Let them Hulk Smash Cake!

Let them Hulk Smash cake?!

What am I talking about? Who turned all these tiny humans into Godzillas in a cake candy-land?!

Well, I'd never heard of it either but apparently it began in America and has grown in popularity over here in Australia too. 

What it is, is that you have your child basically wreck a cake on their first birthday for the cute factor, and you photograph them doing so. They don't even have to eat it, they can walk on it, throw it, nibble some icing, hell, they can sit in the darn thing if they wish. 

"...and I can make a huge mess with no repercussions?"

I'm only aware of it because one of my friends is doing one for their soon to be one year old. The funny thing though, is that it's sort of a PC Rule #34 that once you think about it, it's definitely as thing and it is everywhere because I have heard it name dropped in casual conversation at work and seen it in other media too. 

It's kind of clever, because it's probably the one time a parent will celebrate their child making an veritable mess of..... well, themselves for a start but potentially a floor or heck an entire room! Yet - these children are not likely to remember it and to recreate it at an older age. 

Heck, if they're anything like me, they will eat cake so daintily, so as not to waste even a single crumb. 

The cynic in me scoffs at these things though. I mean, when it comes down to it, it seems like it could be just another way to drag money out of parents. These things seem to target women in particular - it's like weddings, and pregnancies - there are enormous markets out there for anything and everything and if it's there, there's gonna be a price tag that leans towards the higher price. 

Sceptical? Go to your local baker and ask for a quote for a birthday cake. Then, go back later and ask for a quote for the same kind of cake but for a wedding. You'll be enlightened. Angry, sure, but then enlightened. (and probably craving cake)

That said, this sort of thing doesn't require a super fancy cake, a personal photographer, wearing a special suit or hiring out a hall. In fact, if you're careful it could cost next to nothing. Furthermore, if you're very careful, you won't even have much to clean up! 

It's not a set in stone rite of passage but it sounds like a fun thing to do that could make some interesting photos and memories. We've all dreamed of diving into a pile of cake, don't lie!

So if you do it, do it for you and because you want to, and have a great time!
Make sure your kid has a great time! Make sure you pull a Dexter and glad wrap the entire room you choose to do it in!
But don't feel you have to do it if you aren't keen, or feel like a bad parent if you don't do it because you aren't. Believe me, your kids will find a way to recreate the mess in another way later on!

Whatever you do, just make sure it's fabulous!

There are some commonly accepted pointers though if you are thinking about doing it:

• Be ready: have towels, wet wipes, a mat or tarp for the floor and a bath all good to go
• Keep it to immediate family for maximum fun and less potential mess
• Avoid certain colours, unless you want your child to look like they crapped themselves, developed jaundice or bled everywhere
• Go for easy cakes - sponge with icing not fondant
• If photographing yourself - try to set cameras for auto shoot or multiple shots
• Get involved, as the baby may not even realise this is an edible thing (ironically, as apparently everything else in the world will end up in their mouth at some time)
• Don't bother about putting them in too much more than a diaper
• If things get too messy, you can always set your (friendly) dogs on your kid. As well as being extra cute, it'll get a lot of mess out of the way! Just be sure that they can eat it without getting ill.