Sunday Sweets: Story Time!
March 11, 2012 Grab your blankies and cuddle up, kids! It's story time!
Now, what should we read tonight? Go, Dog, Go? Yeah ... that book is 62 pages long. How about we look at the cake version instead?
;)
Don't you love how the wheels on Dog's car look like he's speeding away? Go, Dog! Go wherever you're going! (I don't know where that is, because I've never made it to the end of the book.)
Let's try again. If you really have your heart set on a dog book, how about this one: Who's big and red and ... um ... read all over?
;)
By Sweetbakes
It's Clifford, the big red dog! But doesn't he make for a cute cake, too? He's probably chock full of red velvet cake under that big behind. Mmmm. Mama's getting hungry. Be right back.
*wiping cake crumbs off face* Thanks for waiting, kids; Mama, uh, had to make a phone call. Now, have you decided on a book yet? How about Tatty-Ratty?
;)
You know what, never mind. That book reminds me of my own stuffed bunny that went missing when I was little. Ok, I was 19. Whatever, it was heartbreaking. Stop laughing, or you guys are going straight to bed.
You heard me, straight to bed! And I've got just the thing to lull you into slumber: Goodnight Moon. Seriously, this book has sedative powers.
;)
But this cake will keep you awake, oohing and ahhing over all the cuteness. See the cow jumping over the moon? So tiny! And the sleepy widdle bunny! I love a book with a hoppy ending. (Har.)
Now, if you're in the mood for a moral with your story, there's always The Berenstain Bears.
;)
They'll teach us to not talk to strangers, or how to take better care of our pets, or watch less TV, or use good manners ... but you already know all that junk, right? So let's just drool over this tasty looking cake instead. The whole gang's here!
(Except Queenie. She's such a brat!)
*yawn* Mama's getting tired, kids. Let's get this show on the road. How about if we read The Lorax?
;)
By Erin Salerno
Or we could just wait and go see it in the theater. The movie looks really cute, and I'm not even getting paid to say that. But you know what else is cute? Everything on this cake: the Truffala tree, the bucket, the fish, the Lorax's mustache! Adorbs.
What else have we got? Howl's Moving Castle? Hmmm, I'm not familiar with this one.
;)
However, if it's nearly as intense and detailed as this ridicul-awesome cake is, well, it's going to have to wait until tomorrow, kiddos. Mama's running out of gas. (How is all that cake being held up on those stick-legs? HOW?!)
Ok, now Olivia is one of my favorites!
;)
How could you not love this sassy little pig? All dressed up in a strapless gown and her tiara? With pearly pink fondant skin? Oops, sorry, looks like I'm talking about cake again.
Back to the bookshelf. Let's see what you've picked out now. The Giving Tree!? Are you trying to send your dear old mother into a tailspin of depression? That is the saddest book of all time! Old Yeller has a happier ending!
;)
Submitted by Alexandra L. and made by Tiffany's Baking Co.
But this cake will cheer me up - if you can even believe it's cake! That bark looks 100% real! And the moss! Selfless sacrifice to the point of utter destruction has never looked so tasty!
Anyway, let's aim for something that won't make me cry. Curious George is a fun read!
;)
And an even funner cake! ("Funner" is not a real word, kids. Just thought we'd throw some education in here for a sec.) But let's talk about the cake some more: Isn't that the most spot-on representation of sweet little George that you've ever seen? (And it really puts this in perspective, don't you think?)
Ok, last try. The Very Hungry Caterpillar? Great choice! Short, sweet, and a surprise ending too:
;)
By Cakes by Cat
Spoiler alert: The surprise is that the caterpillar turns into a butterfly. Just like the butterfly on top of this beautifully colorful cake! I mean just like it. It looks exactly like the one in the book, right?
Kids?
Hey, are you guys even awake?
Ah, it's just as well; Mama's getting hungry again anyway.
Have a Sweet to nominate? Then send it to Sunday Sweets [at] Cake Wrecks [dot] com.
Reader Comments (98)
These are all so adorable-how does one choose a favorite? :D
I've got my bun still. At 28 and married, I still sleep with Hippy, a TY stuffed bunny. :D
Howl's Moving Cake, er, Castle is staying up on those stick legs due to magic, of course! He is a wizard, after all!
And I can never read The Giving Tree without bawling; nor any of Nancy Tillman's works, save Tumford the Terrible (awesome cat! - darn, now I want to see a Tumford cake!). Frankly, I even tear up while reading The Runaway Bunny. My poor kid either has to limit her choice of bedtime books or just deal with a weepy mum.
Uh, I'm going to go out on a limb … (groan) and say that the base of The Giving Tree cake IS a real ring of Norway Maple tree bark. It is too real.
The Go Dog Go cake is good, but it lacks the epic party hat. I do not like that hat shown on the cake.
Wow, the Giving Tree. The only book whose title I can't say out loud without choking up. Each copy should come with a prescription for Prozac and a puppy.
Okay you really need to go watch or read Howl's Moving Castle if you don't know what it is. And skip the Lorax movie. And that Howl cakes is amazing. This daylight savings stuff makes me grumpy. And apparently bossy. ;)
Howl's Moving Castle is the most awesome Japanese anime! The English dubbed version attracted heavy hitting talent like Jean Simmons, Lauren Bacall, Blythe Danner, Billy Crystal, and Christian Bale. You simply must check it out. I'm fairly certain it's based on a book, but I haven't read it.
Wow, I cannot stop starting that that Eric Carle cake! How in the world did the baker get it to look so much like the illustrations? From the shading to the whimsy, I'm amazed. And impressed. Wow!
The Curious George cake is adorable - except for his arms. There is no natural (or comfortable) way for his thumbs to be positioned where they are.
You're right, Curious George's face is perfect...but aren't his hands backward? Or is my brain just struggling with Daylight Savings?
Lovely post - but if you really are unfamiliar with Howl's Moving Castle, you're missing out - both the book and the Studio Ghibli movie are excellent!
Howl's Moving Castle! You've got to read the book AND watch the movie (as well as all of Studio Ghibli's films). My faves are Goodnight Moon and The Very Hungry Caterpillar.
Howl's Moving Castle (the book) was written by Diana Wynne Jones (who just passed away this year). It's actually a series of YA fantasy novels, with Howl's being the first. The movie is really good, too.
Here is another vote for you watching ALL the Miyazake (sp?) movies -- start with Howl, then, since you are talking about kid's books, watch 'My Friend Totoro' and go from there. The new one that is out is not his best (I would probably give that award to 'Spirited Away'), but it is based on 'The Borrowers" and is very cute.
"Goodnight, Moon" has now been updated--to "Goodnight, iPad" by Ann Droyd about an old woman trying to sleep over the many different sounds of her grandchildren's tech, from iPads to iPods to Nintendos to phones. So they end up throwing it all out the window for one night to get some much-needed sleep. As the mother of tweens, each with their own iPad, I can relate. And they love this book.
And we're goin to see "The Lorax" this afternoon. I hope it doesn't suck.
Oh wow! The Very Hungry Caterpillar one is beeyootiful! Want.
That Howl's Moving Castle cake is being held up by Calcifer, of course! :D That cake just made my day.
I am straight-up obsessed with that Very Hungry Caterpillar cake! Incredible!!
I'm having trouble believing that as wonderfully nerdy as ya'll are, you have never seen Howls Moving Castle. Next thing your going to tell me is that you have never seen Spirited Away or My Neighbor Totoro.
Look at the inscription carved into the tree stump, "DG and CW." *CW*??? So which one is Cake Wrecks, the greedy, ungrateful boy or the masochistic, self-abnegating tree?
Yep, definitely. if Curious George's hands were in that position with the back facing out, (and the palms in) his thumbs would be facing OUT.
For the thumbs to point IN (towards his face), his hands would have to be positioned so that the palms face OUT (and the back faces down) and we would not see his fingers under the hat.
Whew! Almost dislocated my wrists figuring that one out.
I saw Howl's Castle and fell in love, oh my goodness. I might get flogged for this, but I actually prefer the movie to the book, although both have their merits.
Berenstain Bears! Berenstain Bears! Berenstain Bears! Berenstain Bears!
"To the tree! To the tree! Up the tree! Up the tree! What are they doing at the top of that tree? It's a dog party. A big dog party!"
So there's your spoiler for Go, Dog, Go.
A big dog party with big dog cake.
These are just amazing. Haven't read "The Giving Tree", but it's now on my list (I'm a sucker for tearjerkers).
I think I'm going to start dropping hints that I want a "Skippyjon Jones" cake for my 45th birthday this year :-) For sheer fun factor, these are the best set of kids books EVER!
I hooted with laughter about the spoiler for the caterpillar cake. :D
And it's nice that Clifford gets some love- even if it's fondant. I had to draw him on a cake in icing twice...same cake, though. Had to strip it and start over. Ugh.
What awesome cakes! Some of those books were my favorites as a kid and now I get to read them to my kid! And thanks for the moving castle one! I caught the tail end of that movie a couple of years ago and didn't know what it was. Now I know what I'm looking for!
Jason does not like that hat.
He wants an epic party hat.
Go, dog, go!
Get Jason an epic party hat!
I want a "Goodnight Keith Moon" cake--without the sick, of course.
How can anyone eat Curious George's face?
You MUST read Howl's Moving Castle...and then watch the movie. You will not be sorry you picked it up to read it. My kids and I adore that book!
The Lorax is well done, but an odd choice for a cake - maybe Dmitri is a very environmentally conscious child? The movie does look cute, but it doesn't look like it will break your heart, and The Lorax needs to break your heart.
To end on a happier note, your spoiler for The Very Hungry Caterpillar cracked me up.
You really really really need to watch Howl's Moving Castle and Spirited Away and the Totoro-movie and most of Miyazaki's other movies. They are amazing!
It's funner to say funner than it is to say more fun.
Don't go see the Lorax. It's a completely anti-Seussian, pro-corporate, misogynistic mess. Skip it with extreme prejudice.
As expected, there's a regular Epcot of recommendations for Howl's Moving Castle. Vote +1. I have to be dragged to Japanese animation, and I *loved* it.
Thanks for featuring my cake! It's always an honour. My kidlets favourite toy bunny is called Tatty Ratty after the book, and is always being lost. I suspect he is an evil genius rabbit, off making plans for world domination...or he's probably just stuffed down the side of the bed! xx
I'm declaring an Epcot shelter where those of us who have not read / seen Howl's Castle Thingy can relax in judgement free ignorance for a bit. Please bring cake and children's books.
'Howl's Moving Castle' is a long chapter book and an anime movie.
You should really read (not see) Howl's Moving Castle. It doesn't really fit with the other sweets here -- as Howl's is very much YA, not a kid's book. But the book and movie are very different, so while I enjoyed the movie (as a studio Ghibli film, anyway) it's not a good replacement for reading the book.
Movie=anti war story with wacky fantasy and airships.
Book = Intricate Diana Wynne Jones fantasy with an involved mystery romance.
First of all, while I think "The Giving Tree" makes a fine cake, I plain out hate the book. Sure, just bring out the pitchforks and torches. My oldest was given the book and we read it maybe four times. I had to choke down my disgust at the dysfunctional relationship between the tree and the boy.
The "Very Hungry Caterpillar" cake is sheer mastery! Perfection! Love it! I want one. Now. :-)
These are all so lovely, but how do you keep the tiny birthday children from HOWLING HYSTERICALLY as they watch you cut into them and make you EAT YOUR BELOVED favorites. The oldest age on any of them is 4, and four-year-olds are not so much with the fantasy vs. reality understanding.
I seventh or eighth the people who said to go see Howl's Moving Castle and ALL the Miyazaki Studio Ghibi films. Spirited Away is indeed his best, but My Neighbor Totoro is a close second, IMO.
If I were commissioning a Curious George cake, I'd want a cookie shaped like a jigsaw puzzle piece hidden inside it.
Thank you so much for featuring my cake. It was a very special cake for me to make as it was for my own daughter's 1st birthday (and consequently the only the second cake I have made that I have personally cut, the first being my wedding cake). We love reading the Very Hungry Caterpillar together just as I did when I was little. Completely timeless!
And now I am a sad panda because this post reminded me of the recent death of Jan Berenstain.
I think Howl's Moving Castle just moved to Epcot.
I've wondered that myself, Beth. I can only imagine those dramas.
Thanks for featuring another one of my cakes! It's such and honor. I haven't seen the Lorax movie, and wasn't even familiar with the book until I made this cake for one of my very good friends. To answer the question, Dmitri is an exceptionally bright child and tested as having genius IQ. He's magical, special, and unlike any other little boy you'll ever meet. His whole birthday was designed around Seussical musings. Perhaps not most popular of Seuss designs, but definitely a good one! Thank you again, and I appreciate all the support, and kindest from all :D
The Very Hungry Caterpillar book made my day... the only thing that could have topped it would have been a Gruffalo cake!
But seriously, I showed my hubby the VHC cake and told him if I didn't get one for my next birthday, he'd be in trouble!
READ Howl's Moving Castle, as it was a book first. The film takes many liberties, which (as the author says) her book is a book and the film isn't the book, so. Knowing you're a reader, definitely check out the book (and even the subsequent ones in the series), and I don't think you'll think I've steered you wrong. :D