Australian Women’s Weekly and Royal Mint celebrate 45th anniversary of Children’s Birthday Cake Book

Forget Bake Off, it’s time to go retro as the Australian Women’s Weekly has joined with the Royal Australian Mint to celebrate the 45th anniversary of the Children’s Birthday Cake Book with a set of commemorative coins and a whole selection of recipe nostalgia. The Mint has released 12 coins, each of which feature one of the book’s iconic cakes, and which are available only at newsXpress outlets. The newsXpress shop in Albany is at Bayonet Head shopping centre. There are 11 $1 coins and one $2 coin to collect, along with all sorts of other memorabilia including a replica magazine version of the Children’s Birthday Cake Book and a set of recipe cards. Albany newsXpress copies of the limited-edition hardcover cake book have already sold out and store owner Carla Onions said the city’s coin collectors had also been plundering her stocks. “It’s such a clever concept, tying it all together and having the coins, recipe cards and the presentation packs,” she said. “The $2 is now legal tender so you can get those in your change while there’s a one in 10 chance of finding a Choo-Choo Train coin in the 10-coin tubes. “I’m over the moon to be bringing these delightful new coins to Albany, they are a wonderful tribute to the iconic Aussie book.” The Australian Women’s Weekly Children’s Birthday Cake Book was first released in 1980 and has been at the heart of childhood celebrations since then. Mark Fletcher, managing director of newsXpress, said the chance to pick up the special $2 coin was an excellent reason to pay with cash. “We are thrilled to celebrate this book that is dear to the hearts of so many Australians,” he said. The coins were designed by the Mint’s Lydia Ashe and capture the quirkiness of each original cake with popcorn hairstyles, chocolate-finger echidna quills – and no soggy bottoms.