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The 13 best cakes from the Women's Weekly Birthday Cake book.

If you’ve ever made (or for the younger ones, blown out the candles on) a birthday cake that is shaped both like a racetrack AND and a figure eight, then this post is for you.

Back in the ’80s, before kids birthday parties were pretentious all day affairs and every kid received a pass the parcel prize so their feelings weren’t hurt, there was only one thing every kid cared about: Which cake their mum made them from THIS book:

 

Let's face it, if your Mum didn't make you a cake out of this book, she didn't love you enough.

 

Who else remembers pouring over this gem - either as a kid or with your kids - as if it were a picture book, fantasising about the cake you would beg your mother to make you for your next birthday? Regardless of actual baking abilities, it was all about the tradition and the mesmerised faces as the lights went down and the cake was triumphantly presented to bring the party to a climax.

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First published in 1980, The Australian Women’s Weekly Children’s Birthday Cake Book has sold more than half a million copies. That’s an awful lot of rocket ship and train cakes that have been attempted (and as can be seen in our gallery below, failed) over the years.

 

Almost every Aussie kid would have a similar picture of themselves cutting into a cake made from the AWW Birthday Cake Book.

 

After extensive polling, consideration, and nostalgic reminiscing of childhood memories, we've narrowed it down and declared the following 13 cakes from the Australian Women’s Weekly Cake Book, the most amazing.

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13. The old woman who lived in a shoe

This was certainly an impressive venture for mothers to embark on but for some reason, it wasn't at the top of most children's wish lists.

 

Related: Does memory have a taste? Bake the way Nanna did

 

12. The maypole

The Maypole was every little girls dream because it had TINY DOLLS and ribbons. And really, even the most questionable baker could pull this one off.

 

 

11. The robot

So much to like about this guy. Those shoes made out of hundreds and thousands were sought after. Sure it caused a few sugar comas but it's not a party until someone vomits in the back seat of their Mum's station wagon on the way home from the party.

 

10. The rubber ducky

Who doesn't like some popcorn and potato chips with their icing sugar? No self-respecting kid that I know. Degree of difficulty: High

 

 

9. The piano

Many have tried and failed to make the piano. Although the technical difficulty rating is not as high as some, nailing those keys proved too hard for some (see gallery below for some great cake fails)

 

8. The rabbit

Smarter kids realised they were getting two cakes when they requested the bunny rabbit.

7. Humpty Dumpty

 

Do you know how they got the egg shell hollowed out? My putting a pin in the bottom of the egg and slowly draining out the yolk. Tedious and frustrating but worth it to make something this awesome, I think you'll agree.

6. The racetrack

Mind blown.The kid couldn't work out if it represented his age or a racetrack of both. GENIUS.

 

5. The farm

The best part about this cake (besides the coloured desiccated coconut and TeeVee Snacks Malt sticks ) was being able to take home one of the farm animals forever.

 

 

 

4. The train

Many argue that this should be number one, it being on the cover and all. And no doubt, it was probably one of the hardest to nail. But it's had the glory of the front cover for 35 years now, it's time to let someone else shine.

 

3. The good witch

The Good Witch wasn't so good when she came back up when you had one slice too many. But super cute and worthy of coming in at third place.

 

2. The swimming pool

What is this madness? Jelly INSIDE of cake. This blew children's tiny minds everywhere

 

 

NUMBER 1. The castle

There are women still in therapy after attempting this feat of modern engineering. It is awarded the number one spot for most loved cake from the AWW Birthday Cake Book.

 

So how did we do? Do you agree with our number one? Which cake did your mum make you from the AWW Birthday Cake book and which one have you attempted to bake yourself? Did you nail it or completely screw it up?

 

If you did screw it up then you might want to make yourself feel better by taking a look through our gallery of cake fails. 

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