40th Birthday Cakes

40th Birthday Cakes For many, a 40th birthday represents the first of the "over-the-hill" celebrations, so what better way to mark the occasion than with an over-the-hill birthday cake? To make, decorate a sheet cake with tombstones, the grim reaper, vultures, and black balloons, or top with joke-shop dentures, clumps of gray coconut, miniature walkers, and canes. If an over-the-hill celebration isn't likely to delight the guest of honor, celebrate the big day with one of these 40th birthday cake ideas:

This is Your Life Cake. Honor the celebrant with a timeline cake that's decorated with milestones, such as birth year, graduation year, marriage year, and years of their children's births.

Bouquet Cake. Top a sheet cake with 40 blooms of their birth month flower:

January - Carnation
February - Violet
March - Daffodil
April - Daisy
May - Lily of the Valley
June - Rose
July - Larkspur
August - Gladiolas
September - Aster
October - Cosmos
November - Chrysanthemum
December - Narcissus

Embracing the Past Cake. Treat the guest of honor to a blast from the past with a character cake of his or her favorite cartoon character or superhero.

Non-Cake Birthday Cake. Break away from the traditional iced confection with these "non cake" 40th birthday cakes: cheesecake, crÃ¨me Brule, tarts, petit fours, or pastries.

Theme Birthday Cake. Add another layer of fun to the celebration with a themed birthday cake. Great themed cakes include casino cakes decorated with chips and dice, luau cakes iced with beach scenes and hula dancers, or Mardi Gras cakes adorned with edible beads.

Whether you're planning a lighthearted celebration to poke good-natured fun at the "oldster" or are treating the guest of honor to a quiet celebration at home, 40th birthday cakes are a sweet way to pay tribute to a wonderful life thus far.

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