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This week, Collective Bias™ invited me to take part in a Creative Baking Task. This could not have come at a better time for me, as it was Danny’s Tenth Birthday and I needed to make him a Birthday Cake.
We went to Tesco Extra in Haverfordwest to buy our cake decorating ingredients. For our “day to day” shopping we go to our local store in Milford Haven, but it is smaller and there is not so much choice.
My kids prefer a visit to Tesco Extra as they sell lots more toys! I do find that shopping can take a lot longer in a Tesco Extra unless I have a list and a clear agenda for the shopping trip.
I find that browsing in the baking aisle can give me inspiration for future baking ideas. After seeing these butterfly wafers and pretty “Flower Power” cake toppers I now want to make a pretty, Spring cake. I may make one for the girls on Friday night…
We popped our ingredients into our trolley. You can see more photos of our shopping experience in our #CBias Creative Shop Album.
I was so excited when I found “Popping Candy” on the shelf. I would have taken a photo of it, even if I hadn’t have been doing this challenge! I HAD to buy it for Danny’s cake. I love the packaging of this Tesco cake decorations range. It looks so traditional. It makes me want to a have a “Cake Decorations” rack in my house in addition to my Spice Rack.
Wow! I loved the look of this “Cool Coloured Sugar Dough”. Edible plasticine! I think I will buy some in the future and keep as a rainy day craft activity for the kids. We bought a pack of the black icing. Far easier than colouring your own icing. I’m all for time saving time when decorating cakes. When I only had Danny, I would spend at least a whole day baking and decorating his cake. With four kids, I no longer have that luxury. I also find I often make them three cakes for each birthday (one for a family party, one for a friend’s party or a day trip and another to bring to school).
Once home, we started baking!
Danny cracked the eggs and whisked them. He put the shells in the compost bin.
The girls helped weigh out the ingredients. I always keep plenty of flour, caster sugar, eggs and cooking margarine in our fridge and cupboards, so we can bake (or make play dough!) whenever we want to.
Everyone took turns creaming the egg and sugar together.
We added cocoa powder in with the flour to make the cake lovely and chocolatey … especially once the chocolate chips were added too.
Here are all the cake decorating ingredients ready to cover the cake.
While we waited for the cake to cool, the kids played outside in the Sun (don’t ask me why Caitlyn is in a net!)
I melted the chocolate over boiled water.
Danny had a new black guitar for his birthday so I attempted to make him a black guitar out of the icing. It is very easy to knead, roll and shape.
The chocolate cake ready to decorate.
The cake covered in melted chocolate.
I made a few little fairy cakes for the kids to decorate. Rebecca and Caitlyn had a look of concentration while they decorated theirs.
Danny looks happy to adorn his cake with stars.
Danny’s cake.
Danny with his cake.
Meanwhile, I placed Magic Stars, sugar stars and the black icing guitar onto the melted chocolate. I also sprinkled on the popping candy and chocolate chips.
Caitlyn had a little nap on the floor! I must have exhausted her with all the shopping and baking!
These are lovely writing icing tubes. I used both Dr Oetker’s and Tesco’s own. They are great fun for the kids to decorate biscuits with too, brilliant for improving fine motor skills.
I used the writing icing to write a birthday message to Danny. I also put detail on the guitar. I found the white chocolate writing icing was too runny. I later had to remove it and cover with the dark chocolate icing.
I added detail to the guitar, such as icing strings.
Danny: “You Rock!”
We had lots of fun shopping at Tesco for our “Creative Baking” task. We also loved making and decorating and (of course) eating our cakes.
My favourite part of baking each child’s Birthday cakes is the moment I light the candles and walk into the room to a chorus of “Happy Birthday” from family and friends.
The look on their faces as they blow out the candles and make a birthday wish is always priceless.
