As my own birthday approaches, and with it a likely lack of a homemade cake, I was wondering who makes your birthday cake?
Last year I was ‘treated’ to a ghastly shop bought chocolate cake in the shape of a hedgehog from a store who will remain nameless. I sulkily refused to eat any of it! However, I also refuse to make my own cake too. Birthdays are supposed to be a day when you are spoilt by your loved ones, particularly as a mum when so much of what you do day to day is about other people. Lack of ability is no excuase either – I would quite happily munch on a cake full of bits of egg shell with a big sink hole in the middle if it had been made by Little Mister Ice Maiden and his Dad
When I was growing up my mum, who was taught to bake by my wonderful paternal grandmother, always baked us a cake. There was never any fancy decoration but we always got to choose what flavour it was and it was made with lots of love. I always chose chocolate biscuit cake because it was an enormous and rare treat. It’s a recipe that I have developed in my own way over the years and which has come to be known as Wicked Cake in our family because it contains all things naughty and nothing of any nutritional value at all – yum! Sorry, but this is one recipe I’m not sharing!
I’m tagging some other bakers who blog here in my first meme to see if they are in a similar boat to me but I’d love to hear all your birthday cake stories so do add a comment below.
Amy at Cooking, Cakes & Children
Rhian at Minirhi Bakes
Rachel at Tales From The Village
Lulu at Lulubelles Cakes
Ruth at The Pink Whisk
Beth at Cakes by Beth
Becky at English Mum
Helen at Blissful Mum
Check out these lovely blogs if you enjoy a good read and some delicious photographs.


LOL I know exactly what you mean. I can’t remember the last time I had a birthday cake made for me and as you say, I refuse to make my own. I think my husband is too scared to attempt one, thinking I would view it as inferior, but I would think it great regardless of look or taste – it’s the thought that counts. I’m hoping I can teach my little boy to bake from an early age to get over the problem – is 17 months too early?
‘Tis the rule at English Towers that the birthday person (whoever they may be) can choose any cake they like. This has developed from childish ‘ooh, I’ll have chocolate cake!’ to hours of poring through cookery books to pick the most difficult thing for me to bake!
I always bake my own – like you, I don’t want a shop bought one! Last year I have a deliciously pink raspberry meringue pie
Sadly enough, I nearly always make my own birthday cake. My whole cake obsession started off with me making my brother’s, and then my own, birthday cakes one year and I have pretty much carried on the tradition ever since.
Last year’s celebration involved a bit of a gathering at my home and then a night out in Manchester so I thought I would make a great cake for everyone to share after the food I had laid on. However, after being at work all week and with so many things going on, plus deciding to make all the food from scratch, I didn’t leave enough time to produce the spectacular cake I had in my mind. The plan was to make this great handbag in chocolate sponge, with clasp details, stitching, flowers, the works. Before I knew it, all my friends were on their way round and so the result was a very plain handbag shape with one token flower and a small silver buckle on the front. You never put as much time and effort into your own cake as you into other people’s.
This year will be slightly different. I was planning to make my own cake again and had a really nice design in mind. Then out of the blue, my boyfriend offered to my birthday cake for me. He has prior form as for Valentine’s Day one year, he turned up with a surprise chocolate cake, decorated in all the things I like, included a hand crafted blue budgie climbing up the side. A perfect replica of our little feathery friend. Bless! I would never turn down such a sweet offer of a gift cake but still want to bring to life my design idea so we are going to make the cake together. It should be fun and quite romantic so I am looking forward to it!
Next year is a bit of a milestone for me so I’m sure I’ll be back to making my own cake again…maybe with a great big, shiny “21 again” emblazened across the top! If I shout it loud enough, maybe it will magically become true…
I used to be given a shop bought cake for my birthday, until I took up cake decorating. Now I always make my own birthday cake, and to be honest I love it! Purely because it really is a cake where I get to decide absolutely everything about it instead of a client – flavour, colour, design, the works! I usually use it as an opportunity to try something new as there is ALWAYS a cake design rolling around in my head that I’m dying to create but haven’t had the opportunity to. I am happy for DH to cook me dinner on my birthday, but the cake is my domain
I took up making my own cake because I was tired of friends buying me a plain vanilla or chocolate ‘grocery store cake.’ I also don’t like canned frosting, so although I appreciated the thought, I didn’t really like it if they made me a cake, either. When I make my own, I have opportunity to try any recipe I want or stick to an old favorite. In recent years, it has turned into me making the cake and friends making a delicious dinner to enjoy also. Now that I am married (and my husband won’t be in Iraq on my birthday), I bet he’ll make the cakes for my day. He loves to cook (and sometimes bake) as much as I do. I’m looking forward to next March already!
I guess I’m a little bit lucky in the birthday cake stakes as my Mum still makes me one. I may not get it on my birthday but when we all dive home to Mums for a great Sunday tea out comes the birthday cake, candles and all, plus we get a rousing rendition of ‘Happy Birthday to you…’ which is more than can be said for the effort my boys go to in cake and in singing. Everyone needs a lovely Mummy to provide the cake, boys are rubbish!
My birthday was just last week and everyone asked me the same question! I hate store bought cakes, and no one else in my family bakes. But luckily for me, my favorite birthday cake is ice cream cake. Since I have a summer birthday, it always works out. I love carvel ice cream cakes. This year, I had Carvel ice cream cupcakes!
Ice cream cupcakes – I MUST have the recipe for those! Have you tried Nigella Lawson’s ice cream cake recipe from her Nigella Express cookbook – it’s too good to share
LOL – yes, boys are truly rubbish at birthdays! Quite useful for taking the tops of jars and reaching things in high places though
Looks like lots of us are making our own then! I think I’ll take Charmayne’s advice and look upon it as a chance to try out something new. I’m thinking of a tiered cake but without icing as I don’t like buttercream or fondant. Perhaps a cherry bakewell sponge bottom tier and a lemon curd sponge top tier – my two favourite recipes
Thanks for tagging me, I had a lovely time looking back through old photos for this one! Read my post here http://www.lulubellescakes.com/blog/
Actually up till now I’ve baked gorgeous cakes for everyone else and then put up with some miserable old bought thing (or nothing at all) on my own birthday. But I’ve realised now I can bake my own! So next year I’m going to make myself a heavenly birthday pavolva with passion fruit. My mouth’s watering at the thought. Yum.
Thanks everyone for your comments and blog posts. As you will know if you follow me on Twitter I finally gave up waiting for cake of any sort at 10pm on my birthday and made my own. I made a coconut cake, mostly because I love it but not least of all because Mr Ice Maiden doesn’t like it!! In fact I’m enjoying a sneaky late night slice now whilst everyone else is asleep
I have finally blogged:
http://minirhibakes.blogspot.com/2010/08/who-makes-your-birthday-cake.html
Thank for you tagging me, made me remember a fabulous cake I had as a child so I’m going to dig out some photos now.
Thanks Julie x
Happy belated birthday Julie! Sorry for delay, I’ve been away camping all weekend. Shame you had to make your own cake, bless you – I hope you enjoyed it though, much better than shop bought! I’m quite lucky as even at the age of 32, my mum still makes me a birthday cake every year. In the past I’ve had a mermaid, Alice in Wonderland, treasure chest, record player… (although I do settle for something a little more grown up these days!)
I love making the boys’ cakes and my favourite so far has been Thomas the Tank Engine for my little man’s second birthday in April – will get some pictures together and post them on my blog – thanks for tagging me! Helen