When the baby boy of our neighbours was born, I made them this cake. The baby sneakers were still on my wishlist to make and the name decorations are to represent the Dutch tradition to serve the guests coffee and "beschuit met muisjes" (our neighbours are from Belgium originally).

Beschuit met muisjes (lit: "biscuits with little mice") is the traditional food served to celebrate the birth of a baby in the Netherlands, though they also are eaten regularly outside of birth celebrations.

Beschuit are similar to rusks but a little softer. In the United Kingdom they are sold as Dutch crisp bakes. They are round, and are prepared by baking a small cylindrical bread, cutting it in half and baking a second time. They are spread with butter (or margarine) and the muisjes (lit. little mice) are sprinkled on top. These muisjes are sugared aniseed balls. They are sold in a mixture of two colours: White and pink. In 1990 a new mixture was introduced: white and blue, and it has become a custom, but not a universal one, that the latter (blue) are served when a boy is born, and the former (pink) for a girl. When a child is born in to the royal House of Orange, orange muisjes are sold.