Here’s Ramona (and Zuzu) on her birthday, playing with her excellent new trolley bus toy that my mom got for her at the Clark. She also has a new yellow bunny from Susan and the best, softest, cutest doggie ever from Rope Swing Studio.

And what better way to celebrate a dog-loving girl’s birthday than with a dog-shaped cake? Thanks to Martha Stewart for the recipe (cake here and frosting here) and templates and to Adriane for the extra-large pastry tip.

In retrospect, this cake was a bit much. It took the better part of the day to make and, as you can see, is the size of an actual dog. Still, it was kind of fun. And yummy.

And how old are you, Ramona?