Hi,

I am VERY new to this site and am just getting into decorating cakes. It is something I have been interested in for a long time but have finally decided to do it! My issue - I have a 4 and 2 year old so the only time I really have to do anything is after they go to bed - then I am tired and just want to veg. I have seen that many of you have 2 or more kids so when do you decorate? Some of the pictures of cakes are awesome and elaborate so it must take a while. I am just wondering if I should be waiting until they are older to get too involved. Any thoughts/advice?

Thanks!
njcake

Well, I'm a mom of 3. They are 5, about to be 2 and about to be 1. I find that if you spread the work load out say along 3-4 days of work about 2-3 hours at a time, it is soooo much easier. I like to work at night after the kids have been layed down for bed at about 9. I then work on the cake for about 2 -3 hours for the night and then go to bed which gives me at least 7-8 hours of sleep. For example, one day I'll do any decorations out of fondant or gumpaste that needs to dry out before putting it on the cake, the next night I'll bake all the cake I need for the project and freeze it, then the third night I'll put it together and decorate it to be delivered the next morning... I usually spread them out like this to prevent a hell night of staying up until 7 or 8 in the morning to do it... Been there, done that, don't care to do it again.

i am a mom of a two year old. she is pretty awsome when i have to bake. i bake in the day and if i carry over to the evening then so be it. from she was months old i had her in her stroller then her high chair (away from the oven ofcourse) so she has always known that i bake. the other day i took out some butter and she said to me "mummy, you going to bake?" i told her yes. she always sits on the floor now with a toy or pen and paper and keeps my company. when she sees the final cake she always says oh my looking all excited.

I also have two boys. One is almost 5 and the other is 2. I involve them in parts of the process. They help me put things in the mixer. The four yr. old loves to run the KA. I bake and make the frosting when they are awake. Then when they go to bed, I do the decorating. My two yr. old once ate part of a cake that I had left out from the night before, and he got a pretty good scolding, so now when he sees the cakes or watches me decorate, he says "no touch, just look". I think when they are around it more and can be involved in part of it, they understand a little better. But I have to confess there have been some pretty late nights finishing cakes after they are in bed!! I guess you just have to find your own groove and go with what works best for you. I also don't do cakes ALL the time. Maybe four cakes a month or so.

I have 4 children.

From the time I had my first, I would bake a layer or two or make a batch of icing while they were napping or after they were put to bed or before they woke in the morning. As exhausted as I felt, cake time was something I gave myself.

If there was something I really wanted to try but was time consuming or difficult, I would ask DH if he wouldn't mind taking over the care of the kids long enough for me to try.
He never questioned my interest, he just complied with my wish. I LOVE HIM!

I also have two kids - a 4 1/2 year old and a boy who will be 2 in December. I am pretty new to this too (started classes in April), so I probably take longer to do a cake then someone more "seasoned." Anyway, I do my cakes in stages. I will bake them in the morning. I do box mixes right now (I wanted to get good at decorating before I ventured into different recipes), so getting them in the oven takes no time at all. Then, an hour or so after they come out, I put just the frosting on and let it set for a while. Once my toddler takes a nap, I have a couple hours to devote to decorating. My older son likes to either watch me, or he's involved in his own activity. If I can, I try to do the cakes during the weekend when my husband is home and can take care of the boys for me.

i usually bake my cakes ahead of time....then i put my icing on in the evenings before mine go to bed....then i stay up and do the actual decorating.... you'll find something that will work for you.... any candies or flowers or things that need to dry, i do over several days. what i also do is in the moments that i have spare time, i do flowers and store them so when i need them, i have them!!!