A Rat-patootie Birthday
After pride comes the fall – right? It did for me at Ellie’s birthday party, so I’ll offer it to you here in the same sequence.
We’ve never before invited friends to her birthday parties. (We’ve got a big family, a small house and consistently too much snow this time of year.) But this year my girl turned five. That’s a big deal! And so we did a full-blown kid party for the first time. (Please note “full-blown kid party” is a relative term in the Northeast. A post explaining this is forthcoming.) Ellie insisted on a Ratatouille theme. She doesn’t actually like the movie so much, but she loves to cook. I took some elements from the movie and then did a mini-cooking class with her and her friends. It really was a great party. My favorite two aspects: we got everything done within the alotted time frame without any crying or injuries (a huge success with ten 4- to 6-year-olds!) and … the cake.
Can you feel my smile? I’m so proud of this! Here it is:
I found an inspiration cake online and duplicated it the best I could. It’s a two layer yellow cake with chocolate fudge frosting. This was my first time doing a basketweave, so don’t look too closely at that part. I purchased the rat figurines, but molded the fruits, cheese and napkin from marshmallow fondant. Isn’t it cool? Even with the mistakes, I can’t fake humility on this one. This cake rocks! And I MADE IT! Moo hoo bwa ha ha ha ha!
(That’s my attempt at an evil world dominion-seeker’s laugh.)
Wanna see more angles? Of course you do! Here are the side and back.
And here’s my girl blowing out her candles.
And here’s my humbling moment.
Yup. That’s my birthday girl licking the rat’s ah—- “bummy”, as they call it in preschool. doesn’t she look happy? Then she generously handed out more rats so the whole party could join in in the licking of rats’ bummies.
I pointed out the offensive creatures for you, in case you missed them. And then there’s me, wondering why in the world we’re taking pictures of this.
They say “The problem with the rat race is that even if you win, you’re still a rat.”
See more humbling photos and their stories in the ‘Fro Me to You Carnival at Marcy Writes (aka: The Glamorous Life Association).
Posted on March 19, 2009, in activities, birthday, cooking, creativity, humility, picture. Bookmark the permalink. 23 Comments.
That is soo cute. You made that cake? It looks wonderful.
Beautiful! you have to send it to cakewrecks.com as a NON wreck for their Sunday Sweets. Great job!
Thanks! I think CakeWrecks is only for professionals. My decorating tools only come out for birthdays, so I hardly qualify, but I may email her anyway — not to be posted, but just as a thank you for her help in finding the inspiration cake.
You’re so annoying!
That cake looks awesome! All my attempts at character cakes have failed miserably (good call on buying the figurines!)
Wow! I’m embarrassed to show you the cakes I’ve made for my daughter! That is one cool cake!
You did a fabulous job! And how funny are those kids?!
I am so impressed! What a great cake and party idea…
But really I am cracking up. Not only did the whole party lick the rat-bums….you got photos TOO!
Awesome FRO post.
Just awesome.
Nice post name.
You’re punny. It was truly an amazing cake!
In the words of my three year old sitting here with me, “Wow, that cake is really cute!” I just found out about marshmallow fondant and am hoping to use it for my boy’s birthday in May. You have inspired me!!
And, by the way, Isabel looks so grown up that I can barely stand it!!!
Wow.
I’m in awe of the great cake-maker. If I make a cake that doesn’t break in half when I remove it from the pan (let me rephrase–if I remove the cake from the pan rather than icing it right in there), I’m doing well.
Wow. That’s a gift.
My daughter and I are in awe. She says we are going to make that for her 6th birthday. (She loves Ratatouille)
Thanks for sharing the idea. I’m properly amazed.
great job on the cake!
maybe next year’s party theme could be table manners? (i promise not to lick an animal’s rear at the table) lol!!! 
WOW! That is a great cake! I love it! I have never attempted to make a cake like that in my life – maybe I’ll try for Daniel’s fourth b-day in July. After all, being the third kid he’s got jipped on a lot of things – maybe I can make a bit up to him by creating a really cool cake! Thanks for the inspiration!
Okay, I am so jealous that you can make a cake like that!! I attempted a cake shaped like the number 1 for Sydney’s b-day last year. It didn’t look very good and it was “a piece of cake” compared to yours. You have some great talents!!!
As embarassing posts go….this aint it.
That cake is DIVINE, darling. And who wouldn’t lick a rat that’s been sitting in chocolate fudge icing? Seriously!!
OHHH MY what an amazing cake!!! Tanya you ROCK!!! THAT IS AWESOME!! you are soooo talented!!! praise God for those gifts!!! Ellie looks so adorable!! thanks for sharing!!!
What a gorgeous cake!! You did an amazing job.
Holy smokes girl! You have out done yourself this time!
I had seen that cake on the web a couple months ago and thought “yah, who would try that?!”
Know I now!!!!
It really is amazing.
You look so beautiful in that last picture, just beautiful.
That’s an AMAZING cake! And I must have been a mom too long. . . I didn’t even blink with them all licking the rat “bummies.”
I really enjoy your posts!
wow that is a really cute cake Tanya. You did an excellent job on it
Wowsers! What a memory for Ellie. When I read your blog, I feel like I must have slept while raising our boys. You guys have so much fun!