14 Creative Birthday Cake Ideas for Kids

Tropical Fish Cake

Take your next birthday party under the sea. With a few flicks of the spatula, you can create scale and fin textures for a swimmingly handsome fish cake. To feed a crowd, make extra bubble cupcakes.

Dragon Cake

Transform a fluted tube cake into a fire-breathing dragon for a birthday cake that really roars. Fun add-ons like fruit-leather wings and marshmallow claws provide extra menace.

Artist's Palette

Inspire your little Monet with this fun and colorful artist's palette made from a sheet cake. The masterpiece-ready paintbrush is made with a breadstick and some fruit leather.

Birthday Party Cookie Cakes

These mini cookie cakes are the perfect individual dessert for birthday parties. Let the kids decorate their own cookie creation!

• Birthday Party Cookie Cakes

Castle Cake

Every princess or prince needs a castle, and this cut-and-assemble cake is the perfect birthday fortress. Cover sugar cones with melted frosting for the turrets, and create colorful windows out of taffy.

Furry Purse Cake

Celebrate a fashionista with an adorable purse cake. Use a round piping tip to make the shaggy fur on this sweet and stylish birthday cake.

Race Car Cakes

Cool car cakes will satisfy your little one's need for speed (until birthday No. 16, anyway). All you need are two round cakes, colored frosting, and candy to make two race-ready cars.

Go Bowling Cake

Bowling is a great birthday party idea, and these striking cakes are sure to score. Cut the three pins from a sheet cake, and make a dramatic, dome-shape bowling ball by baking cake in a bowl.

Birthday Party Hat Cakes

Bake up a batch of cone-shaped cupcakes and let the decorating begin! Don't forget to add a licorice string as a finishing touch!

Gum-Ball Machine Cake

Great for a candy-theme party, this gum-ball machine cake couldn't be simpler. Frost round, square, and sheet cakes, and add round candies. Use a corn chip for a 3-D candy dispenser kids will love.

Rocket Ship

Decorated with candy and our creamy white frosting, this easy birthday cake is ready for lift-off in 3, 2, 1.

Sailboat Cake

Complete with a doughnut dingy and a breadstick mast, this little ship is fit to sail the seas at your skipper's next birthday party. Trim loaf and square cakes for the boat and sails.

Cheeseburger Ice Cream Cake

This cool cake is nearly identical to the all-American lunch favorite. To make it, sandwich chocolate ice cream, cheese made of fondant, and shredded coconut (dyed to look like lettuce) between two round yellow cakes. Serve it with "fries" made of sliced pound cake.

Decorate a Cake with Candy

You make the cake base you want, then just add candy! Easy, peasy decorations are just a candy aisle away; here are 11 ideas.