Birthday cake with candles

Black forest cakes are so ‘90s. Baked food is healthy and all, but your kids deserve a cake on their birthday that makes them lick their fingers clean. Make it extra special by baking one that also makes their eyes go wide with excitement. Here are some ideas you can start with:

Table of Contents

1. Rainbow Cake

What you need

For the Sponge

  • Butter (450g)
  • Caster sugar (300g)
  • Self-raising flour (450g)
  • Baking powder (1 tsp)
  • Eggs (8)
  • Vanilla bean paste (1 tbsp)
  • Rainbow sprinkles (200g)
  • Whole milk (4 tbsps)

For Icing:

  • Vanilla paste (1 tbsp)
  • Butter (150g)
  • Icing sugar (450g)
  • Cream cheese (180g)

Preparation

  • Preheat your oven to about 180°C and grease up 4 cake tins that are about 20cm. You can bake the cake in 2 batches if you are short on tins.
  • Take a large mixing bowl and mix butter, sugar and vanilla paste using an electric mixer. Mix till the mixture is light and fluffy. Add eggs gradually in between and beat thoroughly as you add each egg. If the mixture looks like it is curdling, add 1 or 2 tbsps of flour.
  • In a separate bowl mix flour, baking powder and a tsp of salt. Fold the dry ingredients in the cake batter and add milk as you are beating to make it light.
  • Add sprinkles and divide the mixture into the tins.
  • Pop the tins in the preheated oven for half an hour or 25 minutes.
  • Check for doneness by pressing the cooked sponges. They should spring back at a touch if they are cooked through. Allow the sponges to cool down before adding icing.
  • Make the icing by beating butter with at least half of the icing sugar until fluffy and well incorporated. Add cream cheese and the remaining icing sugar. Add the vanilla paste and beat the mixture again. Spoon the icing into a piping bag.
  • Add the icing on the cooled sponges by covering the bases first and then the tops. Scatter more sprinkles on the cake and serve.

2. Popcorn Cake

What you need

  • Popped popcorn (3 quarts)
  • Butter (3/4 cup)
  • Small marshmallows (1 bag of about 16 ounces)
  • Candy of your choice (such as M&Ms, candy corn, plain chocolate candy etc).
  • Unsalted peanuts (1 bag of about 8 ounces)
  • Vegetable oil (1/4 cup)

Preparation

  • Take a bundt pan and butter it.
  • Heat the vegetable oil in a saucepan and melt the mushrooms in it.
  • In a large bowl mix the popcorn, peanuts and the candy you chose. Make sure there are no unpopped kernels in the mixture.
  • Pour the melted marshmallows in the dry mixture slowly and mix quickly.
  • Press down the mixture in the pan firmly.
  • Take out the finished cake on a plate and allow it to set overnight in the refrigerator.

With these fun birthday cake recipes, you can make a great impression on your guests on your kid’s birthday. Accompany it with other baked food for a great spread.