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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

Ingredients:

• 1 (13 by 9-inch) cake
• 1 can (16 oz) vanilla frosting
• 1 tube brown decorating icing
• 1 red jelly-fruit slice
• 6 yellow Runts
• 10 yellow Starburst or Laffy Taffy
• 1 (½-inch) piece Sour Rainbow Belt

What you'll need:

• A bread knife
• A serving platter

Trimming the cake:

1. Place the cake on a clean work surface. Using the bread knife, trim the top of the cake to make it level.
2. Cut a 3 by 9-inch piece from one short end of the cake. Cut the 3 by 9-inch piece in half, on an angle, to create the 2 sleeves.
3. Cut a 2-inch V shape from center of the cut edge of the remaining 10 by 9-inch cake to make the jacket's neckline (see diagram for details).

Assembling the cake:

1. Place the 10 by 9-inch cake on a serving platter, with the notch at the top.
2. Place the sleeve pieces on either side of the larger cake, turning one piece over to match. Attach the sleeves to the larger piece of cake with a small amount of vanilla frosting.

Frosting the cake:

1. Cover the entire cake with vanilla frosting.
2. Pipe 2 lines of brown decorating icing on each sleeve edge, the neckline, and the front of the jacket, as pictured.
3. For the sun-shaped logo, arrange the red jelly-fruit slice and the yellow Runts on the breast of the jacket, as pictured.

For the decoration:

1. Microwave the yellow Starburst for 2 to 3 seconds to soften slightly. Press the candies together and roll out into a 7 by 3-inch rectangle.
2. Cut the rectangle into two 1 ½ by 7-inch strips to create each half of the belt. Tie the 2 candy strips together and drape over the lower part of the cake for the belt.
3. For the jacket's tag, place the Sour Rainbow Belt underneath the belt tie, as pictured.

Cake Anatomy:

Cake Cutout: