Birthday Ideas & Advice

Have you heard about the Wilton Giant Cupcake Pan? If not, you might want to check it out before your next party.

Everyone is familiar with the normal sheet cake you see at birthday parties, right? Maybe someone might make a typical round cake too. But what would your guests think if they saw a giant cupcake sitting in the middle of the table?

This pan is made from heavy gauge cast aluminum, and it makes a very large cupcake that can be shared by your guests. Most people connect cupcakes with childhood, so this is a great way to make your party more fun.

This is a 3D cake pan, and the final cupcake will be about 7.25 inches by 7.5 inches. No one will go hungry after eating this dessert!

This pan also has a sculptural top and bottom so that is appears more realistic. There are ridges on bottom and a whimsical swirl on the top making it tons of fun to decorate.

You can assemble to cupcake by putting a thin layer of icing between the top and bottom layers. This makes it look like a seamless huge cupcake.

This pan holds an amazing 10 cups of batter! Feeding a large crowd will be no problem. Some reviews state that the top pan cooks faster than the bottom, so you might want to put the bottom in for a few minutes before putting the top into the oven.

One of the perks of this pan is that it has a non stick surface which makes it easy to clean and easy to remove the pieces of cake after cooking. If you are planning a child’s birthday party, this is a great pan to have in your cupboard!

If you want to get the best deal on the Wilton Giant Cupcake Pan, you should check out this site. Make your next party a happy one with an enormous cupcake on your table!

Are you trying to think up birthday cake decorating ideas? If you are planning to make a cake for a kid’s birthday party, make sure it is a memorable event. Kids love birthdays for a variety of reasons including the presents and the cake! Instead of just buying the typical sheet cake from the grocery store, you can make your own creation.

There are tons of cake decorating ideas online for various different themes. Whether you want to make a cake for a boy, girl, or both, you should be able to find the perfect idea! You can also order all the supplies and decorations you need for making the cake and icing.

One popular theme for young girls is the Disney Princess theme. You can decorate the cake with one Princess in mind or all of them. You can find the instructions online, along with Belle, Cinderella, Ariel, Mulan, Snow White, Sleeping Beauty, Jasmine and other Princess figurines.

There are plenty of birthday cake decorating ideas for boys too. Boys especially like cakes with superhero decorations. Spiderman cakes are pretty popular, for instance, and there are plenty of designs and images online you can look at for some ideas.

You cannot go wrong by choosing cupcakes either. The wonderful thing about cupcakes is that you can make them as unique as you choose since you can individualize the decorations on them. You might make half for girls and half for boys.

If you want to make a cake that both boys and girls will love, you can always go with Looney Tunes characters. Animals are also a popular theme that all children love. There are plenty of cat, dog, and tiger birthday cake decorating ideas for you to check out.

Go ahead and ask the kids what type of cake or cupcakes they would like. You could even have them help you! Sharing your hobby with your children will be a fun family project, and they will love making their own cake! They can show it off to their friends at the party.

You can make frosting from scratch or buy pre-made frosting. It is up to you how you handle frosting, but you will definitely want to purchase decorations. You might need stencils, food coloring, sprinkles, figurines, etc.

If you are searching for birthday cake decorating ideas, you must figure out where to find the right accessories at the best prices! Did you figure out that you can also get online cake decorating lessons?

Are you a parent thinking about getting an Elmo birthday cake for your child? Why not take the time to bake the Elmo birthday cake yourself? The task of making a cake themed to Elmo or any other character is easy to do. By making the Elmo birthday cake you are really personalizing your child’s birthday and adding an extra special effect when it comes to your child’s birthday cake. Making a Elmo cake also gives your child’s birthday cake a entertaining and fun appearance and it is a cake that will be far more appreciated when compared to an ordinary rectangular or round, homemade cake.

Making an Elmo-themed birthday cake is super fun and amazingly easily to do. You don’t have to be a professional baker to bring a smile to your child’s face. There are a number of ways for you to quickly make a baked cake in to an Elmo birthday cake within minutes. You might choose edible cake topper designs which are made of sugar which can be laid across the surface of a cake. Instantly you will have an Elmo birthday cake that your child will appreciate. You can also get several different, small, washable, and reusable Elmo figurines which can be rested on top of the cake’s surface too. The latter methods are two, super fast and simplistic ways to create the Elmo birthday cake you desire.

Elmo cake rings are another cake decoration that can turn a simple cake into an Elmo birthday cake in moments. The cake rings can be inserted into the surface or top of the cake and a parent’s cake decorating endeavor is finished in seconds. If you are into baking and cake decorating, you can get a cake pan in the shape of Elmo. When the cake is baked and completely cooled, you can then use a variety of colored frostings and can apply the colored frosting via frosting applicators. The latter method is a bit more time consuming, but the finished product is attractive, fun, and quite an achievement: definitely a cake that will build lasting birthday memories!

To learn more about Elmo Birthday Cake, I recommend you checking out Shop Elmo. It is a specialized Elmo toys and Elmo products for sale site that lists up to the minute deals on the Elmo-themed products and gifts. Be sure to try this website first.

I know just how busy our lives are nowadays.  With two little kids running around the house, a full time job and trying to stay in shape for a bicycle team, my time is stretched just about as far as you can without going crazy.  The last thing you think you would have time for would be making a cake from scratch at home.  After you see this super easy recipe with only 9 ingredients, you won’t ever want to go back to a boxed cake again.

Most of us have all of the ingredients we need to make a cake, we just don’t realize that it isn’t that hard to make one from scratch.  Not only are you making something that you know exactly what goes into the cake but you are putting a little bit of yourself into the cake and that is truly something special.

Let’s dive into the recipe and instructions and you’ll see just how easy it is to make a standard white birthday cake.  A simple recipe for basic vanilla frosting will follow the cake.  I have used some things that you might have a variation of in your home.  Instead of whole milk you might have 2%.  Instead of cake flour you might have all purpose.  You can use these but keep in mind they will change the texture a little bit.

Classic White Birthday Cake Recipe

Nonstick cooking spray with flour- Baker’s Joy works wonders!

2 1/4 cups cake flour (9 ounces)

1 cup whole milk , at room temperature

6 large egg whites (3/4 cup), at room temperature

2 teaspoons almond extract

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 3/4 cups granulated sugar (12 1/4 ounces)

4 teaspoons baking powder

1 teaspoon table salt

12 tablespoons softened unsalted butter (1 1/2 sticks)

1. Set oven rack in middle position. (If your oven is too small to cook both layers on a single rack, set racks in upper-middle and lower-middle positions and you’ll stagger the pans on each layer) and heat to 350 degrees (325 with convection oven). Spray two 9-inch round cake pans with Baker’s joy then line the bottoms with parchment or waxed paper rounds. Spray the paper rounds.

2. Pour milk, egg whites, and extracts into 2-cup glass measure, and whisk lightly until blended.

3.Mix cake flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt in bowl of electric mixer at slow speed. Add butter; continue beating at slow speed until mixture resembles moist crumbs, with no powdery streaks remaining.

4. Add all but 1/2 cup of milk mixture to crumbs and beat at medium speed (or high speed if using handheld mixer) for 1 1/2 minutes. Add remaining 1/2 cup of milk mixture and beat 30 seconds more. Stop mixer and scrape sides of bowl. Return mixer to medium (or high) speed and beat 20 seconds longer.

5. Divide batter evenly between two prepared cake pans; using rubber spatula, spread batter to pan walls and smooth tops. Make sure the pans are at least 3 inches from the oven walls and 3 inches apart. (If oven is small, place pans on separate racks in staggered fashion like described above so the air can circulate. If you have a convection oven, this doesn’t apply.) Bake until thin skewer or toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, about 25 minutes.

Here’s the frosting recipe:

Ingredients

2 tablespoons heavy cream

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

A pinch of table salt

2 1/2 sticks unsalted butter , softened

2 1/2 cups confectioners’ sugar

Instructions:

Stir the cream, vanilla, and salt together in a small bowl until the salt dissolves.

Beat the butter with an electric mixer on medium-high speed until smooth, 30 to 60 seconds. Reduce the speed to medium-low, slowly add the confectioners’ sugar, and beat until smooth, 2 to 5 minutes.

Beat in the cream mixture. Increase the speed to medium-high and beat until the mixture is light and fluffy, 4 to 8 minutes.

These are some pretty simple recipes that anyone can make.  You’ll find it is very rewarding to make your own cakes.  Take the extra 10 minutes to make the cake from scratch.  Have your kids help.  It is a great time to share that are gone way too soon. If you have a cake that you make and are really proud of it, please share it with me on a site I set up to show off your cakes.

It’s  that time of year again: time for little Zach or Madison’s birthday, and for all the attendant worries and hassles. Time for the usual whining and gift-grubbing, for tedious visits from relatives, and for sugar-amped children walking rampant through the house. Although birthdays will always be a stressful time of year, baking and decorating the perfect children’s birthday cake doesn’t have to be. This article will help give you some great birthday cake ideas that you can use year after year, kid after kid.

If your little four is obsessed with a film, television, or cartoon character, or even a licensed doll or toy, a character cake is the no-fail way to go! Disney character cakes or Barbie cakes are always popular with the girls, and what little boy would not enjoy a Bob the Builder or Harry Potter or G.I. Joe cake? Fortunately, finding the perfect children birthday cake mold is easy — you can obtain a specialized cake mold for the most popular licensed characters at your local upscale baking store or cake decorating supply shop. As if it could not get any not as hard, many specialty children’s birthday cake molds come complete with frosting instructions.

Your active girl or boy will jump for a sports themed cake. Some easy sports birthday cake ideas are decorating round cakes to resemble baseballs, soccer balls, or basketballs. Sporty girls and boys will also love a cake that resembles their favorite sports field, which is easy to make with a rectangular sheet cake. You can even add a net, aim, or hoop, as well as plastic figurines resembling spectators and sports players!

The younger set will  enjoy a cake decorated to resemble their favorite animal. Kittens, puppies, pandas, and teddy bears are classic favorites. An easy way to decorate an animal-themed children’s birthday cake is to use three round layers. Use the first round cake as the animal’s head, and cut the second round cake to make ears and other features.

Run out of birthday cake ideas? Making a cake with a translucent, sugar “photo” is easy, and enjoyable by birthday boys and girls of all ages.  take a favorite photo to your local cake decorating store, and we can prepare an edible version of it for a few dollars. Follow the instructions provided, and you can add it to the top of a elementary, iced cake. Voila! Instant birthday gratification!

Moms who hate decorating children birthday cakes will love this suggestion — provide the basic ingredients (cupcakes, frosting, piping bags, spreading knives, little candies, etc.) and let the birthday boy or girl and his/her guests decorate their own cupcakes!  lay down a plastic tablecloth and provide plastic aprons for each guest to minimize the mess!

Are you looking for ideas for an easy birthday cake?

You child’s birthdays is tomorrow and you can’t order a cake. Get the cake pans out and start baking. An easy birthday cake to make and decorate is on the way.

I prefer a two layer cake. To me they look more festive. If you have a cake mix great, if not make one from scratch. Pour mix into 2 – 9″ round pans that have been greased and floured. Bake them at 350 degrees about 25 – 35 minutes. I can usually tell they are done by feel. If you can’t put a knife in and see if it has any batter on it. If it does it isn’t done yet. Try not to over bake it or it will be dry.

When it is done put it on a cooling rack a few minutes. Run a knife around the edge of the cake. Then get a plate put the plate on top of the cake, flip it and your cake should come out if not put a wet towel on the bottom of the pan.

Now place the cake in the freezer for about 2 hours. You can leave them upside down. A frozen cake will ice better.

Make your favorite icing or buy it. Ice the top of one cake flip the other on it or place it on it. This is really an easy birthday cake. Now you want to ice the sides you can use a regular knife to just put icing on and run it around and ice the rest. Then do the top.

Now you can decorate. Either put sprinkles all the way around to decorate or draw a circle in another color frosting fill it in and make a smiley face. Sprinkles is an easy birthday cake idea. After you have that done write Happy Birthday _ _ _ on it. You can use a different colored icing that you put in a tube or a clean empty catchup or honey bottle. Anything that has a small hole in top and will squeeze will work.

Now isn’t that an easy birthday cake idea? I hope you can use this idea. Decorating cakes can be fun and this is just a simple way to start.

Making and decorating cakes is fun and relaxing for me Decorating a cake is an art you can learn. Check out this site for more information. There is a free video on decorating a cake with chocolate. http://www.squidoo.com/DecoratingBeautifulCakes

You can learn to decorate cakes and save your family a lot of money. Maybe you can start a business and make a lot of money. It is fun to decorate cakes and much easier than you might think. It is something you can learn. Check out the site http://www.squidoo.com/DecoratingBeautifulCakes

These cake recipes will take you back to the days when mom and/or grandma baked delicious desserts just for you.  Perhaps the ‘never-fail cake’ will remind you of a birthday cake she made for one of your early birthdays.  Or a delicious piece of white cake topped with fresh fruits or berries from your backyard garden or orchard could be a favorite memory.  Perhaps the apple cake will remind you of picking apples in the fall and coming in from the cold to the scents of apple desserts coming from grandma’s kitchen.  One of the best things about vintage recipes is the memories they bring to mind.  Of course the tastes are special, too!  Get the kids in the kitchen and let them bake up some memories of their own with you.  While working together, you can share some of your poignant memories with them.  It’s a great thing to pass family stories down to your children or grandchildren. 

OLD FASHION NEVER FAIL CAKE

1 cup sugar

1/2 cup butter or lard

1 egg

3 tbsp cocoa

3/4 cup sweet milk*

1/2 cup boiling water

1 tsp soda

1 rounding cup flour

1 tsp vanilla

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Cream sugar and butter, add unbeaten egg and beat. Add cocoa to egg mixture, blend well. Add flour and milk alternately. Last add hot water with soda dissolved in it. (Batter will be thin.) Pour into a 9×13-inch prepared baking pan. Bake 35 to 40minutes at 350 degrees. Frost with your favorite frosting.

*This is regular milk; not sweetened condensed milk. The old-timers referred to regular milk as sweet milk vs buttermilk.

GERMAN APPLE CAKE

This recipe is said to be from an old church cookbook. I have no way to trace its origins.

2 large or 3 small eggs

1 cup salad oil (butter flavored)

2 cups sugar

1 tsp vanilla

2 tsp cinnamon

2 cups sifted flour

1 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp salt

4 cups thinly sliced apples

1/2 cup chopped walnuts

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Beat eggs well, then add oil. Continue to beat while adding 2 cups sugar. Add vanilla and the sifted dry ingredients, mix well. Add the thinly sliced apples and walnuts. Pour into a 9×13-inch baking pan that has been greased and lightly floured. Bake 40 to 60 minutes until done.

ICING:

2 small packages of cream cheese

2 tbsp melted butter

1 tsp vanilla

1/2 cup powdered sugar.

Mix all ingredients well with an electric mixer. If too thin, add powdered sugar until of the right consistency to spread. Sprinkle with chopped walnuts, if desired.

Enjoy!

This is an interesting recipe I found in my late mother’s old metal recipe box.  It may be old but it is tasty!  Pistachio lovers will be thrilled with this cake.  If you are looking for something different for that office pitch-in, church supper, bake sale, holiday dinner, birthday cake, family reunion, etc. give this cake a try.  For Christmas I suggest taking a small spatula and drawing serving-sized squares in the frosting.  Then inside each square place a maraschino cherry.  This gives you a festive holiday look and it is quick and easy to do.  It is also a simple cake to let the little ones decorate with you.  The frosting is easy to apply and they can add sprinkle decorations to suit the occasion.  They will be so proud when everyone brags on their cake!

DOUBLE PISTACHIO CAKE

This old recipe had been cut from a couple of places on the cover of some product and taped together. It has to be an old General Mills recipe based on the products called for.

“This is the cake that’s sweeping the country. We call it the DOUBLE PISTACHIO CAKE”

1 pkg (2-layer-size) white or yellow cake mix

1 pkg (4-serving-size)Jell-O Pistachio Instant Pudding & Pie Filling

3 eggs

1/4 cup oil

1 cup club soda

1/2 cup chopped nuts

Blend all ingredients in large bowl; then beat at medium speed of electric mixer for 2 minutes. Pour into greased and floured 13×9-inch pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 45 to 50 minutes or until center springs back when lightly touched. Cool in pan 15 minutes; remove and finish cooling on rack. Make the frosting (recipe below) and frost cake. Garnish with chopped nuts.

FROSTING:

1 pkg (4 oz pkg Jell-O Pistachio Instant Pudding & Pie Filling

1 envelope Dream Whip Whipped Topping Mix

1 1/2 cups milk

Combine ingredients; beat 5 minutes or until thickened.

Enjoy! 

I have always loved coconut and as a child my mother would make them for my birthday.  Naturally, when I saw this recipe, I was intrigued.  My Mom always made me a coconut sheet cake but this cake is very good, too.  This cake is filled with apricot preserves.  You could change the preserves to the birthday boy or girl’s favorite flavor.  And a light touch of food coloring in the frosting could add to the presentation. It is a perfect cake for celebrations whether it be birthdays, anniversaries, showers, reunions, parties or just a family treat.  If you like coconut, you just have to share this cake with your family and friends.

COCONUT BIRTHDAY CAKE

CAKE:

3 cups cake flour

2 tsp baking powder

1 tsp salt

1/2 cup butter

1/2 cup margarine

1 lb powdered sugar

4 eggs, separated

1 cup milk

1 tsp vanilla

1 cup shredded coconut

Sift dry ingredients (first three) together and set aside. Cream butter and margarine until light and add powdered sugar; beat until light and fluffy. Add well beaten egg yolks and beat again. Add flour alternately with milk and vanilla. Fold in stiffly beaten egg whites. Fold in coconut. Bake in 9-inch layer pans (2 or 3) at 375 degrees for 25 to 30 minutes.

WHIP CREAM FROSTING:

1 cup milk

3 tbsp flour

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 cup sweet butter

apricot preserves

1/2 cup shortening

1 cup granulated sugar

1/2 tsp vanilla

Cook milk, flour, and salt until thick, stirring constantly. Cool well. Cream together butter, shortening, sugar, and vanilla. Combine with cooled milk and flour mixture, beat until smooth. When cake is cooled, split layers and spread with apricot preserves and frost with whip cream frosting.

Enjoy!