I like to make birthdays a big deal at our house. I used to do elaborate cakes that literally took days to make. We're talking a life-sized guitar cake, a firetruck with a burning building that actually smoked, cakes that hung from the ceiling... INSANITY, my friends.
While I still love to make crazy cakes, they were taking so.much.time. And one day it occurred to me that I could spend just one day making a cake and throw a bunch of toys on top and my kids would be equally as awed and excited.
So now I'm a "one-day cake" kind of girl, and now I get to actually see my kids the week of their birthdays which is kind of cool.
Anyways, this is the cake I made my 4 year old several months ago for his birthday. The frosting is a basic buttercream that I use almost anytime I need buttercream. It has some heavy cream in it so it whips up a little lighter than traditional buttercream and it pipes well. This is definitely one to bookmark and use any time you need a quick, delicious, buttercream.
Basic Buttercream Frosting
Recipe adapted from Food.com
-3 cups powdered sugar
-1 cup butter
-1 Tbsp vanilla
-1 Tbsp (or less) heavy whipping cream*
With an electric mixer, cream together sugar and butter on low speed until combined. Increase speed to medium and beat for 3 minutes.
Add vanilla and heavy cream and beat 1 minute longer.
*You can add another Tbsp heavy cream if needed to get this buttercream to a thinner spreading consistency. For piping, and most frosting jobs, a bit less than 1 Tbsp cream is perfect.
I am saving this recipe! I used to do the same thing..as far as the three day cakes go! It was too stressful to really be enjoyable for me anymore. One of my faves was a a tree house cake I made for my son's birthday. He thought it was pretty awesome..but like you, I've gone to the simpler and still cute cakes. Your airplane cake is adorable. Love the puffy clouds!
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