Readers' Rory Lion Cakes

Last month, I received an email each from two readers, Mahwish of Pakistan and Lily of Germany, who both made Rory Lion cakes for their sons' 1st birthday celebrations. How coincidental and lovely is that?!

Mahwish's Rory Lion cake:


This Rory looks handsome, thoughtful and gentle, agree?

Mahwish wrote to ask me what I used to ice the cake but unfortunately I was in Penang at that time and couldn't reply her on time. However, Mahwish went ahead and made a beautiful cake using marzipan for Rory's features which is as per the original recipe from the book. I substituted with sugarpaste fondant when I make this cake because marzipan is expensive and hard to find here. Mahwish's Rory's mane looks like it was made with buttercream. Royal icing would give stiffer results. Rory's whiskers were spaghetti. I like the wiggly mane on Mahwish's Rory's forehead.

Lily made her Rory Lion cake for her son Leon and I want to share her letter with you all because Leon's such a cutie, and that picture of the toddler sleeping standing up--it's priceless and so funny! (Is that one of Leon's guests, Lily?) Lily said this was the first cake she has ever decorated, and she was very good at it. She said:

Hi Terri,

i want to show you my first try:



I had big problems with putting the royal icing (3 colours) in the same piping bag.
The consistence of my icing was too thick.
And I hadn't enough icing, so some areas are not covered with icing.
But it was too late to make some new. I went to bed at 6 am!
I was tired like this :-))



...but it was my first cake decorations...so i can be proud of, that the cake really looks like a lion :-)

And Leon had a nice birthday party with some friends.







Next Saturday we'll celebrate his birthday with the big family. I'm gonna bake this cake again and I hope
the cake will look better. :-))
I'll send you more pics.

Everybody loves this lion cake, especially my husband. He was surprised that I could do that!
As I told, I have never decorated a cake in my life before.
Thanks you so much, Terri for this wonderful recipe.

All the best wishes
Lily

A week or two later, Lily made a second attempt and it looks like she can start a bakery shop:


This Rory looks mischievious!

Well done and thanks to both Lily and Mahwish who shared these precious moments and pictures with us. A store-bought cake will still get the kids smiling but it is extra special when their moms make an effort, just for them. What are moms for, if not to make us feel we are precious and loved, the center of their lives! I think it's wonderful.

I love getting mail from you all, and have started a category called Readers' Mail. I look forward to more mail from all of you!

p.s. Did anyone notice that both Mahwish and Lily placed their cakes on clear glass stands?? Another coincidence!