Luca’s Nautical Themed 1st Birthday

Our dearest Luca, our little rainbow baby, you are the sweetest little boy. You have so much determination and will not stop at anything once you have your eyes set on something. You are incredibly strong and fast, you do not sit still for any length of time unless you are strapped to a chair and can’t escape, no lack of ever trying still though! You are 110% on the go till you fall asleep. You have eyes & ears only for your biggest idol, your sister, Liana. She lights up your face every day and YOU light up all of ours. You are so similar to your sister yet you couldn’t be more opposite.
Happy 1st Birth day our beautiful son, our little Dane.

Love you always Mummy and Daddy xo

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There was no question about it, it had to be a nautical theme for Luca’s 1st birthday party to match him and his nursery.
It was such a beautiful day, we opened up our home to our family and closest friends and it truly filled this winters day with warmth and gratitude.
We were on a natural high for days after, that is when you know you have thrown a good party.

With any party as a host you always end up running around doing things the whole time that you hardly get to spend any time mingling with your guests and taking in the vibe of the party. I did my best to avoid having to do this and I believe I succeeded. With a few things working my way for instance the weather, having parties in winter is so much easier catering wise. I was able to put all the food, including the cakes and drinks out 10 mins before everyone arrived. Off course there was still a couple of last minute things to be done as always but the main part was I felt calm.

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Nautical Waves Cake

I love baking, it’s my favourite part of having birthday parties. Believe it or not I’m not actually a real fan of eating them, I just enjoy the baking part and eating the cut offs!
I’ll share with you below the recipe for this butter nautical waves cake. Hopefully you find it easy to follow.

Passion fruit curd filling
Passion fruit curd will keep up to 2 weeks in the fridge in an airtight container. I made mine just a couple of days ahead.
Recipe:
3 Eggs, 1/2 cup caster sugar, 1/3 cup passion fruit pulp, 85g butter, 1 1/2 teaspoons finely crated lemon rind, 2 tablespoons water.
Method:
Place all ingredients in a heatproof bowl and place it on top of a saucepan of simmering water, stir until mixture is nice and thick. Careful not to let it overcook where the egg whites start cooking. When finished cover the bowl, let it cool before placing in the fridge.

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Butter Cake
I used 3 deep 20cm round cake tins because as you can see I made one large cake and one mini cake. If making just the one cake you will only need two cake tins.
This butter cake will last for two days in an airtight container in the fridge.
Always ensure to let all your ingredients come to room temperature before staring for best results.
Recipe: (this is for 1 cake tin, so times by 3, if making the same amount of cakes)
3 eggs, 1 cup caster sugar, 2 1/4 self raising flour (sifted), 3/4 cup milk, 185g butter, 1 1/2 vanilla extract.
Method:
Preheat oven to 180 degrees celsius, grease and line all 3 cake tins.

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Add butter, extract and sugar in a bowl and beat until light and fluffy, then beat in eggs, one at a time. Stir in sifted flour and milk gradually in two batches. Once combined spread into cake tins.
If you are just doing 2 cakes I would combine the ingredients for two cakes but I find there is a little to much to do 3 mixtures at once.
Baking time is approx 1 hour. Test with a cake tester before removing. if the cake is browning too much during the baking place some foil over the cakes halfway through.
Ensure you let a cake this size set and rest before removing from tin, then always turn top side down on resting rack to completely cool.

Butter cream recipe using solite
If you are wanting white butter cream the trick is to use solite cream shortening in place of butter. Butter is what makes it have that yellow tinge which is really hard to colour certain colours especially pink. Using solite will fix this. I get mine from a local cake shop in Perth Cake Tinz n’thingz
Recipe:
200g Solite cream shortening, 1kg icing sugar (sifted), 1tsp vanilla extract, 1/2 cup milk.
Method:
Beat the butter and vanilla extract, once fluffy gradually add half the sugar and half the milk, once mixed together add the other half of sugar and milk. Continue to beat till it is smooth and easy to spread.
If doing a couple of different colours, first divide the cream into batches and add any colouring in and mix with a wooden spoon.

Building the cake (the fun part)
Firstly trim and level the cakes. Split each cake in half, I use a cake cutter/leveler to make this easier. Put your cake board on a cake turner, place a little butter cream on the cake board to secure the cake. Pip around the edge of the cake with the butter cream to make a wall and spread your passion fruit curd on the cake (be generous).

Add the next cake and repeat, then add the 3rd cake and repeat. Add the last cake on top and cover the top and sides of cake with butter cream. place cake in fridge for 2 hours to let the icing set. I find this makes it easier to work with the cake so you don’t keep getting bits of cake mixing with the butter cream.
Decorating (the really fun part)
Once you got the colours you are after, place cream into piping bags and start piping. I used a rose nozzle to get the effect of waves. Keep working your way around the cake, I did two rows of each colour and finished the top doing the same pattern and VOILA you are finished.
Place it in the fridge and bring out to room temperature before serving.

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The finer party details below:
Donuts & Cookies by @sweetlybakedperth
Large navy round balloon & #1 white balloon from @Partiesmadepretty
Luca’s outfit: His white nautical shirt was his fathers when he was a little boy so over 35 years old. Pants and bow tie from Ollies Place Luca’s hat I made myself.
Luca’s birthday present: Personalized Trike from @hipkids
High chair from @stokkebaby
Cake by me.

I hope you enjoyed reading if you have any questions please pop them below.

This blog is in no way sponsored, all wording and pictures are my own.