Should I bake or buy a birthday cake for DS's 1st birthday?

[ILikeYourSleeves]

I quite fancy baking one and decorating it, but then I haven't baked a cake for years and don't want it to be crap! What did you do for your kids? If you baked one do you have a good recipe and decoration ideas? And if you bought one where did you get it and how much was it?

Thanks!

Bought one because I am completely useless. Got a nice iced one in Asda with colourful balloons on and bought lettered candles to spell out DS name with a huge glittery NO.1 candle. I thought it looked great! Think it was about 8 quid.

I usually bake them but only cos its much cheaper,plus you can make them as big as you like if you have lots of visitors.
I normally do a smiple plain sponge recipe, with butter cream filling, and chocolate icing on top ! And I'm not great at it its hit and miss if it turns out ok 1

For DS's first b'day someone bought a cake, one of my parents or my husband. As I was pregnant (!) and in charge of the main course, I don't remember. I aim to bake cakes for DSs b'days, BUT do it a few hours in advance in case the cake burns, or any other eventuality . Ahh also, I set this tradition that the godmother is to provide the cake for the party

Last week it was DS's b'day and bought the ingredients to bake the cake, but didn't have the time to do it. So rushed to Sainsbury's and let him choose one. He was thrilled, he had never chosen a cake, it was Thomas the Tank Engine cake. All the children were gawping and didn't care that the cake was not good at all. DH was very alarmed that the thick icing was blue, and was not sure it was edible, haha. Well, once in a while.
You should give it a go! If it is not up to your standards, then you can go to PAUL, the French bakery. Yummy, expensive though.

Should add that Asda cake did have alarmingly bright icing, but only gave DS the inner sponge and ate all the radioactive icing myself! (hypocrite)

I made a cake, but only because we couldn't afford a party or presents really so wanted to do something special for DD.

i bake but i love making cakes - nigellas' old fashioned chocolate cake delicious and very easy

I am a lazy * so I always buy one. My DTs love Spongebob so am getting them one with that theme from Tesco.

For ds1 my MIL baked one, a simple but yummy sponge one and FIL decorated it! It was quite special as it was also a temporary going away overseas goodbye occasion too for us.

No idea what we will do for ds2 though.

its quiet funny to hear .. i am waiting for my husband to come home so i can go and buy castor sugar to make DD a giraffe cake for tomorrow!

I feel really lazy now!! Tell me there are others out there who but their cakes from the supermarket!!!

i baked...but i love an excuse to make a cake me and would bake several a week given the time / gym membership to work it off.

for ds1 i made fairy cakes and decorated them with a toddler friendly cream cheese icing, with a tiny amount of colour. he was delighted to have his own cake with a candle in it, very easy to do and they look good arranged, would recommend it.

and everybody loves fairy cakes.

I baked one

but that was because I like home cake better than shop cake

dd couldn;t have cared less and nor will your ds

I'm a bit hopeless in the domestic-goddess department, but I did bake & decorate DDs 1st cake (looked fab, tasted vile). I bought a plain iced cake for DSs 1st but was creative in the decorating - will go for that option form now on.

(PS - tip from me - bought a 3 -tier white cakestand recently so for DDs 3rd birthday I bought cheapo fairy cakes from Asda then individually iced & decorated a load that I piled on cakestand for all visitors to take away - looked great, DD loved it, tasted nice so I will be adapting this idea each birthday until they complain - decorating cakes in whatever they are enjoying this year)

For first birthday for both dds we bought a letter 1 cake, prettily decorated, cost about £50 quid, then for second birthday for dd1 we got cheap supermarket one and decorated it ourselves, and for third birthday for dd1 bought fresh cream sponge cake put fresh blueberries and strawberries on top, lovely! Dd2's 2nd coming up in couple of months, will make that one as supermarket ones can be really yukky tasting. For ds's 1st next year, will get another no.1, from The London Cake Company.

what other nice things ddi people do for their childrens 1st party, would appreciate some tips

AnotherFineMess, where did you get the cake stand from? That's a good idea.

they are too small to sppreciate much more than the presents and the wrapping paper
so do things that you will enjoy

we had champagne

CFC - from a local garden centre, called Webbs of Wychbold. Not sure whether it is an independent or chain - but if you search for 'bunting' or 'cupcakes' you'll no doubt find loads of links for cakestands

I'm really not a Cath Kidston kind of gal, but I do LOVE my cakestand - so speacial pancake/muffin/pastry breakfasts with it for birthdays, also nice cream teas for MOthers & Fathers Days etc - great investment!

Baked one for DS1's first it was a victoria sponge covered in melted chocolate with cadbury fingers stuck in to make it look like a hedgehog. tasted great. but looked ropey!

a great cake book is ..womans weekly kids cake you can buy it at borders or wiatrose where i saw it today

Thanks for all the tips, I think I'll try to make one! Are there any good online recipes for cakes?

I would keep it simple as MrB mentioned. I went to a 1st birthday of a friend's child where they hired out restaurant, had fancy cocktails, photographer , dj , dancing and I thought the birthday girl was looking really tired and frustrated at all the "strangers" and being paraded around, we left before the cake was cut as really it dragged on too long, with so many food courses, etc. Greyskull, your cake sounds like it would be fun to put together might try it out! I guess 1st birthday cakes are ones you can do your way, by the second they'll be wanting an ITNG cake or something!

I didnt want to buy one and thought a home baked one woudl be more special - but not necessarily. I also thought the ones in the supermarkets and bakeries were all too old for a 1 year old until I came across Waitrose...I had a beautiful chocolate round cake with a tartan ribbon (Hubby is scottish)and a handmade train on top with one candle it was gorgeous!!! Very appropriate for a one year old

I got a bought one cos I am OK at baking but the decorating bit would have been crap! I got the Asda Thomas Tank Cake, it was only £8 and was delicious. We got some cute litle candles that spelt ds' name and it looked beautiful.