About Birthday Cakes

No matter how old or how young someone is, a birthday cake never goes out of style. There are several different designs and flavors from which to choose.

Types

Birthday cakes come in many types. Some of the most popular are sheet cakes, tiered cakes. filled cakes, cupcake cakes and shaped cakes. Sheet cakes are the most common, due to the fact they come in a variety of sizes--a three-quarter sheet, half sheet and full sheet. The sheet cake can feed as many as five to 30 people. Tiered cakes are common for home bakers. Two round cakes can be made at the same time with a layer of frosting in the middle and the outside. Filled cakes are often square or round cakes that include a filling such as jelly, custard or candy. Cupcake cakes are popular among children. Cupcakes are arranged into a design to form the shape of a cake. Shaped cakes are typically made by bakers or culinary artists. They can include anything from cars, people, flowers or animals.

Flavors

The flavors of birthday cakes are one of the first selections made when creating a cake. Popular flavors are chocolate, vanilla, strawberry, cherry, German chocolate, devil's food, carrot and angel food. Flavors can be swirled or stacked, depending on the preference of the baker. Fresh fruit can also be added. Cherries, cranberries and strawberries are popular choices. Crumbled candies such as chocolate chips, Snickers bars, Heath bars and Reese's peanut butter cups are popular flavor additives.

Frosting

Frosting is literally the icing on the birthday cake. Frosting can be store bought from a can, a tube or tub. Homemade frosting can be made with a whipped topping base or a butter cream. Some of the most popular frosting flavors are chocolate, dark chocolate, vanilla, cream cheese, strawberry, coconut, banana and cherry chip.

Topping

The topping of a birthday cake is more than just frosting. It can be anything from low-key to very dramatic. Some cakes utilize airbrush techniques. Airbrushing can entail anything from a favorite animal to a photograph of the birthday recipient. Candles are always a popular topping for a cake. Swirl candles, colored, sparkler and trick candles are all used on top of birthday cakes. Plastic decorations such as cartoon characters, sports figurines and letters are great choice toppers for all ages.

Substitutes

For those with diet restrictions such as sugar, sodium and allergies, there are substitutions. No-salt brand flavoring can be substituted for regular table salt when baking the cake. Splenda is a good substitute for sugar and makes a great replacement for diabetics and those watching their sugar intake. Peanuts, milk, wheat and eggs can be substituted with soy products. For low-fat dieters, applesauce can replace oil for a fat-free version of the birthday cake. Some birthday cakes can be made entirely from ice cream and are a good substitute for those who don't like cake.

Resources

• Birthday Cakes
• Designer Cakes
• Dairy Queen Ice Cream Cakes