Input on First Bday Cake!

I can’t believe it, but Dagney’s going to be 1 year old in 2 weeks! WHERE has the time gone??? It’s been quite a year to say the least…

I’ve been checking out bakeries in the area, and for the cake I’d like (Moose A. Moose to be exact!), I’m just not willing to pay the price, so I’ve decided to make it myself. I’m not sure how it’ll turn out, but it doesn’t have to be perfect!

I’d like some input on the cake, though. I’m a pretty good baker, but cakes aren’t my strongest–I don’t like baking something that I can’t taste to make sure it’s ok! Does anyone have any baking/decorating tips they can pass on? The actual cake itself will only be for adults other kids, Dagney will have her own milk/soy-free minicake or cupcakes. I’m planning on just using box cake mix, probably yellow for his body and chocolate for his antlers, and use either jar frosting or a simple buttercream frosting. Does anyone have any suggestions on how I can jazz up the mix or put a really good (maybe chocolatey) filling in between the layers? I’d probably be baking and decorating it hte day before the party, and it would have to be able to be left out. We can put it in the cooler basement, but we’d probably not be able to fit it in the fridge once it’s all assembled and frosted, so if anyone has any input on that too, that would be appreciated!

What did everyone here do for your lo’s first birthday? We’re having a party, more for us, with most of our family and some friends, with somewhere around 20 people. My dh even wanted to get a moonbounce/carnival games, but we’ll hold off on that until our dd can enjoy them too. We have big families and want to celebrate her special day! Dagney really loves people, so I don’t think she’ll have a problem with everyone being here. We’re going to have a Moose A. Moose and Zee theme, my hubby is going to try to draw them on big poster boards, and we’re recording as many of their little video clips as we can in hopes of playing them throughout the party…