Time to face facts … I’m 40

There’s been some kind of freak-of-nature accident which has resulted in my being transported forward in time to my 40th birthday. Because I’m actually only 25 years old.

Okay, well actually, no, but that’s sure how it feels. I can hardly believe that I’ve reached this milestone, but here I am. Not being much of a party person, I managed to avoid having a party by instead having a whole 40th festival, spanning 3 weeks. And now it’s done, I don’t want to do it again for at least another 10 years.

But seriously, it was great. The whole shebang (except for the bit where I gave myself a nasty bump on the head after a few too many drinks … but maybe we won’t go into that). One of the celebrations was a lunch for family and a few close family friends which was expertly catered for by Bec and Dave of Stir it Up Catering in Glengowrie, South Australia. A gluten-free gourmet barbecue spread. Absolutely fantastic!

Then there was the cake. Stuck for ideas, I went with the cake that I’d always wanted as a child (sorry about the guilt-trip, Mum!). The ballerina cake from the Australian Womens’ Weekly Children’s Birthday Cake Book. I grew up in regional South Australia, so there was no chance of getting those ballerinas. In fact, I don’t think I even asked for the cake because I knew we’d never get to the shop that sold them.

So it seemed the obvious choice for my 40th. Sort of like a bucket-list cake.  It was a magnificent gluten-free creation by Heidelberg Cakes. And because it said “Happy 40th Birthday Kate”, it attracted much interest when I went to pick it up from the shop. It was fantastic on the inside, too – chocolate mousse sandwiched between layers of light and fluffy chocolate sponge.

And the best bit? Owner and cake-maker James is a Coeliac, so he really knows his stuff. It was novel not to have to worry about cross-contamination!

My eldest daughter celebrated her birthday this past week. When flicking through the latest Australian Womens’ Weekly Kids’ Party Cakes Cookbook, she suggested I make her the Carousel birthday cake, which looks monstrously difficult. Naturally, I suggested that she pay a cakemaker to create it for her 40th birthday!