Janet Campbell

The Red-Fanged Snake Cake

Cake! Is there any other word so guaranteed to start the smiles, the joy, the celebrations?

Our family’s cake story started nearly nine years ago, when my about-to-turn-eight years’ old oldest nephew pleaded with his parents for a red-fanged snake cake for his birthday party. He’d been a bit obsessed with snakes for a while… but this was an unexpected and rather daunting request.

At that time, I had no experience of cake decorating . . . but well, I put up my hand. I was able to borrow a couple of ring cake pans from friends. They seemed to be the style most likely to lend themselves to snaky body curls. Those red fangs? A red Freddo frog and a very sharp scalpel. And how to keep the snake’s mouth open so that we could all admire those red fangs? … a clear plastic decorative plate stand. Yes, it all worked and we had one super happy birthday boy.

A birthday boy with two younger brothers… my nephews’ birthday cake tradition had just got underway.

Fortunately, I was able to find a wonderful bakery offering cake decorating lessons. Thanks to Mandie at Three Sweeties, I’m so grateful for the skills and techniques that I’ve learned.

Every birthday offers a new challenge. My philosophy has been… whatever they want! These past years’ birthday cake challenges have included: roller skates, bats & spiders, a koala, Nerf Gun, Thomas the Tank Engine, Pikachu, Lego, Minecraft, Star Wars BB-8, Shrek Swamp House, Septiceye Sam, Sonic the Hedgehog and many more.

My oldest nephew is about to turn 17. Yet I have no doubt that he’s already thinking about this year’s birthday cake theme. I doubt they’re going to outgrow this given their Dad asked for a cake featuring the Star Trek Enterprise attacking a Borg Cube for his 60th.  I’m looking forward to many more years of crazy and very enjoyable family and friends’ cake challenges.

How to Enrol

On-line: after bookings have opened

On-line enrolments are preferred as this significantly reduces the amount of back-office work for our volunteers.

  • Login to the U3APP.org.au website.
  • Go to the Courses & Enrolling page.
  • Scroll down to find the course that you are interested in.
  • Does the course have spaces available?
    • Click on the course name to go to the booking page.
    • Click on “Book for this course or event”.
    • You will receive a confirmation email.  Please check your Junk/Spam folders as these automatically-generated emails often finish up there.
  • OR is the course shown as FULL?
    • Click on WAITLIST.

Paper Enrolment Form: before bookings open for First Semester

  • Obtain a paper Enrolment Form either from the Office or by printing an online copy available here.
  • Complete the paper Enrolment Form and submit it to the Office.

The start date for acceptance of paper Enrolment Forms for first semester is published on the U3APP website and in the e-Bulletin. Enrolment Forms received before this date are treated as though they had been received on the start date (ie there is no advantage to be gained by submitting early). On the start date and thereafter, paper Enrolment Forms are numbered in order of receipt.  Paper Enrolment forms are processed by U3APP volunteers on the same day as on-line bookings.

If your enrolment is successful, you will receive a confirmation email.  Please check your Junk/Spam folders as these automatically-generated emails often finish up there.

If your enrolment is unsuccessful,  you will receive an email telling you that you have been waitlisted.

Via the Office: after bookings have opened

  • Contact the office in person, or by email or phone.