100+ Birthday Cake Ideas

Every cake is better with a giant loopy bow! Learn my favorite, easy way to create them from gum paste in our free video tutorial!

This easy Whipping Cream Pound Cake is amazingly moist, soft, and decadent! Enjoy it on it's own or with berries and cream!

This sweet chocolate balloons cake is so much fun to make! We created the colorful balloons with melted candy coating. It's the perfect birthday (or celebration) cake for any age! Hop over for our free video tutorial!

Everybody loves peanut butter and chocolate cake! This marble cake has a delicious peanut butter whipped cream frosting! (Cake Mix Recipe)

This cake combines two of our favorite things-- colorful textured buttercream and shperes of chocolate! This fun cake design would make the perfect birthday cake! Find out how to make it in our free tutorial!

Why choose between chocolate, strawberry, and vanilla when you can have all three? You will love this fun, flavorful ice cream-inspired layer cake!

This sweet teddy bears cake is SO cute for young birthdays, for teddy bear lovers, or for baby showers! You could even change up the cake design to feature another type of animal peeking out. Find out how to make it in our free cake video tutorial!

This ultra moist vanilla cake is named for its velvety soft texture! It is always a favorite and tastes great with so many fillings and frostings!

This fluffy puppy cake is one of our favorite birthday cakes for dog lovers big and small! It is not a difficult cake to create-- our puppy is frosted in buttercream. Hop over for a free tutorial!

Splash! This mermaid themed cake is so much fun to make! We'll show you how to create a mermaid tail from gum paste (or fondant with tylose powder)-- no mold required! We'll also show you an easy method for a chocolate "splash" as well as how to create the beach design around the sides of the cake. Don't miss this fun, free tutorial!

This marble cake from cake mix is ULTRA moist and has wonderful flavor. It would make the perfect birthday cake and it is so easy to make as it starts with a box of yellow cake mix!

Learn to make this beautiful, unique birthday cake decorated with rose meringues in our free cake decorating video tutorial! This is one of my all-time favorites!

This Marble Pound Cake is a favorite at our house! It is amazingly moist, rich, and delicious!

This sweet birthday cake design features a custom made carousel cake topper! We'll show you how to create this beautiful cake design in our free cake decorating video tutorial.

Learn how to create this fun buttercream cake design with combed, layered buttercream, sprinkles, and rice paper sails! We will show you how to create it all in this free cake video tutorial. This would make such a beautiful, unique birthday cake!

This three layer pound cake is not only rich and delicious, but its also beautiful when sliced!

This funny monster cake design always brings smiles! Learn how to make easy "monster meringues" in this free cake tutorial!

This sweet dinosaur cupcake cake is an old favorite from our blog tutorial section! We have seen this design created many times over the years for young dinosaur lovers ;0)

This elegant semi-naked red velvet cake with berries, flowers, and a chocolate sail would make the perfect birthday cake! Use these techniques on any cake flavor for a beautiful presentation!

This Vanilla Buttermilk Layer Cake is so moist and flavorful!

This cute little carved elephant sheet cake design is another favorite from our blog tutorial section- so cute for young birthdays, and simple to make too!

This elegant "semi-dressed" cake features buttercream scrollwork over a naked cake design. We'll show you how to create buttercream scrollwork as well as how to seal your "naked" cakes so that they will stay moist!

For the campers in your life! This sweet camping-themed birthday cake is always a favorite! Learn how to make this cute campfire & tent scene for your cakes in our free tutorial.

In this decadent dessert, a decadent layer of cheesecake is sandwiched between two moist homemade red velvet cake layers! This is such a beautiful, flavorful dessert!

This simple, elegant buttercream cake design is a favorite for birthdays or any special occasion that calls for something beautiful!

This cake features a couple of my favorite buttercream piping techniques! The design is surprisingly easy to create if you enjoy decorating with buttercream!

This buttercream floral wreath cake is simple and elegant, and we will also show you how to create a beautiful piped design around the sides!

If you love classic hummingbird cake, you are going to love this cake mix version too! Bananas, pecans, cinnamon and crushed pineapple make the perfect combination in this flavorful cake!

This cute and fun tiered cake design with painted fondant daisies is so pretty, unique, and easy to make! Free tutorial!

Top your birthday cakes with big, puffy buttercream hydrangeas! Hydrangeas are the easiest flower to create in buttercream. Perfect for any skill level of cake decorating! We hope that you enjoy this simple, fun technique!

Learn to create this simple textured buttercream cake design with a fondant plaque as well as delicate buttercream flowers! So simple and elegant!

Chocolate chips and cherries are the perfect combination in this decadent pound cake! It is so flavorful and looks so pretty when sliced!

Monograms are the perfect way to personalize birthday cakes! In this free cake video tutorial, we'll show some of our favorite designs and mediums for creating beautiful monograms!

This beautiful buttercream cake design would be perfect for a birthday cake! It features several simple buttercream techniques that when piped altogether, create a wonderful vintage feel. We hope that you enjoy this free tutorial!

This Lemon Cheesecake Cake is heavenly! A lemon cheesecake layer is sandwiched between two moist lemon buttermilk cake layers and frosted in lemon cream cheese frosting.

Who can resist a sweet owl cake! This simple buttercream cake design (with a few chocolate and fondant accents) would make a great birthday cake- you can easily change the winter hat to a birthday hat if you'd like! Click over for this free cake video!

This homemade strawberry cake is incredibly moist, soft, and flavorful! If you love strawberry cakes, you must try this recipe! It is velvety soft and delicious.

With flavors of banana, pineapple, pecans, and cinnamon, this amazing Hummingbird Cake recipe is sure to become an instant favorite!

Italian Cream Cake is another classic recipe that is a favorite for birthdays and holidays, year-round! You cannot beat the amazing flavor combination of coconut, pecans, and cream cheese frosting in this heavenly layer cake recipe!

There is so much to love about this fun birthday cake, featuring a bow, textured buttercream, and a ruffled buttercream tier! Learn how to make in our free cake video tutorial!

This light and delicious Berry Chantilly Cake is heavenly! Moist vanilla cake layers are filled with chantilly cream, strawberries, and blueberries!

This easy, unique cherry blossom cake design features flowers made with simple candy coating! We'll also show you how to decorate a tier in delicate buttercream ruffles. Free tutorial!

I have to include our homemade Carrot Cake in this roundup of favorite birthday cakes! No matter what the occasion, this carrot cake always brings rave reviews!

Here's a cute and easy little birthday cake that can be built directly onto a sheet cake board. It is such a fun idea for young birthdays! Hop over for our free tutorial!

I love this easy textured buttercream technique for creating flowers! This design would make a beautiful birthday cake.

Try something new! This knife-textured buttercream design is really fun to create and the options are endless!

This delicate palette knife roses cake design is a favorite for any occasion, from birthdays to showers and more!

We love this elegant scrollwork design on our buttercream tiers as well as our gum paste bow! This cake (whether a single tier or double) would make a beautiful birthday cake!

This sweet teddy bear sailing cake would make an adorable young birthday cake! Learn how to make it in our free tutorial!

This sweet teddy bear and balloon cake is a favorite for birthdays, Valentine's Day, and anniversaries!

This Lemon Mascarpone Cake is amazingly moist and decadent with just the right amount of lemon flavor!

This cute Octopus Birthday Cake is so much fun, simple,, and perfect for young birthdays!

This moist, delicious Yellow Birthday Cake is sure to please a crowd! Nothing says birthday cake like a yellow cake with chocolate frosting! ;0)

Learn how to make beautiful, fluffy frosting flowers in this free cake decorating video tutorial! Perfect for birthdays!

This beautiful buttercream ranunculus cake is one of our favorites and it is SO easy to make! No special tools are required (other than a piping bag!) ;0) Hope over for our free cake decorating video!

Lemon Velvet Cake has become a new favorite of ours! It has a velvety soft and creamy texture thanks to the cream cheese in the cake batter! You will love this recipe for any occasion!

Calling all beach lovers! This fun cake is perfect for beach-themed parties- for kids or adults! Whether you use just a few of these techniques or all of them, they are sure to bring your cake to a whole new level! Free Tutorial

This sweet cake is not only great for baby showers, but for young birthdays too! Learn to make the sweet teddy bear and umbrella topper as well as the rainbow decoration and spiral buttercream piping technique in our free cake video tutorial!

This sweet cake featuring modeled fondant kitties would make the perfect birthday cake for the cat lovers in your life! From our free cake video tutorial!

This gelatin balloons cake is so cheerful! Learn how to make gelatin balloons as well as this fun cake design in our free cake decorating video tutorial!

Learn how to make gum paste peonies as well as a beautiful buttercream piping technique in this free cake video tutorial!

Everybody loves a teddy bear themed cake! This sweet teddy bear cake would make an adorable young birthday cake!

This Pineapple Cake Recipe is the best! Moist yellow cake layers with a luscious Pineapple & Cream Filling!

This cute and easy dump truck cake is the perfect birthday cake for little ones that love trucks! You can personalize the cartoonish driver to fit the birthday boy or girl!

Learn how to make a Cinderella Carriage Cake in this free cake decorating video! This is such a beautiful, impressive birthday cake for fairy tale themes!

Oh how we love this sweet fairy house tree stump cake! Learn exactly how to make this buttercream cake (with fondant accents) in our free cake decorating video tutorial!

This Orange Dreamsicle Cake consists of moist orange cake layers with orange cream filling and orange cream cheese frosting. It tastes just like a dreamsicle!

This beautiful watercolor buttercream cake is simple to make and so impressive! It would make a beautiful cake for all sorts of occasions from birthdays to showers and more!

This sweet birdhouse cake would make a wonderful birthday cake for the bird lovers in your life! It is a sweet spring or summertime cake for showers as well!

This homemade cherry cake is divine- wonderful cherry flavor!

This gold sequin cake with an oversized wafer paper flower is from a free cake decorating video tutorial! We'll show you a couple of options for creating impressive sequined cakes.

Need a cake for a jungle themed birthday party? This is a great one! We'll show you how to create thihs adorable cake, as well as how to. model gum paste jungle animals!

This sweet cake is perfect for a mermaid party or beach themed party! It is so cute and simple! We'll show you how to create this cute mermaid cake topper as well as how to pipe buttercream waves!

This beautiful hummingbird and flower cake is perfect for a spring or summertime birthday (or for anyone who loves flowers or hummingbirds!) Learn how to make it in our free cake video tutorial!

This delicious scratch Strawberry Cake would make a wonderful cake no matter what the season! It has great strawberry flavor and a moist, tender crumb.

Champagne cake is perfect for adult birthdays and special occasions!

This beautiful castle cake would make any birthday princess smile! Learn how to make it in our free cake video tutorial! For a more masculine or rustic feel, change the castle colors to grey!

Baby shoe cake toppers add an instant dose of cuteness to baby shower cakes and young birthday cakes! These baby converse shoes are so easy to make-- we'll show you how in this free cake video tutorial!

This sweet turtle cake topper is from our free step by step blog tutorial section! Learn how to make him for the turtle lovers in your life! ;0)

This sweet fish cupcake cake is a longtime favorite on our site! Perect for beach themed birthdays, summer gatherings, pool parties and more! We'll show you how to make it in this free step by step cake blog tutorial!

This homemade Lemon Blueberry Cake is the perfect balance of lemon and blueberry flavor! So moist and perfect for spring and summer gatherings!

Learn how to make a cute and simple ice cream cone decoration onto your cakes in this free video tutorial!