Pretty, Happy, Funny, Real--5/5/11

Pretty. Happy. Funny. Real.

Thanks to Danielle Bean and Cake Boss, I started getting a little more creative with the kids' birthday cakes a few years ago. They tell me what they want and we work together to make it doable. (I have already told one young man that when his turn comes in a few months I will make a mega-chocolate cake but no, it will not be a 7-tier Death by Chocolate with chocolate fondant, chocolate ganache, and buttercream-flavored icing with fondant pictures on it.)

This one was made with the nature-loving birthday boy at my elbow. He wanted squirrels and birds and trees, so that's what we did. I used a page from Draw Right Now 6 as inspiration. He ok'ed every placement. This is what we came up with.

I think I did ok; my wonderful family told me it looked like a painting. {pretty}

The birthday boy was happy, and that made me {happy}.

My husband was so {funny}--he started slicing the cake in the middle of nothing, dropped down to another blank space, and declared he couldn't bear to cut into the design. Such a sweetie. But we made it to eat it, so I commandeered the knife!

{Real} And, as you can tell, this picture was taken post-candles. And the picture is taken from a video (not that I'm a pro on a point-and-shoot) in my dining room's dimmed lighting. And contrary to my husband's flattery, I will not be opening a bakery any time soon. But these family cakes are fun, and my kids make me excited to be able to please them when each birthday comes!