I've been asked to bake a cake for a Christening. The baby being Christened has a twin who was stillborn. The mother has requested that the Christening cake name both children. I have no clue what to do with this or what wording to use on the cake that effectively acknowledges the importance of both children on this day. Any advice would be appreciated!

Hi,
wow thats tough, how to represent a happy and sad ocassion!

I suppose the thing to do would be a flat rectangle cake and split down the middle with one half respresenting the baby being christened and the other half representing the baby no longer with us.

You could write each of their names on their half of the cake, with the one half looking like what a christening cake would look like and the other half could be like white clouds with maybe doves on or white butterflies. I found some little poems on the internet that maybe you could take a verse from to write on the cloud half of the cake,

Here is the link -
http://www.butterflymemorials.com/morepoems/morepoems.html

I hope this helps, on a very sad topic. good luck.

Wow, it is a sad occasion. What about doing a sheet, whatever size you need, with a cross on it, both of their names and maybe just some lilies or a dove. No wording. Everyone there will know the occasion is both happy and sad.

The suggestion given is ok but I would not exactly divide the sheet - but just kind of blend the two together somehow. I like these two for wording:

Don't shed tears that she is gone
Or you can smile because she was.

cherish her memory and let it live on.

maybe have the live baby in a christening gown, reaching up to the clouds where his/her twin is, reaching for each other over a cross... Just a thought.

I unfortunately have many friends who have suffered similar losses but I have never been asked to make a cake for such a sad occasion.

However, in the back of my mind I do wonder what I would do in such a situation and keep a few older forum discussions saved for inspiration - maybe these will help you a bit -

http://cakecentral.com/modules.php?name=Forums&file=viewtopic&t=545713&postdays=0&postorder=asc&&start=0

http://cakecentral.com/modules.php?name=Forums&file=viewtopic&t=657965&postdays=0&postorder=asc&&start=0

http://cakecentral.com/modules.php?name=Forums&file=viewtopic&p=6027501&sid=3ce9d9346e16a5c20cfff52d4afd3c26

What an awful story it upsets me to hear of anyone losing children, and I've been shocked to learn over the past couple of years just how often it does happen.

I don't know about what to write on the cake, I'm not really one for words. But what sprung to my mind was to do an open book, then you can put a picture of the christening baby on one side/page, then something to do with the other baby on the other page. Maybe with a cross or a cherub or something on, then some words beneath each one so the two ideas look the same but are obviously for different reasons.

i like the idea of just a cross and teh two babys names on it with some other sort of symbolism. I think if there were to be a poem it would have to be one that the parents themselves have chosen as it is such a difficult and sad thing.

I agree with the cross and if you're thinking of writing something on the cake, ask the parents if there is a peom or bible verse that they would like on the cake.

Maybe a reference to the surviving twin and his/her forever guardian angel?

Ugh. Having been blessed with a pair of twins myself, I can only imagine how heartwrenching losing one would have been.

Again, ugh. I'm going to hug my little guys now.

I'll share my current plan and see what you guys think.

They planted a crabapple tree in memory of the little guy. The blossoms on the tree are white right now and the post-Christening gathering will be held in the park near his tree. I was thinking of using an arrangement of fondant apple blossoms to make crosses above each child's name & their respective Christening/blessing dates (he was blessed shortly following his birth).

She's asked that the color scheme parallel the colors used on the birth announcement (light brown background with varying shades of pink and blue accents). I am going to use the brown as the background color and do the writing of each child's information in their colors. As mentioned, the apple blossom crosses would be white but I would add a single colored (blue for one, pink for the other) blossom in the center.

Three sides of the cake would be used to write the following passage: "I will not forget you...I held you in the palm of my hand." - Isaiah 49: 15-16

I picked that verse because of the double entendre. It applies to the living child in terms of God speaking through Isaiah and also to the deceased child in the terms of the parents speaking to him.

Thoughts?

Wow, that sounds like a beautiful idea you have!! I might run it by the parents though, just to be sure they are pleased with it and aren't concerned about it causing the gathering to be too melancholy.