Cake

You can use jelly beans or rainbow straps to decorate the fish. If using butter cream instead of the vanilla frosting, you will need one quantity of butter cream. Note

The baking paper strips are used to help remove the cheesecake from the steamer once it’s been refrigerated overnight. Place the steamer upside down on a serving plate, gently pull on the paper strips and the cheesecake will ease away from the side of the steamer. Note

Dark Melts and butter can be melted together over hot water or in a microwave oven on HIGH (100%) for about 1 minute. This recipe makes 17 chocolate spider bodies, however, the decorations are for the seven spiders on the cake. Serve the extras as an accompaniment or, if you have extra Melts and Nestlé […]

Cake pops will keep for up to a week. Note

A 30cm glass stand was used for this cake, but a prepared 30cm round board can be used instead. Fruit can be varied, depending on season and availability. Note

You will need a star cutter 3.5cm, and a 36cm x 48cm prepared cake board. Freeze the star-shaped cakes for about an hour, this will minimise the cake crumbs mixing with the butter cream. A circle of magic wands on a round board is a great center piece for a party table. Don’t be too […]

We used moscato, a low alcohol, lightly sparkling Italian wine. To line the pan smoothly with plastic wrap, dampen it first. This recipe needs to be prepared a day ahead. Decorate close to serving. Note

Bunting can be found at most craft and party shops. Be sure to remove the toothpicks from the cake before serving. For a boy, decorate with green or yellow fruit sticks and matching bunting, or use the colours of his favourite sporting team (of course, this also can be done for girls and their favourite […]

Meet Geraldine the giraffe, a fun and delicious cake that is great for kid's birthday parties.

We’ve used shredded coconut in our picture, but feel free to mix and match using shredded, desiccated or flaked. If you use flaked coconut, be sure to blend or process it until it’s chopped coarsely; this helps it to stick to the icing. Note

A cute little wintery ice-cream cake that the children will love.

Don’t overbeat the frosting or the texture will be grainy. Note

Player position seems to indicate only a handful of runs are needed before the end of the match. Budding cricketers will surely want a rematch before cutting into this fun cake. Note

No one will want to pick this guitar up and smash it...it’s much too tasty for that and it's just another of our old-school favourites from The Australian Women's Weekly's famous 'Children's Birthday Cake Book' cookbook.

You can substitute glacé fruit with others of your choice. Cut the cake with a hot knife. Wipe the blade clean between cuts. Note

Equipment: 30cm (12-inch) round wooden cake board 15cm (6-inch) round wooden cake board smoothing tools 4 wooden skewers 2 paper piping bags number 1 and 2 cutters 2 x 10cm (4-inch) pieces 18-gauge floral wire fine artist’s paint brush pasta machine 1cm (½-inch) plain piping tube Covered in pastel hues, this very simple, though elegant, […]

This recipe makes 18 cake pops. A quick way to make cake crumbs is to break up a ready-made cake bought from the supermarket. The cake pops become quite firm, and can be placed in a bowl or basket with little or no damage to the pops. Note

Take a tropical holiday with this pina colada-inspired cake. Made with refreshing fruity pineapple and coconut and topped with a zesty lime glacé frosting, it's a true taste adventure.

You will need to buy a 200g jelly beans packet and a 35g tumini M&M’s for the decorations. Colin should beeaten before he under goes a metamorphosis and changes into a giant butterfly. This cake is just the right size for small hands and its bright colours will keep little ones amused. Note

For those who prefer a light fruit cake, this is ideal. Keep the cake for 3 to 4 days before cutting, then cut with a sharp serrated or electric knife to cut cleanly through the almonds. Note

Equipment: 30cm (12-inch) round wooden cake board pastry brush 1 quantity sugar syrup smoothing tools stencil medium offset metal spatula 6 wooden skewers 2 x 18cm (7-inch) round wooden cake boards fine pearl-headed pins straight-sided metal scraper paper piping bag small shallow bowls 3 lengths 18-gauge floral wire wire cutters Black and white may be […]

You need about 3 large overripe bananas (690g) for the amount of mashed banana in this recipe. Note

While this frilly little cake is ideal for a baby shower or christening, it would also delight any budding prima ballerina in the family. Use shades of pink to resemble a tutu, and top with a pair of ballet slippers. The frilled strips of icing should still be slightly soft when positioned on the cake. […]

Arrrr you looking for the best kids' birthday cake ever? Pirate Pete is the the way to go! From The Australian Women's Weekly's famous 'Children's Birthday Cake Book' cookbook, this easy cake is sure to impress.

You will need to buy four 22g packets of Life Savers for this cake. Be sure to remove toothpicks, cotton wool and skewer from cake before cutting and serving. Note

This recipe also makes 6 texas muffins (¾-cup/180ml); bake about 40 minutes. Note

There's no cake like an chocolate layer cake, and this one will be sure to turn heads when presented at any party.

This cake is perfect for the little girl who dreams of having her very own pony. Note

Creative kids will love helping with this easy sewing machine birthday cake from The Australian Women's Weekly's famous 'Children's Birthday Cake Book' cookbook.

A moist and delicious Greek apple cake that is traditionally eaten for breakfast.

The number one cake for your baby's first birthday!

Hundreds & thousands 18 milk chocolate freckles 30cm yellow ribbon The cutter we used was about 5cm (2 inches) deep, which made it easier to cut right through the cake. You could use a sharp pointed vegetable knife to cut out the cake rounds, cutting around the markings of the shorter cutter. Freeze the little […]

EQUIPMENT Deep 22cm (9-inch) square cake pan 35cm (14-inch) square cake board Carefully position photograph in centre of cake. You can use any photographic print you like, but remember to laminate it if you want it to remain after the cake is gone. Use a selection of your favourite lollies to decorate this cake Note

Flaked coconut can be bought from a store which stocks Indian and Fijian food. Note

A light and fluffy strawberries and cream sponge cake with visually stunning layers.

Store slice in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 2 days. Note

Ballerina cake toppers are available from cake decorating suppliers, or top with tiny ballerina dolls from toy stores. Note

Equipment 18 x 30cm cake pop sticks; large square styrofoam block; 2 paper piping bags. Use any firm-textured cake to make cake pops ­ mud, fruit, coconut or butter cakes all work well. Leftover Christmas cake or pudding are real winners as they’re usually moist. Cake pop sticks (also sold as `lollypop candy sticks’) are […]

Inserting the base of the springform pan upside down will make it easier to slide the cake from the base. Note

Use frangelico (hazelnut) or crème de cacao (chocolate) flavoured liqueurs. Cut cakes with a serrated knife. Note

Store cake pops in an airtight container at a cool room temperature until ready to serve. Pipe eyes and mouths on the day of serving. They will keep for up to a week. Note

You need 1 large (230g) overripe banana to get the amount of mashed banana required for this recipe. Note

Éclairs are best made on day of serving, but do not fill until ready to serve. Unfilled éclairs can be frozen. Note

Clarissa the cow is out in the paddock, eating the flowers and generally getting into all kinds of mischief. Note

Ginger wine, a beverage that is 14% alcohol by volume, has the piquant taste of fresh ginger.You can substitute it with dry (white) vermouth, if you prefer. Any type or combination of glace fruit can be used in this recipe. Note

You can turn this into an ‘eggless processor fruit cake’, if you like. Omit the eggs, and increase the golden syrup by 1 tablespoon to ⅓ cup (155g). The cake doesn’t keep quite as well without eggs, about 5 days, but will freeze for 3 months. Note

You can find artificial spider’s web at novelty shops. If you can’t find it, use fairy floss or cotton wool instead. Be sure to remove spider’s web or cotton wool and skewers before cutting and serving the cake. You will need approximately 3 x 100g bars of Toblerone for this cake. Note

Dried lavender is available from selected delis and spice shops. If you prefer, you can use 1 teaspoon finely grated orange or lemon rind instead. Note

Flavoured Milk Bottles can be found in packets of Allen’s Milk Bottle Mania; you will need about 3 x 170g packets. Note

The taste of this loose-crumbed pineapple and coconut cake will instantly transport you to the seventies when a piña colada was 'the' cocktail.

White icing is also known as fondant (it’s the traditional icing used on wedding cakes). It is available in packets from the supermarket and cake decorating shops. Note

Equipment you will need for this recipe, 23cm x 34cm number 4 cake pan and a 25cm x 40cm rectangular cake board. You can decorate this cake with single or multi coloured lollies. Place lollies such as Smarties on butter cream close to presentation time to prevent the colours running. Note

One-year-olds may be too young to eat the cachous, but they’ll certainly love the cake. Tiny heart-, star-, moon- and other-shaped cutters are sometimes sold as aspic cutters. Note

Pinky bunny is a small cute cake, ­just enough for a small cute person’s birthday. You’ll have ½ cup of the cake mixture left over, enough for another mini loaf. Note