Most almost 6-year-olds like Disney’s Cars – Transformers – Splatoon – even Sponge Bob.  They want crazy chaotic, cartoon birthday themes.  What does my kid want?  Carnivorous plants.

It’s his current craze – his project.  I think we’re probably nearing the end of the intense fascination because we’re running out of materials to take it any further.  Still, when asked what kind of cake he wanted for his birthday ….

Good grief.

It’s not like I could order out and have the local grocery store make this one.  And running a web search brought up a ton of Little Shop of Horrors cakes – which are not “real,” as he says.  He’s a stickler for authentic.

So I got to tackle the job of designing and creating a Venus Fly Trap cake.  Thank goodness for Google and rice crispies!

Before you start thinking I’m some sort of supermom with a cake decorating hobby, let me emphasize that I do NOT do cakes well.  I should post pictures of last year’s Lego brick cake.  He liked it.  I thought it was pathetic.  It tasted ok, but looked completely blobby and weird.  Muffin cups are not Lego compatible, it turns out.

It took me the better part of 2 days because components had to dry or chill.  And the day before the party, I stayed up until 3 a.m. because trying to cut corners with a box cake mix crumbled my hopes of a quick finish into a pile of unusable crumbs.  So cake # 2.  From scratch.

I didn’t do it because I love decorating cakes.  I didn’t do it because I want to look like some kind of super Martha Stewart mom who would give her little darling everything he ever desired.  No, I did it because I support his interests.  Even if those interests are considered weird, odd, or not age appropriate.  And face it, carnivorous plants are not your typical 6-year-old’s fascination.

I want him to feel loved, sure, but I want to give him that unconditional support and bedrock that every kid needs.  And for now, that meant baking a weird-looking cake.  Complete with frosting ants and Oreo “dirt.”

Tasted pretty good too.  Yum, ants!