Birthday Ideas For a Sensational Sister

Robin's birthday is this weekend and she's having the pre-bar party at my apartment.

So obviously I'm thrilled because that means I now have an excuse to put together an amazing antipasto platter and other delicious finger foods.

It also means I get to make her a cake!

I'm excited as I haven't made a cake since John's cake back in May.

And (thankfully) Robin has asked for a cake that really can't be covered in fondant, gum paste, etc so it's a cake that I can steal away from those crazy cake decorator friends of mine!

But truth be told, I'm going to try and jazz it up.

I want to impress.

I used to be known as the baker.....

sad face.

Anyway, Robin has asked for (what I think is) her all-time favourite: Dirt Cake.

Our mom used to make this insanely addictive desert and serve it out of a plastic sand pail with a shovel.

Kind of like this:

The wheels are in motion in my head so after an extensive google search, here are some ideas I've come up with:

1. Pretend there is any way in hell I could make this look the way it does in this picture. Then maybe attempt it, cry, down half a bottle of wine, and eat every crumb of the messed up Beatrix Potter dream with a fork. Or my hands.

2. Make cupcakes that look like this (sans crying, drinking, and binge eating):

You (and me later on) can find the recipe for this cake here.

3. Then take said cupcakes and place them around the piece de resistance:

Eh? Eh?

I think the cake above is do-able.

It might take me all of Saturday but you know what?

It will be totally worth it if it makes her birthday that much more special :)