Control Freak Cake

Grace turned six last week. We had protracted discussions about “The Cake”, everything from ballerinas (each made from fondant, each in a different pose. Which her mother would make, and which she could play with after, and eat “you know, a leg or arm, when I’m hungry”. Hmmm. I said no, as I really didn’t need an army of Walking Dead-like fondant ballerinas glued to the already-manky play cupboard room floor) to “Bawbie” Dream House, all four hundred and thirty three floors (I also vetoed that, as her plan was that she could play with it after and “eat, you know, a wall or roof when I’m hungry”. Knowing what would actually happen: letting the rest melt and collapse into a sticky pile of encrusted gloop on the floor, made me break out in a sweat)

In the end, we settled on the theme of “flower garden” and I, delighted, because I’m fairly nifty at churning out fondant roses, set to work, planning how I would decorate.

Which, the morning of the birthday, after we put on a crumb coat then the final coat of vanilla buttercream, I didn’t get a chance to do. Oh no. My inner cake-decorating-control-freak had to sit on her hands and suck my “advice” back in as Grace did it her way. No adult-enforced symmetry here, or my idea of colour coordination. No sir-ee, just joyful abandon on sticking on flowers and fondant leaves and butterflies, as many as could fit. She was thrilled with the result. And so was I, don’t think I could ever have made a cake quite as joyfully bonkers and gorgeous as this:

• fondant,
• fondant flowers,
• fondant roses,
• vanilla buttercream