7 Must-See Unique Ideas for Decorating Birthday Cakes

We may receive a commission on purchases made from links.

The ancient Romans may have been the first ones to celebrate birthdays with cake but they’d be pretty surprised at how elaborate our cakes have become. We’ve come a long way from the simple honey cakes the Romans made to honor the annual rite of passage. Today, it seems, more is more when it comes to decorating cakes of all kinds, but especially birthday cakes. With clouds of frosting, the addition of ribbons and pearls, multiple tiers of cakes, and sometimes all of the above, birthday cakes have become as elaborate — if not more so — than wedding cakes. And, if having the birthday celebrant’s name written on a cake following the words “Happy Birthday” isn’t personal enough, cakes can be customized with burn away designs, mirror selfies, and heartfelt messages.

So, even though your cakes may not be as extravagant as the oversized, sculpted confections of Cake Boss Buddy Valastro, who helped Gigi Hadid celebrate her birthday with a giant bagel cake, you can still make it special. Consider trying one of the trends below or even transforming an ugly store-bought cake by adding some of these popular decorations on your own.

What better way to present a burning birthday candle than atop a cake that actually looks like a candle? For these fancy cakes, bakers create the illusion by shaping a layer cake slightly taller and narrower than usual to resemble a pillar candle. Then they pile on the buttercream with elaborate designs, dripping thin ribbons of frosting down the slides like melted wax. A divot on one side of the cake replicates the side of the candle that always seems to burn first. A lit candle is inserted in the center, buried deep for the final realistic look.

Children and adults alike have been enjoying the glitter queen cake, which is topped with a bejeweled crown or tiara, like Suvo’s decorative crown cake topper; a generous sprinkling of edible glitter; and a single silver or gold candle. When presented with the cake, the birthday celebrant lifts and dons the crown and, upon blowing out the candle, sends a cloud of glitter into the air. A video of this candle-blowing ceremony is often posted on social media accompanied by Adele’s “Set Fire to the Rain.” For those who don’t feel the desire to look like royalty, the crown can be replaced with a pair of stylish sunglasses. 

As if the trend of intricately decorated Victorian Lambeth cakes wasn’t ornate enough, people are adding another feminine touch by attaching bows made of satin and velvet ribbons, like Keaziu’s pink ribbon cake decorations. The vintage look is acquired by piping delicate buttercream swirls and scallops using different piping tips. With the innocent look of times past, it’s no wonder these are often called coquette-style cakes.

The Kardashians don’t have to be the only ones to perfect the mirror selfie. So, too, can any birthday celebrant when a cake is topped with a mirror, which is then bordered with buttercream and often decorated with a message for the recipient. The mirrors are made out of acrylic and are available in multiple cake sizes and shapes; take, for instance, Super Cool Creations’ reusable selfie cake mirrors.

Do you have a secret message or photo you want to reveal to the special birthday person? Burn away cakes have become a hot trend on social media since they allow people to do just that — but with cake.  Although used for lots of occasions, burn away birthday cakes usually feature a calendar with the celebrant’s birthdate. When lit, the calendar burns away to reveal a surprise picture or message inside. Both images are printed onto wafer paper and placed atop a frosting border, which creates space between the two pages and prevents the bottom one from burning when the top one is lit. 

If the idea of (safely) setting the top of your cake ablaze to reveal a secret message doesn’t appeal to you, then there’s at least one other way to share a few words with a birthday celebrant. You can write your message on edible fondant with edible marker or simply write on acrylic or edible paper. You can hide the message under the frosting completely or decorate the area with a special design. Leave a small tab out for the recipient to tear away and reveal the hidden words inside.

If you can’t decide which of these cake trends you want to follow, don’t worry.  You can add everything all at once, both inside and outside, with the whimsical chaos cake. Whether you’re using store-bought candy, real or buttercream flowers, sprinkles, pearls, or other baked goodies, just pile them on to create a big, beautiful masterpiece. The result will be fun and fantastic all at the same time.