Rigg - Birthday Cakes for Kids

Birthday Cakes

for Kids

Birthday Cakes

for Kids

Annie Rigg

photography by Sandra Lane

LONDON NEW YORK

To my godchildren, Alec, Izzie, Albie and Tom Tom

Senior designer Megan

Smith Senior editor Cline Hughes

Production manager

Patricia Harrington

Art director Leslie Harrington

Publishing director Alison Starling

Prop stylist Liz Belton

Indexer Hilary Bird

Diagrams Ray Betts

Originally published in 2009.

This revised edition published in 2012

by Ryland Peters & Small

2021 Jockeys Fields

London WC1R 4BW

and

519 Broadway, 5th Floor

New York, NY 10012

www.rylandpeters.com

10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1

Text Annie Rigg 2009, 2012

Design and photographs

Ryland Peters & Small 2009, 2012

eISBN: 978-1-84975-315-9

ISBN: 978-1-84975-220-6

Printed and bound in China

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying or otherwise, without the prior permission of the publisher.

A CIP record for this book is available from the British Library.

This book was previously cataloged as follows:

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

Rigg, Annie.

Birthday cakes for kids / Annie Rigg ; photography by Sandra Lane.

p. cm.

Includes index.

ISBN 978-1-84597-833-4

1. Cake decorating. 2. Birthday cakes. I. Title.

TX771.2.R54 2009

641.86539--dc22

2008047466

All spoon measurements are level, unless otherwise specified.

Ovens should be preheated to the specified temperature. Recipes in this book were tested using a regular oven. If using a fan-assisted oven, follow the manufacturers instructions for adjusting temperatures.

All eggs are medium, unless otherwise specified. Recipes containing raw or partially cooked egg should not be served to the very young, very old, anyone with a compromised immune system or pregnant women.

contents

One of the most important elements of any childs birthday party has to be the cake. Most people can easily remember their favourite birthday cake from childhood and the excitement in choosing a cake every year. Whether you make the same cake every time or something completely different, a homemade cake simply cant be beaten both for the joy it gives children and the satisfaction of knowing that its all your work.

Im lucky to have eager guinea pigs in my small tribe of godchildren, who provided plenty of inspiration for the cakes in this book. I have loved baking since I was a little girl and I hope that they too will soon discover what fun there is to be had in the kitchen sticking, layering, frosting and decorating. The results are so rewarding. And who knows, they may even start coming up with some imaginative creations of their own.

Whatever your level of baking skills theres a cake here to suit everyone. There are also a few basic guidelines on to help you get the best results whenever you bake.

Most of the cakes in this book can be made ahead of time and can be kept for up to 2 days (undecorated), well wrapped in clingfilm/plastic wrap, or frozen undecorated and defrosted the day before the party. Cupcakes keep well in the freezer and defrost quickly, making them an easy and convenient option. In fact, cupcakes are a great starting point if you are nervous about your baking skills.

If you dont want to test your construction skills then choose a cake that can be shaped by cutting around a template rather than one that requires measuring and layering. Most of the cakes here are easy for the novice baker just remember to allow yourself plenty of time to complete the frosting and final decorations. Remember that any imperfections can be cunningly disguised under a layer of frosting and sprinkles.

No matter which cake you choose to make for your childs birthday, you can be sure of smiles of delight when they are presented with a home-baked creation. And if at first you feel unsure about assembling, layering and decorating, theres always the old favourite chocolate cake. Dont forget the candles!

basic vanilla cake

This is the most basic vanilla cake mixture, which can be adapted to introduce different flavours (see end of recipe). It is used in many of the recipes in this book as it makes a good base for cakes which need to be cut up and re-assembled, and it tends to be liked by most kids. I have provided four quantities to suit individual recipes but the method remains the same regardless of the quantity you use. For best results I suggest using an electric freestanding mixer. Before you start baking make sure all ingredients are at room temperature, the oven is preheated with the oven shelf in the correct position and the relevant cake pans have been prepared. The oven temperatures given throughout the book are for a conventional oven; if you are using a fan oven, adjust the temperature according to the manufacturers instructions.