Happy 2nd birthday Lacey

I got a text from a school mum friend, Jen, to say that her middle child was turning two this Friday and could I make her a cake please.  I already had a large order booked in for collection on Friday, so we agreed to have it ready for Thursday lunchtime instead.  As it was a cake, it would last well and remain tasty for a few days (more than I can say for cupcakes generally. As they are smaller, they tend to lose their softness/moistness quicker and thus need to be eaten within 48 hours of baking, and preferably 24.  Especially true of mini ones I find) and so be ideal for the family party planned for Friday afternoon.  Jen had seen the 6th birthday cake I'd made for mini-1 earlier this year and wanted something as colourful as that for her daughter Lacey.  I looked up the possibility of making a shaped number 2, but it would require a technique I hadn't yet practiced enough/mastered so we deferred to a round cake that I'd decorate to my preference - oooh, what to do?

As it was for a little girl, I figured pink had to play a part.  And because I feel it's a happy colour, the vanilla sponge was dyed orange and flavoured with a hint of orange too.  I sliced it and filled it with a touch of pink icing and strawberry jam, then coated the whole cake in pink icing.  After separating out a few boxes of mini Smarties, I made a colourful number 2 on the top, added in gold-leafed white letters and butterflies and covered the whole confection in pink glitter.  And the verdict?  Jen and Garry loved it!  Let's hope they loved the taste too...