Cake journey
When Laura's best friend was going to celebrate her 3rd birthday, I blurted "I'll make the cake!". Caityin ordered a yellow heart-shaped cake with gummy bears on it. A few days before the party, I was stressing myself out so much PT asked why I volunteered to make the cake. I've always welcomed challenges but didn't think anyone could get so stressed out over a cake. I surfed the net and found recipes and information on icing in allrecipes.com. I asked friends who had more experience in baking. I didn't know how to ice a cake or pipe the name. If the cake didn't happen, my back up plan was to buy a cake from the nearest cake shop. Couldn't disappoint a 3-year-old. This was the result. The birthday celebrant thought there wasn't enough gummies on the cake though. I have to agree.
Sep 2003
The tradition of candies on the cake for the children to pick off from started at my own children's birthday party. My friend, Junji, baked their cake and her daughter helped decorate.
The next year, I baked this for my own children's birthday. Yup, still didn't know how to pipe the icing for name.
June 2004
Later that year, I baked the cake for Laura's best friend, Caityin. Here are her two young guests eyeing the gummies on the cake. One of the guests commented "Oh, this is how a homemade cake looks like". Although my friend, Elaine, said the cake was too big for the few guests she had, it was all gone at the end of the party! Made a mental note not to use buttercream icing when the weather is warm.
Sep 2004
Baked this cake for a joint birthday for 3 people. One of the birthday celebrant (Elaine) helped pipe the icing. That was when I decided I really need to learn how to do it.
May 2005
For her 5th birthday, I thought I'd make Laura a jewelry box cake. It started out as a music box actually. Made a mental note: Not all cakes are firm enough for icing or for shaping.
Yay! Success in lettering! Adam got a construction site cake which he loved. He still remembers the toy construction vehicles on the cake. When I told him I was baking him a train cake for his 3rd birthday, he took out all his toy trains so I could decorate his train cake.
June 2005
Made this cake for Jamie & Josh's 3rd birthday. This was when I wish I knew how to make fondant figures so I could make the cars. The boys didn't complain 'coz they got to play with the cars after the birthday song was sung.
Sep 2005
What is the most personal gift one could make for a childhood friend and her mom who celebrated their birthday together? A birthday cake!
Dec 2005
Also for a very good friend. Our "extended family member", Andy. The kids were happy they got to help decorate the cake.
Jan 2006
This cake began my quest for red colouring for icing. I've tried Fortuna Red, Cochineal Red and a generic red colour from a baking supplies shop. Elmo still turned pink! Now I know how to get a lovely pink shade. I'm still looking for the red. Elmo was my first attempt at making a cake which didn't follow the shape of the cake pan.
Feb 2006
I started out trying to make a doll cake for Laura, thinking I didn't need a doll dress cake pan. When the cake turned out too shallow for Barbie's long legs, the doll cake became a Barbie tea party cake! Lovely shade of pink using Cochineal Red food dye.
When Adam saw the train I made, my train expert asked what train it was. Didn't impress him at all. He wanted Thomas. Alright, my son has thrown me a challenge!
June 2006
We've come a full circle. Four years ago, Junji baked my daughter's birthday cake for her 2nd birthday. This year, to celebrate Junji's birthday I baked her an orange butter cake with orange buttercream icing.
July 2006
Next cake project? Two cakes for 4 children celebrating their birthday together in August. One is a dinosaur cake and another one a girlie girl cake. The children will be helping to decorate their cakes. Watch this space!
Sep 2003
The tradition of candies on the cake for the children to pick off from started at my own children's birthday party. My friend, Junji, baked their cake and her daughter helped decorate.
The next year, I baked this for my own children's birthday. Yup, still didn't know how to pipe the icing for name.
June 2004
Later that year, I baked the cake for Laura's best friend, Caityin. Here are her two young guests eyeing the gummies on the cake. One of the guests commented "Oh, this is how a homemade cake looks like". Although my friend, Elaine, said the cake was too big for the few guests she had, it was all gone at the end of the party! Made a mental note not to use buttercream icing when the weather is warm.
Sep 2004
Baked this cake for a joint birthday for 3 people. One of the birthday celebrant (Elaine) helped pipe the icing. That was when I decided I really need to learn how to do it.
May 2005
For her 5th birthday, I thought I'd make Laura a jewelry box cake. It started out as a music box actually. Made a mental note: Not all cakes are firm enough for icing or for shaping.
Yay! Success in lettering! Adam got a construction site cake which he loved. He still remembers the toy construction vehicles on the cake. When I told him I was baking him a train cake for his 3rd birthday, he took out all his toy trains so I could decorate his train cake.
June 2005
Made this cake for Jamie & Josh's 3rd birthday. This was when I wish I knew how to make fondant figures so I could make the cars. The boys didn't complain 'coz they got to play with the cars after the birthday song was sung.
Sep 2005
What is the most personal gift one could make for a childhood friend and her mom who celebrated their birthday together? A birthday cake!
Dec 2005
Also for a very good friend. Our "extended family member", Andy. The kids were happy they got to help decorate the cake.
Jan 2006
This cake began my quest for red colouring for icing. I've tried Fortuna Red, Cochineal Red and a generic red colour from a baking supplies shop. Elmo still turned pink! Now I know how to get a lovely pink shade. I'm still looking for the red. Elmo was my first attempt at making a cake which didn't follow the shape of the cake pan.
Feb 2006
I started out trying to make a doll cake for Laura, thinking I didn't need a doll dress cake pan. When the cake turned out too shallow for Barbie's long legs, the doll cake became a Barbie tea party cake! Lovely shade of pink using Cochineal Red food dye.
When Adam saw the train I made, my train expert asked what train it was. Didn't impress him at all. He wanted Thomas. Alright, my son has thrown me a challenge!
June 2006
We've come a full circle. Four years ago, Junji baked my daughter's birthday cake for her 2nd birthday. This year, to celebrate Junji's birthday I baked her an orange butter cake with orange buttercream icing.
July 2006
Next cake project? Two cakes for 4 children celebrating their birthday together in August. One is a dinosaur cake and another one a girlie girl cake. The children will be helping to decorate their cakes. Watch this space!
posted by Min Chan at
5:50 pm
13 Comments:
yay!!! finally, a photo of one of the rare occasions when I get to have MY OWN b-day cake! i just realized after i was looking at the pics taken from that day that there was none of MY cake! now i just have to ciplak from your blog and it's immortalized. can never trust my failing memory, isnit?
tanks again! :)
I have some photos taken from that day too. Will post it up and give you the link k?
Hey, bake me a cake too! :P
Your decoration skill getting better and better!
Wow...Min, I'm impressed!
Jesslyn, just say when and I'll bake you one!
Thanks, mama22beas. From that first cake when I got really stressed out to now enjoying the challenges of creating a nice cake. Tasty too!
Min, ur cake decor skill sure is improving thru the years! I really luv the idea of Laura's doll cake which all the Barbie's r sitting down for t-what an unique idea!
My 2nd boys bday is around the corner & he wants a batman cake! Must bake a big cake as need to feed 50 guests.
a&a'smom, do share how you're going to bake the Batman cake!
I can vouch for the fabness of M's cakes and Im in awe (no shock and awe here ok lol) of her decorating skills.. I really cant decorate as neatly or as nicely yet.. but nemind, I am learning now :) It's always fun though when the kids help!
awwwww! that is so nice. what nicer way to say that someone cares that it's your birthday then to have a homemade cake. so sweet. and your skills are getting better. can't wait to catch the dinosaur pics.
wow you've certainly gotten better each year min. your previous postings on self-made birthday cakes got me thinking to make one for my kid. i hv never done any icing except for choc or cream cheese frostings. gonna be challenging! thanks for inspiring me ;-)
btw, yr quilts shown on the star looked so fantabulous!!!
saw your quilt pix in the star, gorgeous! envy.. envy.. wish i could find time to try my hands on quilting too. Keep up the good works..
Thanks, babe and cupcake.
Babe, go for it! Baking a cake that's guided by love. Cannot go wrong one!
Cupcake, I wish I had more time too!
I also want to bake and decorate!! *bawls*
My faves are the first and last cakes! Simple but effective! Have to practise on my star piping, I can't seem to get the pointy end!
Elaine did the orange lettering on the white cake? Very nice-wor.
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