This is a birthday cake for a couple of grandparents celebrating their golden years. The design features an old traditional Chinese couple, made to resemble the longevity deities in Chinese mythology.

The male deity is called Shou Xing, a trio from the Three Stars (God of Fortune, Longevity and Prosperity). His distinct features are his high, domed forehead and the immortality peach that he carries in one hand. Sometimes he is also depicted carrying an Elixir of Life in a gourd, as I have included tied up around his walking stick. As far as I know there isn’t an official female version of the longevity deity. So I have winged it here :)

The Chinese characters on the cupcakes translates as “Fu Lu Dong Hai” meaning “happiness vast as the eastern sea”, & “Shou Bi Nan San” meaning “age, great as the southern mountain”.