First birthday cakes are often the most stressful part of
planning a baby's first birthday. Many new mothers want
something special and memorable, yet easy to prepare.
The problem is they're just not sure where to start. Should
you choose a cartoon character or an animal? Is a rectangle
one better, or should you go round? Well, fear not. Here are 7 easy first birthday cake tips
that will help you make the perfect cake.
1. Make It Kid Approved -
The first thing to keep in mind
is that you need to make the cake with the kids in mind.
Ok, so this may seem like a no-brainer, but consider what a
kid likes in a birthday cake.
Gooey and sticky are always winners. Bright colored icing is
a must. Also, keep in mind that your new baby will likely be
eating it with their hands, so something spongy will help
make it finger-friendly.
2. Make It Look Like It Can Move -
Chances are your little
one will never remember this cake. But you can make it one
they recognize and enjoy. But one-year-olds are learning
about shapes and movement. Consider decorating it with cars
Egypt trains. Use big shapes.
3. Go Easy On The Sugar -
Your baby, as you know can have
a sensitive stomach at times. By making their cake with
less sugar, you can make sure their little tummy plays
along. One easy way to do this is to use whipped cream
instead of icing. It's easier to spread, too.
4. Two Is Better Than One -
With a first birthday [http://www.squidoo.com/firstbirthdaypartyideas], the mess is inevitable and
frankly, your baby is more likely to treat their cake like
modeling clay rather than food. But you have the guests to
consider too. So, try making two cakes, a larger one for
the guests, a small one for your baby to smash. That way
everyone gets cake and a video-opp too.
5. Use A Thin Layer Of Icing First -
Icing the cake can
make you want to cuss (bite your tongue, though). It never
seems to fail that chunks of cake get ripped off while
spreading the knife.
Two things you can do: one let the cake cool all the way.
And second, spread a real thin layer of icing first and let
it sit. This will make the second, real layer much easier to
spread. Plus it's easier to camouflage places where the cake
has peeled off.
6. Draw On It -
When cutting your sheet cake into a shape,
use icing to draw on it first. This will ensure you have
the shape you want before cutting. Plus the icing tastes
better than an ink pen (that was bad, I know).
7. Make Your Cake Number 1 -
And finally, here's an easy
way to cut your cake into the shape of a one. First, take
your sheet cake and cut it down the middle long ways. Use
one of these halves to make the "foot" and "upper lip" of
the 1. The other half will be the main body of the 1.
To do that simply cut the selected half at the 1/3 mark.
Take the 2/3's piece and place it at the bottom of the first
long piece. That's your foot. Then take the 1/3 piece, cut
it once from corner to corner, making a triangle, and use
one of these as the "upper lip." That's it. Oh, and snack on
the leftover piece.
There you go. First birthday cakes do not have to be the
Booga Bears. With some simple techniques, you can pull off
a winner very easily.
And if you want additional first birthday party ideas,
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