Birthday Cake (with a Giveaway)

Lucy is five!  Happy Birthday sweet girl!

On Wednesday we spent the day together and then had a small family party at our house in the evening.  Lucy had originally picked out a princess cake, but when the kit arrived she decided that she wanted the mermaid pictured on the box.  I'm definitely not an expert at cake decorating, but it didn't look too hard.  Growing up, my mom always figured out how to make whatever shape cake we requested.  I would browse her cake idea book for weeks before my birthday trying to decide on the perfect cake.  The birthday girl gets to pick, so a mermaid cake it was.  Wilton even sent us the Wonder Mold Kit for review.

I started right away in the morning, baking the cake so that it would have time to cool and I could frost it before dinner.  I had purchased an organic cake mix at the store, but once I started mixing it up I wasn't sure if it was going to work.  The mix seemed like it didn't make quite enough batter, and then it didn't cook right.  The top of the cake was hardening, but the middle was still liquid.  The cake was an absolute disaster!  I sent Ross to the store for another cake mix and told him I wanted Betty Crocker this time.

I lowered the oven rack, and left the cake in to bake longer.  (I somehow missed that part in the directions.)  Much better.  The bottom was a bit lumpy, but frosting covered it up just fine.

I should have asked Ross to actually go find Betty Crocker and have her come decorate the cake for me.  At this point it was close to dinner time, guests were here, and the cake hadn't even cooled completely.  The mermaid's tail started sliding down as I was working on it, so I had to make it extra long.  I couldn't find the right frosting tips in my cake decorating box for the seashells.

This was not the best cake I've ever decorated, but Lucy was happy with it.  Julia's birthday is in six weeks, so I'll have another try at the cake soon.  She's already picked out the one she wants.  The cake mold was actually pretty easy to use, despite all of my disasters.  The rod in the middle helps conduct heat through the cake so that it cooks evenly.  It all comes apart so that it can be easily washed.  I'm sure we'll be having princess cakes many times in the coming years.

Do you have a little girl who would love a princess or mermaid cake?  Wilton is offering one of you a Wonder Mold Kit!  To enter the giveaway leave a comment letting me know a favorite birthday cake that you had growing up.  Be sure to leave your email address or have it enabled on your blogger profile.  For an extra entry, like One Little Word She Knew on Facebook.  I'll close the giveaway on July 11 at midnight.  Thanks for stopping by!

Giveaway now closed.  Congrats Ben!