Mom.me

Many parents know the desire to give their children the best birthday possible.

We are willing to go to great lengths to make sure our little ones get the toy they've been longing for, the special paper plates festooned with a beloved cartoon character, a cake that will excite their tastebuds and imagination.

While gathering the ingredients for the perfect, low-key birthday party for my son, who turned 3 years old Saturday, I stumbled upon a clever birthday accoutrement at The Mixed Bag in midtown that instantly became the hit of the party. Meet Wishosaurus.

Wishosaurus is a plastic purple dinosaur that holds up to 10 candles. He's made of food-safe, play-safe plastic and comes complete with candles and a little pedestal to place on the birthday cake, according to Fred, the Rhode Island-based company that makes the Wishosaurus and other novel gadgets and tchotchkes.

I'm used to my cakes, which are made from scratch and usually the product of weeks of planning (yes, I'm a bit nutty when it comes to baking - ask my colleagues), eliciting "oohs" and "wows." Wishosaurus stole the limelight with his prehistoric party animal prowess. It was awesome. The best part is we can use Wishosaurus each birthday, adding more memories as the years pass.

Wishosaurus is for sale at The Mixed Bag at 2405 K Street or online through Amazon. For more information about Fred products, go the company's Web site.

If you're interested in a good recipe for strawberry buttercream, here's one that I created and used this past weekend. The combination of strawberries and jam lend an amazing flavor and smooth texture to the traditional vanilla buttercream. Enjoy.

Niesha's Strawberry Buttercream

Prep time: 15 minutes
Cook time: None
Serves: Yields enough frosting for a three layer 9-inch birthday cake or 24 cupcakes
Notes: This frosting is best atop a traditional white cake. I used Martha Stewart's recipe, and filled the middle of the cake layers with organic strawberry jam and organic strawberries sliced flat.

Ingredients
8 organic strawberries, leafs removed
2 tablespoons best-quality organic strawberry jam
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
8 cups powdered sugar, sifted

Instructions
In a food processor, blend strawberries just until smooth. Add the jam and give a quick blitz to combine. Set aside.

In the bowl of a mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream the butter until light and fluffy. Add four cups of powdered sugar and beat for about 3 to 5 minutes, until it's light and fluffy. Add the vanilla extract and beat to incorporate. Add the reserved strawberry mixture (should amount to about 1/2 cup) and beat until combined. Gradually add in the remaining powdered sugar one cup at a time, beating well after each addition. You may not need all the powdered sugar. Once you get the frosting to the consistency you like, beat for about 2 to 3 minutes on medium high speed. The buttercream can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for about two days. Refrigerating will make the frosting harden.