The best 1980s cake decorating book. EVER.

 Hi!

A confession: I love 1980s/early 1990s cake making/home decor/DIY books. Obviously the best and only place to get them is from charity shops. 

Today, I think I may have found the best cake decorating book ever, from 1985. Here are a few examples of why I think this. 

The first cake is a 21st birthday cake. We have the 21 year old man on the top tier; below this though we have 1st, 7th and 14th birthday representations. Nothing odd here... except the 14 year old cake-boy is smoking a fag and drinking a pint! 

I think "Fun events: Teenage party" may be an oxymoron for most adults.

However, I think Polly Pinder was ahead of her time regarding those parties advertised on Facebook, where friends of friends of friends and strangers turn up.

What can be better than a riotous teenage party cake? Well, passing your driving test (for which there is also a cake) as well as FAILING your driving test! Yes, why not have a cake to celebrate not passing your test? The.. ahem, 3... times I failed I would have loved a cake!? Actually, thinking about it, what better way to commiserate than gorging on cake!

And so we leave the turbulent teen years: it's now time for the grown-up world.

Riiiiight...

Just going to add here that at our (histology department) Christmas do last year, the last person (erm... me) left the pub at 8.30pm. Debauchery!

The next cake is probably my favourite. I just do not get it: but at the same time love it. WHY? Why would you make a cake for this "occasion"?

Yes, SWINGERS!?

There are more excellent cakes in this book but the last I will put here is the Harassed Mother. 

Well, it's only three years until he's drinking and smoking!

I didn't get this cake when I first glanced at it. I wondered why she'd put "harassed" when the children looked so well behaved. Then I noticed they're bound and gagged. Genius!

In my opinion, this is the best cake decorating book ever. Polly Pinder, I salute you!

Vintage kitchenalia! Vintage sledge!

'Ellloooo.

Thought I'd post some photos of items we won at a Norfolk auction last week. Some are for Den of Vintiquity, some for meeeee (and my mum).

When we saw the lot that included this we knew we'd have to have it. My mum is looking forward to making a chocolate snowman cake in the next couple of weeks. The teddy cake tin came in the same lot. 

Stretched for time at the moment, so I've not looked up what the story is with this flask. It has a cork stopper which baffled my mum and me. Not that it takes much to do that. 

I will be attempting to attach these moulds to the kitchen wall at sometime. Thinking of hunting out more and making it a feature. I love the tarnishes.

One lot seems to have come from a house where the kitchen colour scheme was yellow. I've not taken any photos but there's also a vintage meat grinder in yellow. This 1950s cream maker has the instructions with it. 

Now this. This is glorious. A vintage horned German sledge. Just in time for Christmas!

My mum also brought a vintage wedding dress down from Norfolk. But to do it justice I'll give it its own post. 

The sledge and some of the kitchen items will be in Den of Vintiquity soon!

Thanks for looking.