Birthday Cake Ideas

Birthday Cake Ideas just like birthday cakes are an essential component of any birthday celebration.

Opting for a store-bought cake doesn't necessarily mean it will taste better or make more of an impression on the guest of honor. On the contrary, a fantastic homemade creation can add a personal touch that won't soon be forgotten. This year, flex your creative muscles and give your wallet a much-needed break by whipping up a custom-made birthday cake for your celebration.

birthday cake ideas

With all the squeezable icing applicators, sprinkles, edible decorations, and colored coconut available at your local grocery store or online, decorating birthday cakes at home couldn't be simpler. For inspiration, browse your local bakery, thumb through a custom cake ordering catalog, or come back here to see the newest birthday cake ideas.

Do you have a picture and story about your favorite birthday cake or a recipe for a birthday cake? Share it with us!!

Scrumptious Shapes

castle cake

Purchase a character-shaped baking pan, or use a combination of rectangular, square, loaf, and round baking pans to come up with a unique birthday cake shape. Below are some creative tips:

  • Trim the edges from a rectangular cake to make a cone, and top it with half-circle ice cream scoops

  • Place a square cake on top of a rectangular cake and use it as a base for a tank, building, TV, or computer monitor

  • Pair a loaf-shaped cake body with half circles to make a butterfly, ladybug, or mushroom

Adult Birthday Cake Ideas

deckofcards cake
  • For a casino party, create a cake that resembles a roulette wheel, or make sheet cakes and decorate them as playing cards

  • For milestone or "over the hill" parties, decorate cakes to look like tombstones, or embellish sheet cakes with vultures or Grim Reaper figures

  • For sports-themed parties, turn a rectangular cake into a playing field by sprinkling it with green coconut and using icing to form yard lines. Add goal posts, baskets, and cheerleaders to complete the look.

Box cakes are fine for birthday cakes - they're tasty, easy to prepare, and have time-tested baking instructions that are virtually foolproof. However, if you're making a special cake at home, you may want to take the extra step and make a cake from scratch using birthday cake recipes from your favorite cookbook or recipe website.

Whether you opt for a decadent chocolate cake, velvety rum cake, coffee-inspired cake, or robust carrot cake, guests are sure to eat up your efforts. Decorating birthday cakes at home is fun, rewarding, and financially savvy. You may just have as much fun making the cake as you do eating it. Bon appétit!

Adult Birthday Cakes

Birthday Cake Designs

Birthday Cupcakes

Birthday Cake Ideas for Kids

Kids Birthday Cakes

Cupcakes for Kids

Kids Birthday Cakes

Birthday Cupcakes

Do you have a picture and story about your favorite birthday cake or a recipe for a birthday cake? Share it with us!!

Tell Us About the Birthday Cake You Served

Did you serve a birthday cake that left people talking about it at the next year's party? Tell us all about it!

Did you bake it yourself? How did you decorate it?

Most important, include a photo of your masterpiece, so that we can rave about it too!

Read About Other Visitors' Birthday Cakes

Click below to read about the birthday cakes served by other visitors to this page...

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I like to share my first experience with baking a birthday cake for the first time. During my first year of marriage, on my husband's first birthday I …

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Awhile ago, I was given a marvelous recipe from a very dear friend of mine to try. She had never made it, but as soon as I saw the picture and the title, …

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My birthday is on March 22nd. This year I celebrated my 25th birthday. Wow! It was an amazing day with parties, friends, fun, and lots of drinks. During …

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My son had his 12th birthday this year on Memorial Day. When I asked him what kind of cake he wanted this year he said chocolate but that he wanted something …

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My cake story began way back in February 2010 when one of my friends slated to get married decided to order a customized wedding cake from one of the best …

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Since my son was about 2 and a half years old, he had his heart set on a purple triangle cake for his 3rd birthday party. The request seemed easy enough …

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