a glorious shade using paste
Figures of choice
Voila=themed cake
Looks fab, tastes great, DC ecstatic, winner all round

MiniMilk - tis truly great in its pinkness. The older ones had great fun guessing what the different flavours are.

Mine would be happy with a big bowl of icing each. Forget the cake altogether

Welll, I would say, make it, wouldn't I?

DD is 14 now and she remembers (with some help from photos) every one of the cakes I've made her for the last 14 years. It may not be totally appreciated at aged 1, but it is appreciated later in life.

I have to say that this years horse cake got an oooooo and that was worth it for me.

Your cakes are fab Maureen, ive got a couple of ones i was proud of on my profile but am now totally shamed by your talents!!

Yes definately worth it. My 3 year old's highlight of his recent birthday party was his 'animal' cake made by DH.
My DD, on her first birthday, clapped and shouted 'Elmer' at her cake (it was Elmer!) when she could only say a couple of words.
We are by no means artistic or talented cake makers btw, but have fun trying to create something vaguely recognisable, and our little dcs seem to appreciate it.

I am under slight pressure to do a themed cake...but while the bought ones may look fab, they taste rubbish. DSs never eat them. On the other hand, home made cakes (I am good at baking, but not exactly arty!) taste fab and always get eaten.

My neighbour is brilliant at kids' cakes...I aspire to be as good, but in reality it is not going to happen.

fedup - whilst searching for inspiration for a Shaun the Sheep cake ( I didn't find any btw ) I saw on ebay some themed rice paper circles that you stick on the top of your homemade cake - maybe a good compromise?

I've just come back from my friend's son's birthday party and her fire-engine cake was a triumph, I am glad to say.

But I still cannot see myself emulating her.

taffacat - a friend did exactly that with Fireman Sam I think. I may have a look next time! She is an excellent cook and it was her half way house and £5 well spent!

I did a 'train' themed cake for DS's 2nd birthday - this involved a normal victoria sponge iced with buttercream and an engine & carriage form his new IKEA train set perched on top. I did also pipe on some chocolate tracks.

Last year (3rd birthday) he had a slightly more elaborate one, which was a square sponge slathered in chocolate buttercream, with some homemade dinosaur biscuits standing up on it.

He still talks about them, and I'm trying to think of something for this year (prob dinos again). It's something I quite enjoy doing, but I do think you have to match the effort to the age of child.

This thread has prompted a chat with DD whose 4th birthday party is next month. Shameless leading questions from me included " Instead of a Shaun the Sheep cake, what about a really big yummy one covered in all your favourite sweets?"

Cue half hour discussion about what sweets ( and lollies, she must have lollies ) to decorate cake with.

Thanks!

Eeek! It's D-Day today (that's Diego cake day ).

Depends whether you enjoy making them. They don't have to be a success - one of my happiest and strongest childhood memories is of howling with laughter with my mum while we tried to make a Space Rocket cake stand up.

In the end we had a Space Shuttle HOTOL cake

But because of that I love to make silly cakes with my dd, in fact I tend to make them for anyone I can think of. If it weren't fun, I'd just go for the cake covered in smarties, though.