Australian Women's Weekly Train Cake

On this day a year ago at 11.58pm, we welcomed the Little Sister.  She weighed 4.24kilos and surprised me with her beautiful red hair.

A week later we celebrated the Big Sister's third birthday at the farm.  I wanted the day to be all about her - so she would know that there was enough affection and attention to go around.

How did I decide to prove my love?  The Australian Women's Weekly Train cake.

Before I go any further, I must pay homage to my beautiful father, JC - who constructed the majority of the cake while I fed the (very) Little Sister.  My Dad is a genius when it comes to decorating cakes.  His artistic flair is entirely wasted in his career as a long-haul pilot.  Had he chosen a career based in pastry, he would rival Zumbo.  For a QANTAS pilot, the man makes one helluva cake.

The cake turned out beautifully, with very little input from me in the end.  In fact, it was probably more of a declaration of Poppy's love for the Big Sister than mine.  (But I won't necessarily remind her of that when, during her surly teenage years, I drag out the photos in a desperate yet futile attempt to prove my devotion.)

The AWW train cake is an Australian institution.  I'm sure that all Australians of my vintage have at some point coveted this cake.

So, when my brother-in-law recently told me about this video by Aussie comedian Josh Earl, I had to share it with you.

It's gold. I hope you enjoy it as much as I did!

Do you have a favourite childhood birthday cake?

Mine would be the gingerbread house for my third birthday - a family friend made it for me.