Do you want to make your birthday memorable? Here are some birthday cake tips to make your celebration extra special.
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1. The cake can be made ahead.
It can be difficult to plan birthday parties. You’ll likely want to prepare as much as you can ahead of time to ensure everything goes smoothly, including baking the cake.
This is the great news: cakes can be frozen. Partially frozen cakes freeze well, and unfrosted cakes freeze very well. If you are really short on time, you might be able to freeze the whole cake.
2. Birthday cakes do not have to be layered.
We all know that a three-layered, towering birthday cake is the first thing you will think of when you think about it. Let’s face it, and this is not always possible.
Sheet cakes, as well as cakes baked in 13×9-inch pans, are equally festive for celebrations. This confetti cake is a great example. This cake is a great choice for birthdays, but it takes less time than a layered cake.
3. Flat layers are better for stacking.
Layer cakes are best if they are perfectly flat. There are a few options for flat cakes.
Cake strips are fabric strips that wrap around the cake pans to create level cakes. These Wilton are a favorite of our Test Kitchen chefs ($12).
If you don’t have any cake strips, you can level your cakes after you have baked them. To remove the top of any domed cakes, use a serrated knife. You can use the scraps to make cake pops or just for a snack.
4. Make any cake drip
You’ll find these beautiful cakes in any trendy bakery. This decoration is easy to make at home. A ganache drip can be made for any type of cake. Begin by melting chocolate or baking chips and then mixing the cream with it. (Learn step-by_step how to make Ganache). To ensure the consistency, you can practice on a glass bowl.
Spread the Ganache on top of the cake and let it run down the sides. You can also use this birthday cake or our favorite special-occasion chocolate cakes.
5. Add a festive edge
A fun way to decorate cakes is by adding a border around the base. Before you place the cake on the plate, wrap strips of parchment or waxed paper around the edges. Next, sprinkle chopped nuts, candy pieces, or toasted nuts around the base. For a neat finish, remove excess waxed paper and brush away any remaining. This pecan cake looks amazing!
6. Make tiny cakes
You might think that if you are celebrating a small birthday, it is impossible to bake a full cake. You might be wrong!
There are many mini-cake recipes that you can choose from. Although these tiny desserts are only for a handful, they’re still very celebratory.
7. Make a naked cake
Some people are obsessed with the frosting on birthday cakes. Some people consider frosting to be the main character of a birthday cake. A naked cake is for you if this is your opinion. The cakes can still be filled with icing, but the frosting is minimal. You can make a naked cake at your home by layering the cake like normal and then giving the outside a crumb coating –just a thin layer of frosting.
8. Sprinkles are powerful!
You don’t have to be a professional cake decorator! Sprinkles instantly give a birthday cake personality. You can use classic rainbow sprinkles or go wild with fancy decorations from companies such as Fancy Sparkles.
9. Get more than just plain candles.
Extraordinary candles and cake toppings are a great way to make any birthday cake more special. You can ditch traditional wax candles and use sparkler candles or cake toppers.
10. Perfect slices
You want every slice to look perfect when you bake a beautiful cake. Use a serrated knife to remove any leftover cake slices. After dipping it in hot water, rinse it off and then cut it (cleaning between each slice). This will give you clean, neat cuts that showcase all of your hard work.