You don't need to be a master baker to create memorable birthday cakes that your children will love. Here are a baker's dozen of simple ideas made from inexpensive and commonly available ingredients and decorations.
It is no secret - kids love cupcakes. Cupcakes are like a simple black dress. You can accessorize them for any occasion. A perennial favorite is a triple chocolate confection - chocolate cake, chocolate icing, chocolate sprinkles. Make them party-ready with foil baking cups ($1.59 for 24) and display them on a reusable tiered tower ($31.49). Take chocolate cupcakes up a notch with Rocky Road ingredients. These irresistible treats will definitely please your crowd when topped with a wonderful mix of marshmallows, chocolate chips and nuts.
Cupcakes can be customized with a variety of distinctive decorations. Create zoo-themed cakes by adding green icing and jungle animal toppers ($4.19 for 4). Make beach party cakes with pastel frosting and mini flip flop candles ($3.89 for 6). Decorate the quintessential birthday cupcake with bright icing trimmed with candy-coated chocolate pieces and topped with a chunky flame candle ($3.89 for 4).
Another way to display cupcakes is to assemble and decorate them to look like a cake. Your guests can reach for a cupcake and pull it apart from the rest - less messy than slicing a cake. Try your hand with a patriotic statement and make an American flag cake. It is a good choice for a large group as it requires 54 cupcakes with assorted icings - 12 blue, 19 red and 23 white. Substitute mini-cakes for a small party.
Cupcakes can be super-sized for a change of pace. Jumbo muffin pans ($18.99) and jumbo baking cups ($1.59 for 50) are available to make 4 x 2 inch deep cupcakes. Cupcakes can also be super-charged. A giant cupcake pan ($30.99) will produce a 15 1/2 x 8 1/4 x 3 3/4 inch cake, enough for a whole party to share. These giant cupcakes can be decorated in a traditional manner or transformed into barns for a farm-theme or castles for a fairy- or princess-theme.
Cut-up cakes are easy to make and decorate. Betty Crocker makes them even easier by posting how-to videos on the web. For budding paleontologists there is an edible dinosaur. Equestrian enthusiasts can party with an adorable pony. And technophiles can celebrate with a robot decked out in a delightful assortment of kids' candies.
Decorating sets are another way to fashion birthday cakes to please young party-goers. Soccer athletes will love a ball cake made with a Sports Pan Set ($12.99). Little princess cakes can be made from mini molds ($12.99) and mini doll toppers ($6.29 for 4). And a pirate theme party cake can be made from a pirate ship cake kit ($20.00 - #46040) that comes complete with 4 pirates, treasure chest, cannon and realistic ship parts.
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