What is an appropriate present for a 4 year old?

The Cake Wars.........

I ask you the question, what is an appropriate present for a 4 year old?


Leap frog leap pad 2 power, or books, train set  or cake?
 
As you guys know, it was my eldest son's birthday on Monday and last Saturday he had a birthday party.  My husband's best friend, who was also his best man at our wedding, came late to Josh's birthday party and brought presents for the children.  He brought a very cute outfit for the baby, it was lovely and for the birthday boy he brought a cake.  I was a little astounded and confused by the present, so I just had to ask if this was really Joshie's present.

So I had to ask "Did you buy a cake for Joshie?"
"Yes" the family friend replied.  "Why?"  I asked still perplexed, why would anyone buy a big jaffa cake as a present for a 4 year old, it didn't make any sense to me, I couldn't understand.  "Because it is his birthday!" He clarified, it didn't clear anything up for me, I just didn't get it and I told him so.

Then the cake controversy was forgotten by me, okay so four days later, the said friend, rung my husband at work and gave him an earful for the entire hour on the phone, whilst he was on his lunch break at work.  Our friend had spoken to his sister, who he said, felt that a cake was fine to give a 4 year old as a birthday present.  Moreover, he also added that had he given the said cake to his nephew, he would have been over the moon.  He felt that my response had been unwarranted, we were ungrateful and I should have made my comments about the inappropriateness of cake as a present, behind his back rather than too his face.

I would rather my son had received no present than cake, I had considered this person a friend, clearly I stand corrected.  If I consider you a friend, I feel I have the right, to tell you the truth to your face, what is the point of saying it if you are not there to hear it.

So what do you consider an appropriate present for a 4 year old?