Every adult can relate to how Bandit felt in the season two classic “Duck Cake.” The exasperation of struggling so hard to do something for the sake of others, and the pressure we put on ourselves to try and make someone else happy. It’s not easy being like Bandit, but it’s worth it to make tails wag. Bandit could have spared himself a few grey hairs if he put things into perspective, though, as we just learned that the very same cake he made for Bingo’s birthday has traumatized parents for generations. As it turns out, the Duck Cake… is real!
A Redditor in the Bluey subreddit by the name of SSTralala posted this photo, and explained how the eponymous dessert originated from a famous cookbook. The Australian Women’s Weekly’s Children’s Birthday Cake Cook Book has been in circulation since the 80s, enjoying multiple reprints for over 40 years since it first landed on bookstore shelves. By today’s standards, calling it “out of date” would be an understatement, but it’s also become a staple for many homebakers in The Land Down Under. Whether for actual information or nostalgia’s sake, this book remains a trusted reference for a generation of cooks.
This recipe is titled “Rubber Ducky,” and utilized your basic yellow cake recipe and store-bought ingredients to make it seem like a deceptively simple cake. It’s only five paragraphs long, a two-page short story filled with big photos to make it stand out. But there’s a reason why so much of this recipe can be achieved with buying premade items. The real struggle is in the construction.
The fact that this book suggests using thin skewers to support the weight of a butter cake is astounding. Frank Lloyd Wright would have a heart attack looking at the foundations on this thing. It’s no wonder Bandit was ready to cry when that duck head slid off. There was no realistic way it would even stay put with such weak structure!
Admittedly, it’s kind of cute from a distance- and I dig the potato chip beak – but I never understood why this duck needed a popcorn perm. Unless this cake has an audition for a cameo in “The Partridge Family,” it seems unnatural and bizarre. Ducks don’t have curly golden locks on their head, so this was a choice made by someone who either hated how bald ducks looked to them, or wanted some extra nonsense to make this recipe seem even more grand. I’m betting it was a little bit of both.
You can pick up The Australian Women’s Weekly’s Children’s Birthday Cake Cook Book from Amazon for a reasonable price, and it might be worth it for some fun. There are other wacky recipes in there that are more practical, and others that are even more bonkers!
In case you’re curious, the Clown Cake recipe that traumatized the entire family is also in this book. I don’t want to say more about it in case it turns into a Candyman situation, because the last thing I want to do is invoke an evil circus monster to invade my home. He wasn’t a very funny clown…
The official Bluey website has also posted this recipe with a credit to this book, so this reference is a verified fact from the creators.
Update: If you’re into making some of the food from Bluey, I suggest checking out Bluey and Bingo’s Fancy Restaurant Cookbook on Amazon. It’s a great entry level cookbook with recipes you can make with children, including many of your favorites from the show.
* This site contains product affiliate links. We may receive a commission if you make a purchase after clicking on one of these links.
