One idea a friend gave me a couple years ago that works well, is to make cupcakes with the cake batters. The kids love it, and it makes less crumbs than cutting slices of cake.
It pays to invest in a cheap standing mixer, for the cakes, the hand mixers consume a ton of time.
Sayit, Mammele is worth listening to. She is obviously a great bal habusta. (except for the hot plate for frying. get a big frying pan that comes with a glass cover, it will help keep your kitchen nice and clean.)