Personalizing Birthday Cakes
Baking birthday cakes for friends and family is one of my greatest joys in life. I always begin with flavor. What do they want? Chocolate? Lemon? Soaked in rum? I always try to give the birthday guy or gal what they like. After the cake is baked and frosted and suitable birthday candles chosen, are we done? Perhaps, but why not add something extra when decorating birthday cakes?
Let’s say your birthday girl is a golfer or an avid botanist? A small golfer figurine or a gorgeous edible cymbidium orchid would be perfect. Or your birthday guy is into scuba or dogs? A toy snorkel emerging out of wave colored frosting or a tiny dog toy in his breed of choice perched on top fits the bill. You get the idea. There are ways to bring a much more personalized approach to the decoration of your cake and really, the sky is the limit. You can find new purchased items, you can make things out of soft polymer clay (like FIMO), create origami shapes, make paper flowers, find vintage knick knacks, etc. A great example of this kind of approach occurred years ago when I was making a wedding cake for a young couple. We were discussing what would be on top of the cake and the bride-to-be had two tiny porcelain mice, a girl and boy mouse couple, that she had owned since childhood. They were adorable, size appropriate and held tons of meaning. Perfect.
Peruse the image, which is here for inspiration. I am on a constant hunt at dollar stores, flea markets and tag sales. You never know when you are going to find that perfect little embellishment.
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