Check out the beautiful birthday cake that my sister Janet gave me last week…
When I first opened the cake box, I was sort of stunned because she knows I’m not really into sweets (I like a bite or two), but then her kids (twins, ages 13) started laughing and I realized it wasn’t really a sugary “dessert” cake at all! My very health-conscience, loving, big sister had given me a MEATLOAF and MASHED POTATO birthday cake!
Janet doesn’t like to handle red meat, so of course I asked “where did you have this made”?
I was absolutely shocked to learn that she mixed up the RAW ground beef herself and spent the whole day baking, molding and decorating it.
It was the most thoughtful (and delicious) birthday cake I’ve ever had, and it was even better the next day with fried eggs on top!
I asked Janet for the recipe and she said she pretty much made it up as she went along, but here are her notes in case you want to try it:
“I actually used about 2 1/2 pounds of meat and then added about 1 1/2 cups of bread crumbs, 3 eggs, sauteed onion (large), about 1/2 cup of heavy cream, salt & pepper & 1 tablespoon of Ranch Dressing dry mix.
I baked the 2 tiers in a greased pan for about an hour…let cool and then placed in fridge overnight…
For the frosting, I first made the mashed potatoes and then let them cool. Then I frosted the white potato base on the meat cake.
Next I mixed yellow food coloring into the white potatoes and added the yellow potatoes to a piping bag. Using a cake decorating tip, I added the yellow potato to the cake, then I mixed in red food coloring to make the orange!”
Thanks again! Can’t WAIT for next year!
my last bite... 
I would have never thought of this great Idea, this is beyond beautiful.
Janet! You did a fantastic job on this cake, bless your hands!
Jo! Iam happy you were exited and enjoyed it, the first & second day!
Love you both!
OK, so she got me! I saw pictures of this and didn’t read the text. I thought “Wow, nice looking cake.”
Then I read the text. Meat Loaf with potato icing. That’s not only genius, that’s mad-scientist-foodie-genius at work type of stuff.
Some dishes look too pretty to eat. This is one of those, but you know it would be an insult not to.
Janet, you are the bomb. What a great sister you are.
What a neat idea! It looks great!!
Wow! I think I will make myself an unbirthday cake this weekend! Good on your big sis, and Happy Birthday!
Wow…that’s genius. What a great sister!
Happy belated birthday! That’s so sweet that your sis handled raw meat just to surprise you 🙂
Awesome! I’m with you, the most anti-climactic part about birthdays is the overly sweet cake, and this is the perfect answer to such an aversion. Love it!
oh wow!! From a first look, I never would have that that this wasn’t a cake. Your sister did a fantastic job!!
Wow! You have such a great sis! I can’t even get a normal cake to look that great =P
This really looks like a cake – I wouldn’t have guessed that it was a meatloaf and mashed potatoes – how creative!
This is so creative and beautiful.
What an absolutely cool cake! And what a fantastic sister you have! Happy Birthday!
happy belated Jo!
Hurray for Aries (and apparently, there are a crapload of us?)
When can we see the foie gras loco moco? my friend is deathly curious…
Thank you! And I will upload the Animal Loco Moco on Flickr today just for YOU.
: )
Awesome idea…. perfect for my mom, who loves meat and potatoes, but not so much on the sweets…. gravy would make a great “chocolate sauce”! Thanks!