Cakes and Adders is a great children’s entertainment card trick routine designed for birthday party acts. The patter and story line relate to a birthday cake and the candles that are on it. The performer tells the kids that each of the specially printed cards represents one birthday cake candle. The performer counts and displays each card, one at a time, showing the children that each card has a cartoon-like pictures of a candle, until he reaches the fifth card, which has a picture of a snake. The performer does not see the snake because it is facing the children and continues the patters about the five candles that go on top of the cake. The children yell and scream and try to tell the oblivious performer that the card is a SNAKE, not a CANDLE. “SNAKE? No silly, it is for a CAKE, not a SNAKE.” The unrelenting children don’t stop until the performer looks at the card, sees the snake card and jumps back and screams.

The magician then shows the children that he throws the snake card into a hat or carrying case and then counts again, this time with four cards. Again, like before, the last card is a snake (not a candle) and the children go nuts at this repeating humorous surprise. After repeating this countdown several times, with the snake appearing every time, the very last card is shown to be neither a CANDLE nor a SNAKE, but a cartoon picture of a CAKE. The performer, wondering where the candles all went, then opens a snake can that is labelled “CANDLES” and a SNAKE springs out.

This is a great trick to do right before cake is served, but watch out for the snakes!

The trick comes with an explanatory DVD and the specially printed gimmicked cards. The instructions are simple and this trick is easy to do, although the audio is not of the best quality during the live performance. The trick does not come with the snake can, which can easily and inexpensively be purchased separately. The trick does not need the snake can kicker, but it enhanced the performance. The DVD contains a live version of the trick, performed by Gary Dunn, in which you can see the frenzy-inducing effect it has on the children and demonstrates how a performer can handle some slightly unruly children. The more kids in the audience, the greater the reaction will be.

The trick is automatically reset by the order the cards are discarded during the performance, but you would not repeat this trick to the same group.

This trick is not for adults anymore that an Ambitious Card Routine is for young children, however, even if you do not do children’s parties, this is a trick you should have in your back pocket in the event that you stumble across children in need of a quickie.

The advertising text does not make any representations other than the trick is “provoking [of] much hilarity and amazement from your audience until the climax of the routine, when the Birthday Cake appears by magic!” -- which is completely accurate. Although a recommended age is not suggested, I believe the target audience is 3-6 year old children (although 3 may be too young and 6 may be a bit old – but will still be enjoyed by all -- including the parents).

Gary Dunn and Ricky McLeod credit Fred Kaps for popularizing Paul Harris’ Ruffle Return as the inspiration of the trick.

This is a great trick for children’s entertainers with a price point that is just a bit too high, although the fantastic reactions from your audience will make it worth every penny.