If you’re among the millions of Aussie kids who were treated to their very own Women’s Weekly birthday cake, count yourself very lucky.
Passed down through generations, the Australian Women’s Weekly Children’s Birthday Cake Book was, to some, a bible. Or, depending on your baking abilities, a nightmare.
From castles and footy fields, to ducks made with actual chips, join us as the internet remembers the weird and wonderful cakes that made many a child the coolest kid in school.
Without a doubt, the most memorable Women’s Weekly cake going round was the choo choo train. But what about the poor mums who had to make them?
“I made my son the train one year but modified the colours to look like Thomas the Tank Engine. It was unseasonably warm and I’d done his face with piping gel. One side slipped and it made poor Thomas look like he’d had a stroke. Good times,” wrote one Reddit user.
Another added, “We had the original edition which had a girls’ section (sewing machine, butterfly etc) and a boys’ section (cowboy, soccer ball). But I had a progressive mum who baked me (her youngest daughter) the train for my 4th birthday. I still remember how stoked I was to be able to share those carriages with my mates.”
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My fabulous mother made a telephone for my 16th (she and everyone else thought it was a great joke!) And the witch for my 18th, which I'd asked for, but she had a quiet giggle about how appropriate it was (I was a teenage girl - most of us fight with our mothers!) I think the 'basket of flowers' cupcakes for my 12th might have also been from that book. I also remember my Daisy doll in the middle of a dolly vardan cake age 13 ( also from that book); and my brother had two trains as he asked for the same cake aged 5 as she made him age 4 (he didn't like change as a child!) The one I always wanted and never got though was the piano - I did play the piano, although I think the main appeal was keys made of milky bar chocolate :) The original book is still in mum's cupboard, and I gave her the update about 4 years ago - love that book!
I made the disco pig, the dressing table, various numbers, the pool ( and its mate the golf course putting green ), the chip duck and the fairy, The book sits quietly... waiting for grandbabies.