What Makes 'I Was Told There'D Be Cake' Essays Relatable?

Today I want to share my go-to toolkit for sculpting Kakashi's mask and hair — I get a little giddy every time I work on a 'Naruto' themed cake. For the mask I usually start with gum paste (with a pinch of tylose or CMC mixed in) because it dries firm and holds that sharp half-mask shape over the face. I roll it thin on a silicone mat using a small rolling pin or mini pasta machine, then cut the eye slit and edges with a sharp X-Acto or scalpel. A ball tool and foam pad help thin the edges and give that natural contour around the nose and cheek. For black finish I prefer black fondant for smooth coverage, but you can paint gum paste with concentrated gel colors thinned in food-grade alcohol for deeper black without softening the paste. For the hair, I love using modeling chocolate for sculpting chunky spikes — it smooths beautifully and doesn't crack like fondant sometimes does. If I need volume, I build an armature from floral wire or wooden skewers wrapped in cling and cover it with Rice Krispies treats (RKT) to bulk up the shape, then layer modeling chocolate or gum paste over that. A set of modeling tools (veiners, veining tool, ball tool, knife), silicone texture mats, and a veining wheel make the spiky texture read from a distance. Small rounded cutters and a toothpick are great for recreating the stray hairs and direction lines. Other essentials: edible glue, clear piping gel, a jar of cornflour or powdered sugar for dusting, stainless-steel palette knives, and a good set of dusting colors (black, charcoal, pewter) and matte finish spray for the final look. An airbrush can add subtle shadows across the mask and hair spikes; if you don't have one, dry brushing with powdered petal dust works well. I always let pieces dry on foam blocks with pins to hold angles, and I assemble delicate parts on-site to avoid transport damage — seeing Kakashi’s eye peeking through that mask never fails to make me smile.

I stumbled upon 'Look Both Ways: A Tale Told in Ten Blocks' while browsing for something fresh, and wow, it’s this gem that weaves together ten interconnected stories about kids walking home from school. Each block—or chapter—unfolds a unique perspective, like a mosaic of middle school life. The book’s magic lies in how Jason Reynolds captures the quirks, fears, and tiny triumphs of these characters. One kid’s obsessed with boogers, another’s grappling with loss, and there’s even a budding romance on a bus. It’s hilarious, heartwarming, and surprisingly deep, like eavesdropping on a dozen different worlds that somehow collide. The structure feels like flipping through a scrapbook of adolescence—messy, vibrant, and utterly real. Reynolds doesn’t shy away from tough topics (bullying, poverty), but he handles them with this lightness that never feels preachy. I loved how the stories loop back to each other, like spotting a familiar face in a crowd. By the end, you realize these aren’t just random tales; they’re slices of a neighborhood alive with secrets and solidarity. It’s the kind of book that makes you grin at the absurdity of being human while quietly breaking your heart.

Pricing for a 'Doraemon' cake can swing a lot depending on what you want — I’ve seen everything from a cute simple sheet cake to a full sculpted 3D figure. If you want a small 6–8 inch buttercream cake with a printed edible topper of 'Doraemon', expect something in the $30–$70 range at a local bakery. Move up to a neatly decorated fondant 2D design or hand-painted details and it usually lands around $70–$150. For a fully sculpted 3D cake, multiple tiers, or intricate hand-modeled fondant figures, prices often start around $150 and can climb to $300–$500 or more in big cities. Other costs pop up too: custom flavors, premium fillings, rush orders, delivery, and the bakery's reputation. I once paid extra for a sugar-paste 'Doraemon' topper because the artist captured the expression perfectly — small details like that add labor time and cost. If you’re on a budget, ask for a buttercream version or a printed image instead of molded figurines; you can often get the look for much less. Personally, I love a cake that looks character-accurate without breaking the bank, so I usually compromise on sculpting and splurge on flavor — that worked out great for my last party.

Bright blue icing always gets me giddy, especially when it's shaped exactly like 'Doraemon'. I usually break this down by decoration type because that’s what actually decides how long the cake will stay lovely. If the cake is covered in fondant (that smooth, sculpted look), the fondant helps keep moisture in and you can safely leave it at cool room temperature for about 1–2 days in a clean, dry place. Buttercream-covered cakes do fine out of the fridge for a day if your room isn’t hot, but I still prefer to chill them overnight—they taste fresher that way. If your 'Doraemon' cake has whipped cream, fresh fruit, custard, or other dairy fillings, treat it like fragile treasure: refrigerate immediately and plan to eat within 24–48 hours. For longer storage I freeze slices (wrapped tightly in plastic and then foil) and they keep great for up to 2–3 months; thaw in the fridge overnight to avoid sogginess. Also, when you pull a chilled cake out to serve, let it sit 20–30 minutes so flavors open and you don’t get that cold, clumpy mouthfeel. I always stash a slice in the freezer for emergency late-night nostalgia—works every time.

Totally doable — making a 'Doraemon' theme cake at home is much easier than it looks and honestly, it's a lot of fun. I love nerding out over character bakes, and 'Doraemon' is perfect because his design is simple and iconic: round blue head, white face patch, red collar and nose, yellow bell, and those whiskers. Start with a basic round cake recipe you already trust — a vanilla sponge or a simple chocolate works great. Bake two 8- or 9-inch rounds if you want a taller profile, or a single thicker cake if you prefer. Let the layers cool completely, trim any domes, and stack with a thin layer of filling (jam, chocolate ganache, or buttercream). The trick to a clean character look is a smooth crumb coat: slap on a thin layer of buttercream, chill for 20–30 minutes, then finish with a final smooth coat. If you want the classic bright blue, gel food coloring is your best friend because it won’t thin your buttercream the way liquid colors do. Tint most of the buttercream blue for the outer fur, leave some white for the face patch, a dab of red for the collar and nose, and a little yellow for the bell. For an easy route, roll out blue fondant and drape it over the cake, smoothing gently — I use the fondant method when I want really crisp lines. For a softer, more homemade look, pipe the blue buttercream with an offset spatula smoothing tool or the back of a spoon. Use a round white fondant or piped white buttercream circle for the face area, then use small fondant pieces or piped buttercream for eyes, nose, collar, and bell. Toothpicks, edible markers, or melted chocolate are great for whiskers and the mouth outline. If you don’t want to sculpt details, candy pieces (white chocolate discs for eyes, an M&M for the nose) work perfectly. Timing, tools, and little hacks: give yourself at least a few hours from start to finish if you're new to decorating — baking, cooling, crumb coat, chill, decorate. A turntable makes smoothing so much easier, but a plate works in a pinch. Chill the cake between frosting stages to prevent colors from bleeding. If you’re short on tools, zip-top bags with a corner snipped are excellent improvised piping bags. For a face guide, print a small silhouette of 'Doraemon' and lightly press it onto the frosting (or fondant) as a template. If fondant intimidates you, try the buttercream piping method: use a round tip to fill the blue area, then switch to a flat circle tip for a smooth face patch. For dietary tweaks, boxed cake mixes, dairy-free butter creams, or store-bought fondant make this project even more accessible. Honestly, I’ve made a few character cakes and the best part is watching faces light up when they recognize their favorite blue robot cat. Mistakes like uneven circles or lopsided eyes are fixable with a dab of extra frosting or a decorative border. Keep it playful — imperfections add charm — and you’ll end up with a cake that tastes great and looks adorable on the table. It’s a delightful weekend project that brings out the kid in everyone; I still grin seeing that round blue face holding court at a party.

Reading 'Lies My Teacher Told Me' was like having a bucket of cold water dumped on my head—it completely shattered my rosy view of American history education. One of the biggest lies exposed is the sanitized version of Christopher Columbus's 'discovery' of America. The book dismantles the heroic myth, laying bare the brutal realities of colonization, enslavement, and genocide against Indigenous peoples. It’s staggering how textbooks gloss over this violence, framing it as a noble quest instead of a tragedy. Another jaw-dropper was the whitewashing of figures like Woodrow Wilson, often painted as a progressive idealist. The book reveals his outright racism and segregationist policies, which textbooks conveniently ignore. It’s infuriating how education cherry-picks facts to uphold certain narratives. After reading this, I couldn’t help but side-eye every history class I’d ever taken.

Totally doable — you can absolutely get a customized 'Hello Kitty' head cake topper made locally, and it’s often easier than people expect. I’d start by sketching the look you want: smiling eyes, bow color, maybe a tiny prop like a balloon or glasses. Local cake decorators usually work in fondant, gum paste, modeling chocolate, or even food-safe resin for keepsake toppers. Bring clear reference photos and say what size you want (3–6 inches usually works). Ask about color-matching — many bakers mix gel colors to hit pastel pinks or bolder reds — and whether the bow will be separate so it won’t crack during transport. For edible toppers, check drying times and storage suggestions so it stays firm for the party. Also, be mindful if this is for sale or wide distribution: 'Hello Kitty' is a trademark, and commercial use can require permission from the rights holder. For a personal birthday cake it’s generally fine, but if a bakery plans to reproduce and sell licensed designs they’ll handle licensing. I love watching a simple sketch turn into a tiny, perfect face on top of a cake — it always makes the celebration feel extra special.

Man, I was scrolling through Stray Kids' content the other day and stumbled upon that adorable clip of Seungmin celebrating his birthday! From what I remember—and trust me, I rewatched it like five times because it was too cute—he had this fluffy strawberry shortcake with layers of fresh cream and whole strawberries on top. The cake looked *so* light and airy, like it would just melt in your mouth. What really got me was how Seungmin's whole face lit up when he saw it. He's usually so composed, but in that moment, he looked like an excited kid. The members were teasing him about blowing out the candles properly, and the whole vibe was just wholesome. Makes me wanna hunt down a bakery that does cakes like that now!