The importance of 4

Yesterday was a very important day in this house, Tilly's 4th birthday. Her brother has his birthday in August which makes Tilly's birthday feel like a very long wait. She has been dreaming of her birthday since, well, since her last one I suppose. The grand age of 4 feels very grown up and the whole business of having a 4th birthday has been consumming all of us for weeks. Clearly there can be no talk of Christmas until this important birthday was done with. This year I made my very first proper birthday cake. I do lots of baking but have never really ventured into the realms of creative icing. Basic iced fairy cakes are no problem and I sometimes adorn the lemon drizzle cake with a little bit of lemon icing, always with a homespun (drippy) finish. Tilly had asked for a princess dress cake and I distantly remembered reading of this idea in my Nigella. Unfortuately Nigella really didn't offer very much by way of instruction but a quick google boosted my confidence a little. I couldn't find cake tins suitable and was forced to use pyrex bowls to get dome shapes. Subsequent oven temperatures and baking times were all a little haphazzard and I must confess that some cake did go to the bin (although it wasn't so bad that some of it didn't pass through our mouths too). Eventually the sponge was completed and so began the decorating. I never really thought I would one day find myself stripping Barbie and painting her with apricot jam, I suspect there are people who would pay to watch, should I ever fall on particularly hard times. I inserted her into the cake (again this is slightly uncomfortable territory) and proceeded to dye my fondant and create a ballgown. I must say that I am rather delighted with my efforts. I really was half expecting a last minute dash to the supermarket got rather stressed at one point but ended up being rather proud of my iced cake.

She wants a Fairytale Castle next year....

Comments

Charity said…
Wonderful cake! I used Pyrex bowls one year to make a teapot cake for a tea party... fun, fun! :0)

I also did a castle one year, not as scary as it sounded. I did a couple of squares layered, with another square quartered and centered for the tower. Then I rolled small pointy ice cream cones in icing and sprinkles for the turrets. :0) I'm sure if you can manage the doll, a castle will be easy peasey.
Jenny said…
She is beautiful. You did a wonderful job. I really think you started with the most difficult cake, the castle will be easy.
Anonymous said…
What a beautiful cake, you did a lovely job. I made green minty icing for one birthday cake and the children thought it was toothpaste and wouldn't eat it.
Twelfthknit said…
I can see the 'importance of pink' is just as important! But who am I to go on? I've just asked for a pair of very pink Crocs for Christmas...
India
Anonymous said…
Oh, wow! WOW!!
Anonymous said…
OMG - I do not dare show this to my 4 year old ! She would have it confirmed for all time then that I am a hopelessly inadequate mother when it comes to the birthday cake stakes - a somewhat lopsided victoria sponge is about the best I can do :0) She's beautiful. I am deeply jealous.
yvette said…
Happy Birthday Tilly and what a fabulous cake, well done.
MissLucy said…
My nieces demand a barbie cake from their mother every birthday, and I dread the day my 3 year old wakes up and realises she may make a demand too...I'm pretty sure there's suitable cake tins available though(?)
Johanne said…
Brilliant - Are you open to orders - it's my birthjday on Sunday!!! Anything resembling a ball of yarn will do.....
Anonymous said…
omg! it's beautiful! i love the fairy cakes as well; wonder if i shouldn't come round to your house for my next bday!
Anonymous said…
It's wonderful - well done! I did one like this a couple of years after a fairytale castle which was just a cake too far. Stick with plunging Barbies in sponge is my advice. Castles are nightmares.
Anonymous said…
A very happy birthday to Tilly. What an amazing cake - you did a wonderful job. I could not even contemplate doing something like that. Shop bought stuff for my boys I am afraid!
Anonymous said…
Oh Rebecca that is such a pretty cake. Happy Birthday to Tilly and sorry it's late.
Anonymous said…
What a gorgeous cake! Your little daughter must have been the proudest one for having such a talented (and patient) mummy. And I really don´t envy you for making a whole castle, on the other side it could be great fun, too (I hope so).
Your Barbie-in-the-cake is soooo beautiful, I wish I would be 4 years old again to get such a marvellous cake.

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