SMASH THE CAKE BABY !!!

 I love the cake smashing photos of babies covered in cake, icing and chocolate ! I also like the idea of giving then some sugar for the first time and capturing theirs reaction on the camera. What I don’t like is the though of all of the sugar that they will eat!  That’s why I decided to make my own cake and get a “healthy balance” between sugar and healthy cake. I decided to make a bannana cake and cover it in normal icing. That way Chloe wouldn’t have that much sugar and icing would give her a taste of the forbidden thing.  

 Cake came up very tasty but I must admit bcause of the texture it’s not the best one for smashing…. Especially if your baby doesn’t like to get dirty …. 

 I was expecting Chloe to go gravy for the icing and the cake … But she didn’t ! She wasn’t too bothered about it (which outside of the photoshot is a good thing) and it took us a long time to try and get her a bit messy. I had to get pretty messy myself trying to I courage my daughter to play with the cake … That’s how uninterested she was about it! 

 Considering the amount of cake they actually eat (which isn’t a lot) and the texture needed for a good smas cake session I would recommend to make a normal sponge cake just with less sugar. 

 Below recipes for the healthy cake and obviously some photos of Chloe.

   
    
    
 

BABY BANANA CAKE 

Ingredients for the cake :

– 5 ripen bananas

– 1 1/2 cup flower (you can use white flower or whole grain 

– 3/4 cup Apple juice with no added sugar)

– 3 tsp vanilla extract

– 1 tsp cinnamon 

– 2 egg whites – bitten 

– 50g of fondant icing of a desired colour(if using)

Ingredients for the icing: 

– 250g icing sugar

– 125g soft butter

– 1 or 2 tbsp of milk

– 1/2 tsp vanilla extract

– food colouring (if using)
Cooking method: 

 Preheat your oven to 180C. 

 Mash your bananas (I blend them for the creamy texture) 

 Combine all of your ingredients (except egg white) together until smooth. Beat eggs white until quite stiff and fold in very carefully. Pour your mixture on to your forms which has been sprayed lightly with cooking pray. I have used 2 forms for the big cupcake cake and filled then half full, but you can use 2 small round baking tins (depends on what cake you want to make) 

 Put the cake in to the oven and bake for 25 minutes. 

 Prepare your icing my mixing your butter with half of the sugar, then add the rest of the ingredients and combine it well. If you are using food colouring add at the end. 

 When your cake is cooked, cool it and then start decorating. 

I went for the cupcake cake. I have used fondant icing on the bottom of the cake and butter icing on the top of it.

 If you are using fondant icing you will need to put a very thin layer of butter icing on the cake first so that the fondant icing sticks to the cake. A good tip when rolling out your icing : use a little bit of corn flower it will stop the icing from sticking to the worktop. 

 I have used a thin layer or butter icing to keep both of the cakes together ; it acts as a very good and tasty glue 😊. If you want to use something healthier soft cheese will do exactly this same job. 

 At the end I have decorated the top of the cake with turquoise butter icing. I was very pleased with the result …. Not so much Chloe 😂 
  

1ST BIRTHDAY CELEBRATIONS !!! 

Months of planing, weeks of preparation, lots of stress, excitement and happiness … And now Chloe is one year old ! 

 I have spent a lot of time making all birthday decorations, birthday cakes and food. This are the results of Chloe’s two birthday parties. 

   
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
   

LETS PARTY TILL WE DROP … 

  
 It’s only just over 1 left till my little baby turns 1 !!! I can’t believe that my little girl will be 1!!!????  When did the time go ? I honestly don’t know! 

 I remember everyone telling me over and over again to enjoy Chloe being a baby because she will grow very fast, to enjoy all of the cuddling you get when they are tiny because once they can sit on they own they don’t want to cuddle anymore as its too boring, enjoy being at home as maternity finishes do quickly ….. I understand now why …. The time goes VERY quickly !!!

 With almost 2 months to go it’s time to start organising Chloe’s 1st birthday party !  I know that at this age Chloe doesn’t know what a birthday is so she definitely doesn’t understand that it will be HER birthday, that she doesn’t care if we have a tiny or a big party, or if we have any party at all…. When Chloe was born we decided (I must say it came quite natural 😂) that we will be making big deal out of everything that is to do with Chloe (first smile, step, tooth, solid poo 😂) and that’s includes her 1st birthday. Some people would say that I am just doing it for myself … Partly yes …. Mainly I am creating my family memories which we can documents and share with Chloe in 20 years time, so I know that I have done everything that I could to make sure that my angel has a special day because she is a very special precious girl  (I can’t see anything bad in it, you?). 

 Because Chloe doesn’t have favourite toy or cartoon I will go with a colour and print scheme instead of a theme. I want it to be colourful, fun and stimulating for her and other babies! As you already know I work in visual department which means that 1 I am very picky when it comes to how something looks, 2 I am lucky that I can do a lot myself. 

 I have been spending every free minute in Pinterest looking for ideas and getting inspired; Ideas for cake, decorations, themes, Chloe’s outfit, food etc. 

 Lucky I managed to find nice hall for the party (I wish I could do it at home but there is no way I could fit everyone comfortably) so I can now start concentrating on the details. I am already half way through creating the invitations (Yes I am doing it by myself).  

 I plan to decorate the cakes myself (I am not brawe enough to bake it😊) I just need to come up with some idea as to what I want ; And yes cakes as I will need 3 😳. One for the small family celebration on the actual birthday day, one for the party and one for the cake smashing photosession 😊. 

 You will be hearing lots about it in the next month. 

 What is your opinion about 1st birthday parties ? Have you already had one and have some tips? Or maybe you could share some of your ideas ? Please share with us. 

Have a lovely day x