5 Ways to Elevate a Kids Cake

There's no better joy than baking a cake for your little ones and see their faces lit up. But when it comes to kids cakes, take artisanal baker and mother, Janki Thackersey's word for when she says, 'looks matter'. 

Janki started her home bakery @flourgirlbombay in December 2019. She grew up in Massachusetts and lived in New York after college,  after which she moved to Mumbai over a decade ago. That's when she started baking because she missed all the delicious cakes, breads, and pastries she used to eat back home. Flour Girl is her way to share the happiness when she bakes. She loves to brighten up her clients’ days, whether it’s the quiet joy of enjoying a pastry alongside an afternoon cup of coffee, or bringing people together around a frosted cake to celebrate a birthday.

When adorned with playful candies, unique flowers or tons of candles, even the simplest birthday cake can rival the store-bought exceptional confection. Janki shares five fresh and fun ways to decorate a kids birthday cake, perfect for the next get-together.

Fresh Flowers

There is something special about adding fresh flowers to a cake, but it is sad that some of the most beautiful flowers are not edible. Before adding your handpicked flowers from either your homegrown garden or local florist, it is important to research if they are safe to use and that you hand wash and dry them carefully. From rose petals to hibiscus, give your cake the whiff of spring by either placing them all together or sprinkling petals all over your ganache.

Pro tip: Use the app, Picture This - Plant Identifier as it quickly tells you if the flower you want to use is toxic or not! 

Candies 

Whether you cover the whole cake in them or follow a design with your local candies - Gems, homemade cookies, Kit Kat, marshmallows - your kid will love the cake decorated with their favourite sweets. To turn your cake into a colourful treat, place these candies over a rich chocolate frosting to make them pop. The classic sprinkle-topped decoration is always a go to for a birthday cake, until the grocery store runs out of them. Sometimes not being able to find many decorative elements forces you to be more imaginative and build your own aesthetic.

Seasonal Fruits

If you are looking to have a summery cake in no time, adding fresh fruits in season such as strawberries, mangoes, oranges can be the perfect topping to your cake. In nature you can’t get attached to any specific flavour, as when the season is over is time to experiment with another fruit. Nonetheless, we all do love a perfect seasonal homemade cake!

Theme-based

Themes can be used as a way of guidance when it comes to baking a birthday cake with a personalized touch. From rocketship to superheroes, knowing what your kids love is always a good starting point for ideation. For example, my son really enjoyed reading Enid Blyton’s - The Enchanted Wood: The Magic Faraway Tree, so I baked a cake inspired by the book for his birthday. Be abstract and thematic and not too specific because when you let go of being perfect you can have a lot of fun. Always remember, if you are having fun while baking or decorating, it will mirror in your final product.

Candles

To make your cake more pretty, you can use your everyday or themed candles more effectively. For example, after finishing the Magic Faraway Tree themed cake, my kids and I stuck the candles everywhere to give it the enchanted touch. Normally, when you send a cake, people put the candles themselves but if you are doing it at home - place the candles intentionally to compliment the design of your cake.