We are about to head into birthday week here on the farm. Toby turns 2 on Sunday, then Meg turns 5 on the following Thursday.

To say Meg is getting a little excited is an understatement. She has been studying my Women’s Weekly birthday cake book for 2 weeks, and looking at pictures on my pinterest boards as often as I can bear to sit there with her. I’m a little afraid that she has built up such expectations, that she cannot help but be disappointed.

Here is Meg’s cake from last year – lots of lollies

Meg has decided she wants a number 5 cake, so I need to find a ring tin, and a couple of bar tins. Toby is too little to really have an opinion, though he does say “Melmo song. He know words” every time he sees a picture of an Elmo cake. As much as he loves Elmo, I am not a big fan of the whole merchandise for everything thing, so I am thinking we might do a truck cake or something similar for him instead.

Here is Hannah’s 5th birthday cake – the year we went all out!

When Hannah was 5 she desperately wanted a castle cake, so Country Boy made one for her, standing on one leg all day because he had his knee reconstructed two weeks earlier. It was a work of art, and Hannah was absolutely thrilled. Since then, cakes have been been less spectacular, but I am thinking this might be the year to go all out for Meg. Old enough to appreciate an amazing cake, and young enough to be blown away with excitement.

Here is Toby’s 1st Birthday cake (last year) – less than spectacular. It’s a vegetable garden, of course. Can you tell he is a third child??

I was watching Cake Boss with one of my classes the other day, so I may have set the bar a bit too high in my mind… we will see how we go!

So tell me what have been your cake triumph and disasters, and inspire me please!