By Siobhan Clarke
From pirates to princesses, cats to castles, see if your favourite recipe from this iconic cookbook takes the cake.
No.8: The Number Cake
Coming in at number eight is the classic number cake. Suitable for any birthday party, any theme, and any age. Whether the design was ripped straight from the book or had your own creative touches, these cakes were always great for the party. Plus, they’re helpful when looking back on memories.
No.7: Ginger Neville
The “orange cat” to some, known more affectionately as “Ginger Neville” to the parents who spent hours labouring over the cookbook, this cake was a staple of young cat lovers at their birthday parties.
No.6: The Castle Cake
The castle cake had numerous variations across the publications of the Children’s Birthday Cake Book; it didn’t matter if you had the Palace of Dreams or the Castle of Darkness, you truly felt like royalty on your special day. Whether your turrets were made of ice cream cones or Toblerone, it was a castle fit for any prince or princess.
No.5: Lazy Ladybird
Both exceptionally beautiful and easy to make, the ladybird is a perfect edition to any creature lover’s birthday. The ever-innovative chocolate freckles as spots and pipe cleaners as antennae make this cake an Australian standout staple.
No.4: Doll Cake
If you had a favourite Barbie doll, it was likely that her chances of becoming a cake decoration sacrifice were accelerated if your family owned this cookbook. Traditionally known as the Dolly Varden cake, she has had many culinary cosmetic operations throughout the years.
No.3: Pop Star
It’s time to roll out the red carpet for the top 3, and fittingly the popcorn cake was essential for any Hollywood party or movie night. Not only did it look the part, but it was also extraordinarily easy to craft (considering some of the other cakes mentioned on the list).
No.2: The Ghostly Galleon
Ahoy, me hearties! Sailing into the number two position is The Ghostly Galleon. For any pirate party a ship is an absolute necessity. Though earlier editions of the book featured nautical numbers like treasure chests and Pirate Pete, 2000s buccaneers will know that the pirate ship was the true X marks the spot.
No.1: The Magic Toadstool
For those who had the 2002 edition of this book, The Magic Toadstool was the holy grail of cakes. Appropriately named, magic was the feeling if you were lucky enough to point to the front cover and your parents agreed to it. This cover girl cake was the most iconic thing to come out of childhood.
A special thank you to Tessa McNamara and Kate McConnell who assisted in the creation of this article by supplying childhood photos.
Featured image: The Lazy Ladybird makes the list of the best Women’s Weekly classic cakes. Photo: Siobhan Clarke
