I had to think whether to post this picture or not. You see, as a cake maker, I feel it's expected that I'll make my children large, extravagant cakes. But sometimes, they don't know what they want; I don't know what to make them; and - to be very honest - time doesn't always allow for such creations!

Yet, it's my elder son's 16th birthday and he had to have SOMETHING, right? So I had an idea. Not big. Not extravagant. But FUN! And that's what birthday cakes should be all about. I baked then iced the flavour that he said he'd love to try (he does like me to try new flavours out on him!) and after covering with a layer of ganache, I iced it. Now, in an ideal world, this would have been done 24 hours ahead of when I needed it (not an hour and a half!!) so that the icing could set a little bit.

But once his friends arrived for lunch (before they all headed off to football - Come on you O's!!!!!) I called them into another room and asked them to write a message or draw a pic on the cake using edible markers. It wasn't easy as the icing was so soft... but they had such a laugh making it! And Matthew loved reading all the messages.

Someone on my Facebook page even suggested doing a tiered version for a small, information wedding reception which could then be photographed before the happy couple cut the cake. I love that idea!

Anyway - happy 16th birthday to my beautiful boy, Matthew!