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Homemade Birthday Cakes… A Labor of Love

by Sharon Rowley 8 Comments

I chuckled when I came across a recent article in Real Simple magazine where the author talked about her own dilemma of whether or not to bake a homemade birthday cake for her daughter (and I apologize to the author ….somehow I managed to only cut out the 2nd page of the story which did not contain the author's name, the title of the article, or even the publication month… and my attempts to locate a link to share with you have been fruitless). In the piece, the author reminisces about how when she was a little girl she longed for one of those beautiful store-bought cakes with “smooth as glass icing delicately accented with silver balls and sugared violets”, but her Mom continued to bake her homemade cakes that were painful lumpy and well, homemade. She goes on to say that when she became an adult and started attending kids birthday parties that were far too elaborate, it became clear that perhaps she should outsource the task of baking her own kids' birthday cakes because she was sure that her baking would only bring shame upon her family!

“But in the end I wavered. I couldn't bring myself to honor my son or my daughter with a store-bought cake. There was something soulless about it. Anyone could buy that cake. Anyone could have made it. I loved my children. And despite the fact it might seem more loving to spare them the spectacle of a cake that appeared to have been sat on, I would make their cakes.”

elephant-cake

This story completely cracked me up because I can completely relate to it! I too absolutely insist on making homemade birthday cakes for my kids, indulging them in whatever flavors they might like, whatever animal-shape they might request- because I want them to feel that their cake is special…. unique- just like they are. But even I have to admit that about halfway through the task of creating the birthday cake (coupled with all of the other details I am trying to manage while throwing an at-home birthday party) I want to just throw in the towel and quit the whole thing! I can handle the cake-baking and I can usually handle the cake-assembly…. creating a shape out of it to make look like an elephant or a giraffe, or a Lego display….. but once I start icing that sucker I'm regretting the decision to make my own cake big-time! More than once I've called my husband to save the day and finish a decorating job that I was struggling to complete on my own.

frog cake

And sometimes I cringe when I look at the finished work because the elephant really does not look that much like an elephant and the giraffe is falling apart and the Legos are all completely off-center…. but I know that I've once again allowed my own perfectionism to get in the way. And what my kids really see is that they got the cake that they wanted- and they are thrilled. Never once has one of them said, “Um Mom… that doesn't look like an elephant.” Not once.

Lego birthday party- cake

And I know (or at least I like to believe) that when my kids are older and look back on their own childhood, these creative birthday cakes are going to be one of the things that makes them smile.

charlotte with her cake

Are you a slave to the homemade birthday cake, or do you take the simpler path? Leave a comment and let me know!

Filed Under: On My Mind

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Comments

  1. Christie P. says

    June 16, 2013 at 1:48 pm

    I’m knee deep in homemade birthday cake production right now! You stated perfectly how I feel EACH TIME I make a birthday cake…fine at first, but the decorating is what does me in. Thanks for reminding me that it’s a labor of love which can not be accomplished by a store bought cake…as tempting as they may be. 🙂

    Reply
    • Sharon says

      June 17, 2013 at 4:59 pm

      So good to hear Christie! I am having a birthday party for my son this Friday night…. so I will be knee-deep in cake this week too! Luckily by 5th grade, they are no longer into themed/shaped cakes….. so this one shouldn’t take me as long- it’s just a round red velvet cake- thank goodness!

      Reply
  2. Lizzie says

    June 12, 2013 at 4:35 am

    I’ve always made my daughter’s cakes but they tend to have 2D decoration rather than 3D.
    I make things easy by using revelant cookie cutters to cut out shapes from ready to roll icing. Then you can make matching cookies!

    Reply
  3. Angel says

    June 11, 2013 at 10:30 pm

    we love to make homemade birthday cakes. In fact, my daughter(12) wants to make everyone’s cakes now since I have set that example for her. We have even taken a cake decorating class together because it now interests her so much. I love that I have passed on that creative side to her 🙂 I would rather take the extra time to make the cake and do the party a bit less key.

    Reply
    • Sharon says

      June 13, 2013 at 5:45 am

      I LOVE hearing that you’ve passed this on to your daughter and now she is a homemade cake-baker too! And I think it is awesome that you took a cake decorating class together! Thanks so much for sharing this!

      Reply
  4. Em says

    June 11, 2013 at 6:07 pm

    I make my own too…a zoo, legos, a purple triangle, and then I have my sister and sister in law that make volcanoes that erupt and large fire breathing dragons! We have never had a store bought cake!

    Reply
    • Sharon says

      June 11, 2013 at 6:53 pm

      I too have made the erupting volcano! Complete with dry ice!

      Reply

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Hi! I’m Sharon Rowley…

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As a Mom of 6 kids ages 19, 17, 16, 15, 14, & 13, I am passionate about helping other busy Moms get organized, host awesome birthday parties, enjoy summers with their kids, and take great family road trips. Are you ready to get your life organized?

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