Swallows and Amazons Birthday cakes

Stir up Sunday falls on 23rd November this year. I thought it would be lovely to share ideas for literary Christmas cakes. Do send in photos of yours.

We made a ‘Swallows and Amazons’ seed cake with caraway seeds and almonds, which reminded me of being on Peel Island.

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Not so long ago, Miranda Gore Brown brought her version of Mrs Dixon’s traditional fruit cake to The Arthur Ransome Society pirate feast, along with her book Bake Me A Cake As Fast As You Can, which has ideas on how to ice cakes.

Miranda has all sort of ideas for baking here. She made this cake for her son’s birthday, described in detail here, but does anyone have a recipe for ‘Cook’s black cake’ or bun loaf fried up after being dropped in the lake?

Miranda Gore Browne's Swallows and Amazons cake

This amazing cake was made to commemorate the 50th Anniversary of the original film ‘Swallows and Amazons’. I love the fact that it is in the shape of a storybook.

Celebrating 50th Anniversary of the movie 'Swallows and Amazons' in 2024 — Celebrating 50th Anniversary of the movie ‘Swallows and Amazons’ in 2024

A huge cake was baked to hail the launch of Julian Lovelock’s book ‘Swallows, Amazons and Coots‘.

Cake depicting the book cover of Swallows Amazons and Coots

This cake illustrates Arthur Ransome’s novel ‘Great Northern?’ set on the Isle of Lewis where filming took place for the DVD ‘Encountering the Ransomes’ released by The Arthur Ransome Society

Great Northern cake

We would love to see your ideas for literary decorations. Here are a few more to inspire you:

Winter Holiday cake - the tarn

~Winner of The Susan Prize~

It was my privilege to award The Susan Prize to the girls who baked this cake. It proved they must have loved Arthur Ransome’s book ‘Winter Holiday’. The Swallows, Amazons and Ds are obviously contemplating whether or not to skate on the tarn that I understand was made by melting sweets and ‘took absolutely ages.’ You can see two of the characters approaching the ice.

Winter holiday cake - Dorothea skating

Dorothea, the aspiring novelist, is skating around this cake, which tasted so delicious it almost transported me to the banks of the tarn itself.

Winter holiday cake - the igloo

~Winner of the Crumbly Creations~

A number of crumbly creations, using biscuits and chocolate, gave us a good idea of what the igloo in ‘Winter Holiday’ must have looked like, while this birthday cake was inspired by the Puffin cover of ‘Swallows and Amazons’.

Swallows and Amazons birthday cake from Rebecca Asker — Detail of a Swallows and Amazons cake based on the Puffin cover

Swallowy dodgers with slices of cake claimed by Amazon pirates were on offer at Lakeland Arts to accompany their Swallows and Amazons exhibition:

“There was an enormous gooseberry tart” recipe published in Signals:

Gooseberry tart Outlaw 54

Elizabeth Rondthaler Jolley sent this photo from America:

Elizabeth Rondthaler Jolleys igloo cake

Adam Quinan has written from Canada: ‘I made this for an Arthur Ransome Birthday party event in Toronto back in January 2004. We went skating on an outdoor rink and ate Igloo hotpot and then came inside and listened to some storytellers retelling some of ‘Old Peter’s Russian Tales’ with the ‘Winter Holiday’ cake and tea.’

WH Cake

Lucy Bailey-Wright of The Arthur Ransome Society wrote:

‘After a wonderful weekend at Swallowdale my girls have been full of love for all things Swallows and Amazons. So I had a go at a Swallows & Amazons themed cake! Had to be a number 5 too! Candles were in the camp fire!’

Arthur Herbertson designed this Birthday cake, which celebrates ‘Secret Water’ published eighty years ago.

Swallows and Amazons cake by Arthur Herbertson without candles

The Swallows, Amazons and Ds seem to be sailing around Wild Cat Island in this Birthday cake made by Mae Fuller

Another igloo has been sent in by AusTARS –

This cake depicting Wild Cat Island was made for a special birthday that included the lantern in the lighthouse tree and leading lights.

This cake of Potter Heigham Bridge in Norfolk with the Teasel passing beneath that was also made by AusTARS in celebration of Arthur Ransome’s birthday.

I love this gingerbread cake featuring the adder who lived in the charcoal burner’s tobacco box. ‘Is it safe to touch?’ made by Arwen Seccombe of The Arthur Ransome Society

We would love to see your photographs of any cakes inspired by Arthur Ransome’s books. Please contact me via the comments below.

You can see other examples of Swallows and Amazons cakes as well as ideas for parties here.

To find ideas for Swallows, Amazons and Coots Birthday presents, please click here.

I didn’t bake this lovely cake – below- I spotted it on Pinterest, but they have made bunting out of the Swallows and Amazons flags I drew:

Original artwork on the bunting drawn by Sophie Neville, having been inspired by Arthur Ransome

Here is a bunloaf baked to celebrate Arthur Ransome’s Birthday in 2022

Wild Cat Island makes a good cake. Here’s one made in January 2022:

There are also some great savory ideas including this eel made by Annie Warwick:

Look at these fabulous macaroons decorating this cake:

Holding an outdoor party with a Swallows and Amazons theme is a great idea, especially if your guests are up for bringing their own tents. A (sensible) campfire and either swimming or archery with geo-cashing or a treasure hunt will keep your guests occupied. Everyone can dress up as explorers or pirates.

There have been some wonderful cake designs posted on Facebook. This impressive creation was put together by Evie and Sam Rose:

Over the years the most amazing ‘Swallows and Amazons’ creations have become quite famous. I have put up a few more ideas on Pinterest here

The cookery book writer and ‘Great British Bake Off’ finalist Miranda Gore Browne transformed her garden into Wild Cat Island, served iced buns and a cake worthy of a pirate feast, sending everyone home with old-fashioned sweets in a tin mug. You can see some of her wonderful party ideas here

Miranda Gore Browne mugs

You could hang ‘Swallows and Amazons’ flags or bunting. The Gingerbread House show you how to make these:

Pippa Middelton and her family, who are related to Arthur Ransome, have a company called Party Pieces who have loads of ideas for Pirate Parties on their blog here. They cater for the younger age group but do sell chocolate pieces of eight and a retractable telescope very like Titty’s is available from their website for only £2.99. I liked the idea of an inflatable parrot, although properly it should be a green one.

I found these 38mm badges and fridge magnets for sale on eBay. They’ve used my own drawing of the crossed flags, without permission, but never mind. They might be something fun to award as prizes for games such as ‘Walk the Plank’ or catching crabs, which you could do literally if you live by the sea. You might find a few ideas for party games here.

I’ve been collecting further ideas for Swallows and Amazons presents. The Nancy Blackett Trust shop has some great things for sale, stocking these porcelain mugs, T-shirts and hats for Amazon pirates of all ages, sometimes stocking these:

StudioCanal have broadened their collection of movie memorabilia on offer to include cushions. They also sell mugs, mouse mats, prints and 400-piece jigsaw puzzels. I like these 300 piece jigsaws.