Stress-Free Cake Decorating w/ Kids

For the kids' birthdays, I've generally tried to make them a cute themed cake.  Sometimes I'm more successful than others.

When mine and Hubby's birthdays roll around though...we figured it's the kids' job to decorate our cake.  I've posted about this tradition before...but that was a couple year's ago and I thought it would be worth sharing again.

There are a couple of important tips.

• I strongly recommend that you use 7-MINUTE FROSTING!  (The recipe is at the bottom.)  For one, it tastes better (in our opinion, and it's WAY easier to spread which is important when you've got little kids spreading it...oh...and you can frost the cake while it's still warm.)
• You also can't be stressed about the final product.  It's the kids' creation for Dad...and that's exactly what it's going to end up looking like. 

Hubby's birthday was last week, and the kids had a lot of fun decorating for him.

All three joined in.

They're getting better at being able to spread it on the sides.

And noticed they don't mind getting some on their fingers because then they can lick it off.

Once the frosting is spread, the best part...the sprinkles comes.  Next time I'm going to try to remember to have something like M&Ms instead I think.

And after about 5 or 10 whirlwind minutes of decorating...it's done!

Although their might be some frosting on the face...

or in the hair that you'll need to clean up.  (But if you made 7-Minute Frosting, it's a much easier cleaning job since there aren't any greasy ingredients.

Hubby enjoyed his cake.

And by the next morning, this was all that was left.  We actually left about half the cake when we went to bed the night before.  However, Little Brother and Sweet Pea woke up quietly before anyone else and helped themselves to a full breakfast of cake.

Oh...and I just can't help showing this little piece of work off.  Little Brother LOVES practicing his letters and writing lately.  He'll sit down and start doing it all on this own.  This is what he wrote for Hubby, sounding it all out himself.  It says "Happy Birthday, Dad!"  I thought he did pretty good with "Happy" and "Dad."  I'm not sure what happened with Birthday, but hey...he's 4.

7-Minute Frosting Recipe (from my general Betty Crocker cookbook).

Combine in top of double boiler:
2 egg whites (1/4 cup)
1-1/2 cups sugar
1/4 tsp cream of tartar or 1 tbsp light corn syrup
1/3 cup water

Mix ingredients together. Place over boiling water. (Water should not touch the bottom of the bowl your frosting mixture is in.) After 7 minutes remove from heat and add 1 tsp vanilla. Beat on high for a couple more minutes until spreading consistency.