luuknam Posted August 1, 2016 Share Posted August 1, 2016 (edited) So, my birthday and my son's birthday are only a couple of weeks apart. I ordered a Lemon Chantilly cake for my birthday, and my son turned out to love it, and wants it for his birthday too (but without the coconut on the outside edge). I just really don't want to have the exact same cake again in just two weeks, and neither does my wife nor my other son (my wife didn't really like the cake to begin with, but she's not a big fan of cakes anyhow). I don't want to order a $37 cake and then toss half of it because it's too much for the birthday kid and the rest of us are kind of "meh, we just had that cake" about it (for anyone wondering, that's the small version, so it's not like I can order a smaller version). Edited August 1, 2016 by luuknam Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JustEm Posted August 1, 2016 Share Posted August 1, 2016 It is his birthday so he gets to pick the cake he wants. Within reason of course and if a $37 cake is reasonable for your birthday then it should be for his bday as well. 9 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
barnwife Posted August 1, 2016 Share Posted August 1, 2016 I voted I'd do the same cake.However, some explanation. Growing up, there was one option for birthday dessert: chocolate cake, chocolate frosting, and vanilla ice cream. It's just what we had. Asking for something different wouldn't have occurred to us. (I am sure that if one of us hadn't liked it, my mom would have done something else for that person.)It just happens that my birthday and my dad's are within days of each other. Yes, it was a lot of cake. But my sisters and I thought it was great.All of that being said, I can't imagine spending that much on a cake. I grew up with homemade cake and frosting, which costs nowhere near that. The cost aside (because clearly that's not an issue for you), I'd definitely go with the birthday person's wishes.That's why we are having a chocolate cake, yellow frosting, with the Batman logo for an upcoming birthday around here. Not my birthday, not my choice. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Evergreen State Sue Posted August 1, 2016 Share Posted August 1, 2016 I voted same cake because that's what he wants. However, you can ask him if he has a runner up cake flavor and see if he is equally excited about that. I like to have my kids make their cake with me. They seem to enjoy the cake even more when they have a hand in making and decorating. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jean in Newcastle Posted August 1, 2016 Share Posted August 1, 2016 It's his birthday. He gets to choose. 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lllll Posted August 1, 2016 Share Posted August 1, 2016 Maybe you could freeze whatever's left? 8 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
regentrude Posted August 1, 2016 Share Posted August 1, 2016 If he specifically requested this cake for his birthday, he should have the cake. I would figure out how to make it and bake my own, in a smaller version. Alternatively, you could freeze the rest. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Renthead Mommy Posted August 1, 2016 Share Posted August 1, 2016 We akways got cakes from one of the best bakeries in the area. My bff often got a rum cake for her birthday. It was her mom's favorite cake. My bff never really liked rum cake all that much at all. And her mom knew that. We are in our mid 40's and it is still an issue how her mom always got the cake the mom wanted not what she wanted. And it was not like this was a special treat. We were in that bakery weekly fir breads, coffee cakes, cookies, you name it. She could get rum cake anythime. His birthday his cake. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
luuknam Posted August 1, 2016 Author Share Posted August 1, 2016 I voted I'd do the same cake. However, some explanation. Growing up, there was one option for birthday dessert: chocolate cake, chocolate frosting, and vanilla ice cream. It's just what we had. Asking for something different wouldn't have occurred to us. (I am sure that if one of us hadn't liked it, my mom would have done something else for that person.) It just happens that my birthday and my dad's are within days of each other. Yes, it was a lot of cake. But my sisters and I thought it was great. All of that being said, I can't imagine spending that much on a cake. I grew up with homemade cake and frosting, which costs nowhere near that. The cost aside (because clearly that's not an issue for you), I'd definitely go with the birthday person's wishes. That's why we are having a chocolate cake, yellow frosting, with the Batman logo for an upcoming birthday around here. Not my birthday, not my choice. I'd bake a cake, except our oven is broken, and while our toaster oven is pretty amazing, I don't think I could successfully bake a cake in there. And I'm okay with $37 for a cake because I'd rather have a yummy cake on my birthday than a cheaper cake I don't really like (Walmart cakes are kind of gross in my opinion). But, the idea is that everybody enjoys the cake, not only the birthday person. For example, I didn't pick the orange creamsicle cheesecake for my birthday because I know my wife wouldn't like it and I wasn't sure about the kids, and I didn't want to end up being the only person eating a $40 cheesecake, kwim? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Forget-Me-Not Posted August 1, 2016 Share Posted August 1, 2016 It's his birthday. He gets to choose. Put some away in the freezer if you have leftovers. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Renthead Mommy Posted August 1, 2016 Share Posted August 1, 2016 (edited) Find out if they make a cupcake version. He can have six cupcakes that are all his. You guys have pie or boring homemade cake. Just don't out do his cake! Edited August 1, 2016 by Renthead Mommy 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sk8ermaiden Posted August 1, 2016 Share Posted August 1, 2016 (edited) Birthday person gets their pick of cakes! For E's birthday last year she wanted me to make a triple lemon cake: lemon cake, lemon buttercream frosting, and lemon curd filling. She and the grown ups loved it (and the kids who normally don't like cake liked it), but a lot of the kids found it too lemon-y for them. I knew that was going to happen and had told her, but her birthday, her cake. And to the poster who said homemade cakes don't cost that much, the price of cakes is relative. If I'm making a box mix with can frosting, then it's super cheap, but our birthday cakes are made with cake flour, (a lot of) high quality butter, fresh fruit usually free-range eggs, etc. And now my family is starting to ask for ganache, fondant decorations, we're making modeling chocolate, etc, so our homemade cakes are easily $40. We enjoy coming up with the flavors and design every year; it's become a family tradition. BUT - cake freezes very well. If you guys only eat half the cake, wrap it in saran wrap really well and put it in the freezer for a while. Edited August 1, 2016 by Sk8ermaiden 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
luuknam Posted August 1, 2016 Author Share Posted August 1, 2016 Find out if they make a cupcake version. He can have six cupcakes that are all his. I could ask that, I guess. I suggested earlier to him that maybe I could buy him a piece of Lemon Chantilly (when I went to pick mine up they had two in their display, and I think I've seen it most of the time I've been there), but if we only got a piece then it'd come with the coconut on the edge (I don't think I could special order only one or two pieces of Lemon Chantilly without coconut). He said yes to the idea, until I mentioned it'd have the coconut, at which point he said no. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Seasider Posted August 1, 2016 Share Posted August 1, 2016 Birthday kid gets cake of his choice. You can freeze leftovers, don't have to toss them. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
luuknam Posted August 1, 2016 Author Share Posted August 1, 2016 Anyway, freezing half the cake is a good idea. That just hadn't crossed my mind. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lori D. Posted August 1, 2016 Share Posted August 1, 2016 (edited) nt Edited August 1, 2016 by Lori D. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JustEm Posted August 1, 2016 Share Posted August 1, 2016 But, the idea is that everybody enjoys the cake, not only the birthday person. For example, I didn't pick the orange creamsicle cheesecake for my birthday because I know my wife wouldn't like it and I wasn't sure about the kids, and I didn't want to end up being the only person eating a $40 cheesecake, kwim? Yes, but you are an adult in that scenario and can make that decision knowing you will already enjoy whatever else you choose. But for a kid who is very excited about something, they will remember the disappointment of not getting that thing on their special day. So it can potentially ruin the deliciousness of the second choice that everyone will enjoy. I just don't think a kid's birthday is the time to make everyone else happy. If no one else wants the cake freeze the leftovers in individual pieces and you son can eat it over the next few weeks. 10 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zoobie Posted August 1, 2016 Share Posted August 1, 2016 Birthday person chooses! You can freeze slices. For emergencies. ;) 7 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Arcadia Posted August 1, 2016 Share Posted August 1, 2016 How small is small? We have four birthdays in less than four weeks. So we choose something that equals four servings. My fridge is too small for two leftovers 10" cake. My kids love cakes but they aren't crazy over birthday cakes. Their birthdays are four days apart and they do not want the same cake unless it is cheesecake. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ali in OR Posted August 1, 2016 Share Posted August 1, 2016 Yep, birthday person gets to choose. And cake freezes beautifully. There was one year where I made a fancy chocolate tuxedo cake 3 times because everyone wanted it. Turns out to be not that big a deal to keep eating the same cake! Especially if it's good. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
marbel Posted August 1, 2016 Share Posted August 1, 2016 (edited) I'm in the "get the kid his choice of birthday cake" camp. This is the kind of thing that can make a good or bad memory for a kid. Freeze the rest, give it away, or whatever. But, his birthday, his choice of cake. So what that the rest of you are "meh" about it? (And next year, try to choose something for your birthday that you think he won't like as well. :-) ) ETA: I've said this here before: my daughter asks for the giant Costco chocolate cake every year. That is one huge cake. We eat it that day and the next, then I freeze reasonably-sized wedges for random cake nights for the next few months. It is wonderful to have cake in the freezer for nights cake is needed. Maybe you should pick up some cake that everyone likes and cut individual slices to freeze, so every now and then, everyone gets cake they love. Edited August 1, 2016 by marbel 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
luuknam Posted August 1, 2016 Author Share Posted August 1, 2016 Yes, but you are an adult in that scenario and can make that decision knowing you will already enjoy whatever else you choose. But for a kid who is very excited about something, they will remember the disappointment of not getting that thing on their special day. So it can potentially ruin the deliciousness of the second choice that everyone will enjoy. I just don't think a kid's birthday is the time to make everyone else happy. If no one else wants the cake freeze the leftovers in individual pieces and you son can eat it over the next few weeks. You're right, I guess. Which is also the case if I were to try to create a cupcake Lemon Chantilly in my toaster oven - it wouldn't be the same cake, and potentially a huge disappointment. How small is small? We have four birthdays in less than four weeks. So we choose something that equals four servings. My fridge is too small for two leftovers 10" cake. My kids love cakes but they aren't crazy over birthday cakes. Their birthdays are four days apart and they do not want the same cake unless it is cheesecake. http://www.dessertdelibakery.com/catalog/p-100021/lemon-chantilly-cake Small serves 8-10. I'm estimating the diameter was something like 8" or 8.5", but it was really high, like at least 4". Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HomeAgain Posted August 1, 2016 Share Posted August 1, 2016 Birthday child gets to choose. That said, the emphasis is not on "birthday" but on "choose". Make sure he sees all his options at the bakery. After weighing them all he may pick something different. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
luuknam Posted August 1, 2016 Author Share Posted August 1, 2016 We akways got cakes from one of the best bakeries in the area. My bff often got a rum cake for her birthday. It was her mom's favorite cake. My bff never really liked rum cake all that much at all. And her mom knew that. To be clear, I wasn't trying to push a figurative rum cake on him. Just anything other than the exact same cake. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sk8ermaiden Posted August 1, 2016 Share Posted August 1, 2016 Birthday child gets to choose. That said, the emphasis is not on "birthday" but on "choose". Make sure he sees all his options at the bakery. After weighing them all he may pick something different. This is so true. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spryte Posted August 1, 2016 Share Posted August 1, 2016 Get the kid his cake. Can you get something small for everyone else? And, if there are extra slices you don't want to freeze, I'd be happy to come sing happy birthday to your boy and help out with the cake! :) 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PinkyandtheBrains. Posted August 1, 2016 Share Posted August 1, 2016 Same cake, it's his birthday. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spryte Posted August 1, 2016 Share Posted August 1, 2016 Ooooh, and your link to the bakery... Yum! You've given me a terrible case of dessert envy. Too many allergies here to order from a bakery, but drooling was fun. Enjoy whatever he chooses! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
luuknam Posted August 1, 2016 Author Share Posted August 1, 2016 And, if there are extra slices you don't want to freeze, I'd be happy to come sing happy birthday to your boy and help out with the cake! :) That's quite a drive from VA, but you're welcome. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
happi duck Posted August 1, 2016 Share Posted August 1, 2016 It is part of our tradition that birthday person gets to choose dinner and dessert so around here the answer is simple. If choosing is part of *your* tradition then birthday kid gets to choose. I guarantee that an actual bakery would work with you to make a special cake just for your son. Then you can get something else for the rest of you. The bakery should be up for creating something cohesive with the small birthday cake in the center surrounded by coordinating mini cupcakes or cookies or petit fours etc. Really, go to the bakery *expecting* them to work with you! 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spryte Posted August 1, 2016 Share Posted August 1, 2016 That's quite a drive from VA, but you're welcome. :D Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Renthead Mommy Posted August 1, 2016 Share Posted August 1, 2016 To be clear, I wasn't trying to push a figurative rum cake on him. Just anything other than the exact same cake. My point was, 30 years later, she remembers it as 'we ate the cake my mom wanted no matter who's birthday or their lijes qnd dislikes.' These things stay with you. It is one of many issues they have. But it is what she remembers about her childhood birthdays. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
luuknam Posted August 1, 2016 Author Share Posted August 1, 2016 So, I told him that he could have the Lemon Chantilly, and that we'd just freeze any leftovers of the cake, but that I would like him through the list of cakes just in case he liked something else better. And he pointed at every chocolate cake in the list, and then decided on the Chocolate Extreme. I asked him if he was sure, or if he wanted the Lemon Chantilly, and he was like "Chocolate Extreme!". Okay then. I think he just needed to know I was willing to give him what he wanted (I'd asked him to look at the list of possible cakes earlier, and he didn't want to look, but that's when I'd said I thought it was kind of soon to do Lemon Chantilly again). http://www.dessertdelibakery.com/catalog/p-100029/chocolate-extreme-cake 14 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
luuknam Posted August 1, 2016 Author Share Posted August 1, 2016 (edited) Oh, and I just asked him what he wanted written on the cake. I suggested "Happy Birthday Celery", a big number 9, "Happy 9th Birthday", etc, and he's like "10th! It's my 10th birthday, remember the day I was born?". Um, okay then. So, he settled on "Happy 10th Birthday Celery!". ETA: I had "100000" on my cake, because it's 32 in binary, so you can guess who he gets that from. Edited August 1, 2016 by luuknam 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vonfirmath Posted August 1, 2016 Share Posted August 1, 2016 (edited) Oh, and I just asked him what he wanted written on the cake. I suggested "Happy Birthday Celery", a big number 9, "Happy 9th Birthday", etc, and he's like "10th! It's my 10th birthday, remember the day I was born?". Um, okay then. So, he settled on "Happy 10th Birthday Celery!". ETA: I had "100000" on my cake, because it's 32 in binary, so you can guess who he gets that from. Neat! We were having this conversation this weekend as well (For my own August 2007 boy who is also going into 4th grade this year). He wants brownies! (YAY! He had earlier said he wanted a Hummingbird Cake and I really don't have the energy for that this week!) Edited August 1, 2016 by vonfirmath 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Caclcoca Posted August 1, 2016 Share Posted August 1, 2016 I have two sons with birthdays 7 days apart. They both wanted the same cookie cake, so we had the same cake one week apart. I am glad that he got to pick. Bonus that he picked something that looks really amazing! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Audrey Posted August 1, 2016 Share Posted August 1, 2016 If it were me, I would order his chocolate cake and the lemon cake and then freeze what no one eats that day. Because cake emergencies are real, and you should always be prepared. :D 10 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
luuknam Posted August 1, 2016 Author Share Posted August 1, 2016 I have two sons with birthdays 7 days apart. They both wanted the same cookie cake, so we had the same cake one week apart. I am glad that he got to pick. Bonus that he picked something that looks really amazing! And I just heard him rambling on and on about the chocolate extreme cake to his little brother, so he's definitely excited about it. :) 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
heartlikealion Posted August 1, 2016 Share Posted August 1, 2016 So, I told him that he could have the Lemon Chantilly, and that we'd just freeze any leftovers of the cake, but that I would like him through the list of cakes just in case he liked something else better. And he pointed at every chocolate cake in the list, and then decided on the Chocolate Extreme. I asked him if he was sure, or if he wanted the Lemon Chantilly, and he was like "Chocolate Extreme!". Okay then. I think he just needed to know I was willing to give him what he wanted (I'd asked him to look at the list of possible cakes earlier, and he didn't want to look, but that's when I'd said I thought it was kind of soon to do Lemon Chantilly again). http://www.dessertdelibakery.com/catalog/p-100029/chocolate-extreme-cake If there's any of your cake left maybe you can freeze one slice for him. He could still get the Chocolate Extreme but have a slice of lemon waiting as well. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
luuknam Posted August 1, 2016 Author Share Posted August 1, 2016 If it were me, I would order his chocolate cake and the lemon cake and then freeze what no one eats that day. Because cake emergencies are real, and you should always be prepared. :D I hear you, but we can afford a ~$40 cake because our rent is only $550/month, not because we're rich. Maybe I should retroactively get a new oven for my birthday (the old one is too cheap to pay someone to fix it, but if we're buying a new one we want a nice one and not a cheap one). Then and again, I was sort of planning on replacing my Note 2 with the Note 7 which is supposed to be released tomorrow (or another phone if I don't like the Note 7 specs). Nobody got me a present yesterday, so it looks like I get to give myself a belated birthday present. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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