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31 Incredible Birthday Cake Designs

Step-by-step recipes, designs and color pics of the easiest (and cutest) birthday cakes for boys and girls

Serves 8

Ingredients:

• 1 (8-inch) round cake
• 1 can (16 oz) vanilla frosting
• Red food coloring
• 1 frozen pound cake (12 oz), thawed

What you'll need:

• A bread knife
• A sheet pan
• A wax-paper-lined basket, bowl, or plate
• 1 resealable sandwich-size plastic bag (Ziploc)
• 1 mini-paper cupcake liner

For the base of the cake:

1. Using the bread knife, trim the 8-inch cake to fit into a wax-paper–lined basket, bowl, or plate.
2. Set aside 3 Tbsp of the vanilla frosting in a small bowl. Spread the remaining vanilla frosting over the trimmed cake to cover completely.

For the french fries:

1. Preheat broiler.
2. Trim the darker crusts of the cake away with a bread knife. Cut the pound cake crosswise into ½-inch slices. Cut each slice into ½-inch-thick sticks.
3. Spread the pound-cake sticks in a single layer on a sheet pan. Place under the broiler for 15 to 30 seconds until the tops are lightly toasted and golden brown. (Watch the pound cake carefully -- it burns easily. Turn the pound-cake sticks and repeat on each side until they are lightly toasted all over.
4. Arrange the pound-cake sticks on top of the frosted cake to resemble french fries.

For the ketchup:

1. Add red food coloring to the reserved 3 Tbsp of vanilla frosting to tint it the color of ketchup.
2. Spoon the red frosting into a resealable plastic bag.
3. Place the mini–paper cupcake liner on top of the "french fries." Snip a small corner from the bag with the red frosting. Pipe the red frosting into the paper liner.

Cake Anatomy: