I have been making homemade birthday cakes for my kiddies for the past 10 years. They have always chosen a theme and the entire birthday celebration is centered around that. It can be a lot of pressure making a cake from scratch that my little ones request. They all taste decent, but they haven’t all been the most attractive cakes.
My first cake was so pitiful! I spent so much time sculpting and stacking cakes to look like a truck that I didn’t realize how difficult it was going to be to ice and decorate the mess. I’d like to think my cakes have improved through the years.
What I have learned is that a simple shaped cake works just fine as long as that cake is topped with fun surprises and props! And I get major mom bonus points if those surprises are candy!
Take a look at my variety of messes and masterpieces through the years…
Yikes! My first cake attempt! It wasn’t easy and it’s not very pretty. And it probably took me the loooooongest to make. Do I get to use the excuse that I was 8 months pregnant when I created this mess?
Okay, so maybe my one year old didn’t pick this theme. I was pink and green obsessed with my first little baby girl so it was only appropriate to have these cute little pink and green polka dot cakes.
The Boy was obsessed with Maroon 5 at the young age of 3! It was only appropriate to celebrate his birthday like a rockstar! This was my first and only attempt at fondant. All that work and no one liked the taste of it!
We had only been in our new home for a month when I decided to throw a little party for my MC. She was a little lady herself and loved these creatures! Those mini oreo spots were a hit!
Not sure what boy hasn’t gone through the dinosaur phase. This was the easiest cake to make with its organic shape. And that sparkler on the top of the volcano was the coolest effect!
My MC spent most of her days walking around in costume jewelry and carrying a purse. This is one of my favorite cakes!
Pure excitement at the sight of this cake!
Another year, another boy phase. Superheroes all day, everyday in this house!
When I asked Mags what birthday theme she wanted that year, her response was “Pink!” This messy pink cake was topped with edible pearls and pink cotton candy. So very girly!
Whoa! I think having 3 young children got the best of me this year! Those legos are sad.
The Bean loved Elmo! That fuzzy little red creature gave this 3rd child more attention than her own family. lol
I actually tried to avoid this Disney Princess stage…but alas, my girls were both consumed with Princesses at one time.
Note to self…do not attempt to decorate an ice cream sandwich cake. Doesn’t work. This droopy mess was very tasty though.
My MC has always loved art so for this birthday, I baked rainbow layered cakes right in the mason jars. The cake looked like paint and those pretzels and tootsie rolls were the brushes.
Sweet, little Bean at age 3 just loved Tangled! How easy it was to bake the cake right in the cone and turn these into Rapunzel’s tower!
This was the cake I was most anxious about making and it turned out to be one of my best!
Elsa’s ice castle came together perfectly with these rock candy sticks! The Frozen soundtrack blared through the house for this birthday (and probably for the next 6 months straight).
One Minecraft cake is not like the other. This was a sorry attempt at a Creeper.
But this Minecraft cake was pretty fun and tasty! It had fudge brownies, rice crispy treats and even blue jello!
The first AG doll in our house deserved a celebration! Amazing what some props can do to a simple cake.
The Bean’s Ariel craze lasted just long enough that I had to create this messy “sandy” cake that seemed to haunt me for days. That sticky grit stuck to everything!!
Perhaps the most amusing cake that I would have loved as a kid…and appropriately was enjoyed on the day of the Fuller House release on Netflix!
Rainbows were a thing for The Bean…for about a day. The striped candy was the best part of this cupcake!
Did you see the lovely antique milk glass cake stand that has been used to hold the majority of the cakes? I just love it so much! It was my grandmother’s, Ammaw, and I’m so thankful I have it to use.
Do you make homemade birthday cakes for your kids?
This is one of my favorite posts you have done!! I am no good at the styling part but I am pretty good at baking.
It was really fun seeing all of the different themes throughout the years and picturing the big dance parties in your kitchen. I think some sort of photobook is in order for all of these memories!! Part 1 – the first ten years, part 2 – the next ten years (as they all start to move out, sniff, sniff).
Thanks, Dawn! Maybe we need to team up…you do the baking and I’ll do the decorating! Future biz?? lol
Done and done-r 😉