Happy Birthday Barbie

As a child it was a tough decision when going out to eat at McDonalds and having to choose between a hotwheels toy or a Barbie, but eventually I ended up with a good collection of the latter. Yes, even though I loved to play in the dirt, deep down inside, I was a Barbie Girl.

Well, this is a special year for Barbie--that's right, it's Barbie's 50th birthday! (and yet she doesn't seem to have aged a bit... odd...)

Barbie Millicent Roberts was "born" on March 9, 1959--50 years ago!!!--created by Ruth Handler for the Mattel company. Critics of the doll say it presents an unrealistic body image for girls, pointing to Barbie's large bosom, slim waist, long legs, white skin and blonde tresses (what about her abnormally small feet? has anyone ever been able to get a Barbie doll to stand up on its own? just curious...) . Fans say Barbie encourages young girls -- and boys -- by giving them aspirations to be scientists, disco dancers, fashion models, astronauts, rock stars or lifeguards. Despite the ongoing debate over Barbie's impact on American culture, the doll remains one of the best-known and best-selling dolls on the market. Mattel claims that three Barbies are sold every second.--come on, who hasn't owned a Barbie; I think I might even still have mine around here somewhere... (http://who2.com/barbie.html)

Well, to celebrate this wonderous occasion, a memorial was created in honor of Barbie. The creation was unvieled down under in Sydney Australia, a product of the combined efforts of fashion designer Alex Perry, jewelery designer Stefano Canturi, hairdresser Joh Bailey, and the help of Sweet Art Bakers--yes, you heard me, bakers--this memorial my friends, was a seven-foot tall "Barbie doll" chocolate mud cake. Yeah, a real, mostly edible, CAKE.


Don't believe me? I almost didn't believe it myself, but trust me on this one, that thing is a pastry masterpiece of sugary sweetness. Why they chose to honor Barbie with a cake, I'll never know, but I personally think it's by far one of the most awesome things I've ever seen.



So, let's get the facts: 1 chocolate cake--2,645 lbs--covered in gold icing, gold silk, a gold tulle skirt, and 2,000 Swarovski crystals, based on the design for the limited edition 50th Anniversary Barbie Doll... all together, values about $50,000. Are your eyes popping out of their sockets yet? Come on, are you not completely WOWED yet???



Here we have Jean Michel Raynaud, pastry chef and creative director of Sweet Art in Sydney--basically the guy responsible for this fantabulous work of art.


That's Australian model Erika Heynatz cutting the cake--that must have been tragic.

I don't know about you, but personally--especially after taking a few classes in cake decorating--I'm completely and utterly spellbound by this cake.

Pictures and cake info: Eat Me Daily