Problematical Cake

I know it, said Gaius. He began to sing:

Look at the monkey, funny monkey, Little Red Monkey, acting so fidgety,
Look at the monkey, funny monkey, Little Red Monkey, cute as can be.
Where is his papa, mama, sister, brother, cousin, rest of the family?
Little Red Monkey on his ownsome very lonesome monkey is he.

That's sad, said Lavender.

Sad that he knows it, said Anoctopus. Now, where was I?

You were telling us about the visitors, said Baby Pierre. What are they doing now?

I meant where was I before all this, said Anoctopus.

You were telling us about the people on Krakatoa, said Baby Pierre.

That will have to wait, said Anoctopus. I am once more sensing the person. The person is making a cake.

Ooh a cake! said Lavender. Is it a birthday cake?

It is, said Anoctopus.

What kind of cake is it? asked Baby Pierre, for he was interested in cakes.

A problematical one, said Anoctopus. The person has promised to make a birthday cake in the shape of a car. She has made the cake but so far it looks nothing like a car. It looks like a square cake with cracks in the top. She has no idea what to do next.