Birthday Cake and a Pizza Party

Normally I post step by step details of the cake I've baked, not this time however, I was so rushed I completely forgot to take any photographs

Last week I baked a rectangular, 2 tier vanilla cake for my daughter's sixth birthday.   She wanted it sandwiched with homemade strawberry jam and decorated "with the dog when he was a puppy."

Now the cake and the jam filling were fine, those I could manage.  But I'm not great at drawing and idea of a picture of the dog as a puppy filled me with dread.  I explained to her that he is a rescued dog so we don't have a clear idea of how he looked as a puppy, but I would have an attempt at an older, more mature greyhound, if that is what she really wanted.  It was.

So this is the resulting cake!  I took this first photograph before I had quite finished, but it gives you the idea. I covered the cake with green sugar paste (for the grass) and pale blue for the sky, with a great big yellow sun (it was acutally one of those very rare hot, sunny days!)

I cut out the dog shape from yellow sugar paste. My first attempt was a standing dog, but it looked more like a horse, so I decided the sitting dog would be better.  I etched the dog's markings with a cocktail stick dipped in black food colouring, and used it for his ears, eyes and nose as well.  The flowers and butterflies were added to create more of a summery scene.

When I took the cake out of the box at the party I was delighted that all the girls who have met him, recognised the dog.  Only one child, who hasn't met our dog thought it was a picture of a cat.  So I get 9/10 for making a dog that 6 year old girls can recognise, not bad if I say so myself.

A greyhound birthday cake

Our dog really does have tiger stripes, he's very handsome

My basic sitting down sugarpaste greyhound 

We held her party at Pizza Express in Richmond, and it was very successful.  As there are only 11 children in her class, we invited the whole class, and since it was straight after school on a Wednesday,  the girls  came in uniform.  They had a great time designing and eating  their pizzas.  I'm afraid I can only post photos of the pre-baked pizzas, as the girl's faces are in the photos of the completed pizzas!  But it will give you an idea of how creative six year old girls can be.

If like me you want a fun party, without too much work, then I would recommend considering a pizza party, the only thing I supplied was the cake!

This pizza has everything

A little more cheese required?

Adding the finishing touches

Just tomato and cheese

A smiley pizza

This one is so pretty

Mmm! What else shall I add?