How to Survive on A Farm (Tips from someone who knows nothing about it). Part 6: Learn How To Make Cakes

When I was a kid, my Mum used to make us (without fail, every birthday) one of those cakes you find in a kid's birthday cake book.  See? That's me in the middle, looking stunned, or deeply, deeply impressed. And that's my sister on the left. She always looks like that! HA! That's my brother at the front. Hasn't changed. The other girl is a ring in. And THAT in the middle, is possibly the best cake Mum ever made. Gorgeous. 

Half the fun of having a birthday came with sitting down and trawling through the cake book until you found the cake you wanted. The other half of the fun came from eating it. It must have devastated Mum watching us massacre the little piece of art she put her heart and soul into... year, after year, after year. And we thought they were the best. They weren't as perfect as the ones in the picture, but in my eyes, they were the crowning moment of my birthday. 

And now, here I am, history repeating. This is my most recent effort... an easy one, comparatively speaking. Sam is not a cake kid, so he is just happy to have anything he can take from the cake. In this case, toys.

Sam's cake last year was something else. We were staying with my mother at the time. As she works in a Boarding House, we decided to make a cake for 50 girls who stay there. The result is below.

And then there was this simple one for Olivia this year...

And the more elaborate one from last year. I channeled Wizard of Oz BIG TIME for this one.

I honestly think I get as much out of it as the kids do! And NONE of us are big cake eaters. It's just all fun and games. It's something we all get involved in. 

This next one was for Darcy's last birthday. She likes her cakes to DO something (I did mention before that we aren't big cake fans in our house, so they kind of are obliged to serve some purpose!).

This is inside the cake... TREASURE!

And then the treasure map

I have several good friends who make wonderful cakes! (You know who you are Kym and Justine!). These cakes are really nothing in comparison to the works of art others are capable of producing. But my attempts leave me feeling warm and fuzzy inside. They're all like mini works of art.

Birthday cakes were a highlight of my childhood. I hope my children get half as much out of them as I did!