Sweet! You won’t believe how easy it is to make these awesome cakes
by Karen Tack, photos by Kenneth Chen
First, we showed you how to make 31 amazing birthday cakes step-by-step. Now we've got a whole new batch of 30 more showstopper cakes that'll be the talk of every birthday party. We show you how to make each surprisingly easy cake with pictures and diagrams.
Owl Birthday Cake
Making this adorable, wide-eyed owl cake for your kid's next birthday is sure to be a "wise" choice.
Hot Air Balloon
Your adventurous kiddo will dream of circling the world in 80 days with this hot air balloon cake.
Koala
The cuddly koala from Down Under makes one cute cake design.
Gumball Machine
No need to put a quarter in this gumball machine cake—everyone gets a few on their slice.
Penguin
Got a Happy Feet fan? Make him this cute penguin cake.
Squid
Who knew squids could be so cute? Whip up this easy cake for your future marine biologist.
Unicorn
Your fairy princess will love this whimsical unicorn birthday cake.
Building Blocks
Kid obsessed with building blocks? This colorful, easy cake design imitates the stackable toys.
Tuxedo
Turn your kid's next birthday into a black-tie affair with this buttoned-up black tuxedo cake.
Ants
Here's the perfect cake for your curious ant watcher—and the only time you'll allow bugs in the house!
Pig Cupcakes
These little pink piggies will be right at home on a cupcake platter—and make serving a snap.
Frog Cupcakes
Go green—literally—for your kids' next birthday with these fun frog cupcakes.
Island
Give your beach-loving kiddo a taste of the tropics with this island-inspired cake design.
Bird House
Your little bird-watcher-in-training will sing for this "tweet" cake.
American Flag
Got a 4th of July or Flag Day birthday? Give it extra patriotic flair with this wavy flag cake.
Wii Controller
Make your Wii-gaming aficionado a matching cake for his next birthday.
Cherry Pie
Is it a pie? Is it a cake? Luckily your kid will get both in this super-easy cheery cherry pie/cake hybrid.
Catcher's Mitt
Score a home run for your baseball fan with this catcher's mitt cake.
Shark
Your pint-sized Jacques Cousteau will dive straight into this easy loaf cake.
Pizza
What kid doesn't love pizza? Especially when you can have it for both dinner and dessert.
Snake
Let your kid take a bite out of this slithering cupcake snake.
Lion
This homemade lion cake is perfect for the king of the jungle gym.
Monkey
This is the cake for kids who like eating bananas and monkeying around. (Which means all of them.)
Soccer Ball
This soccer ball—grass and all—is a real game winner.
Butterfly
This gumdrop-topped butterfly will set little hearts aflutter.
Pirate Ship
Forget the eye-patch. Indulge his pirate fantasy with this easy, arrrrr-tistic cake.
Ladybug Cupcakes
Cupcake ladybugs bring just as much good luck as the kind you find in the garden.
Horse
Wish your kid happy trails with this chocolate horse cake.
Jelly-fruit slices are the perfect shape for dino dorsal plates and (probably) way more colorful than they were in prehistoric times.
Purse
A dress-up party wouldn't be complete without this edible, eye-catching accessory.
Dragon
Young wizards-in-training will obliterate this fire-breathing dragon.
Guitar
Raising a future rock star? Make your strummer this yummy guitar cake.
It's hard work earning those belts but this one only requires some Starburst and a rolling pin.
Skateboard
If your sk8r boi loves his board, he'll love this one too. No Band-aids required.
Basketball and Hoop
Let your kid be the Michael Jordan of the playground court—you can be the Shaq of birthday cakes.
Cat
Showcase this cake at a party and the neighborhood kids will think your tyke is one cool cat.
Puppy
Puppy love! Dog lovers will jump for joy over this adorable, blue-eyed birthday treat.
Turtle
Whether your kid is a fan of the pizza-eating, ninja kind or has a live one in a glass bowl, this turtle cake is sure to please.
Mermaid
Make a splash with this pretty mermaid cake.
Microphone
Your little one already likes to dazzle an audience. These mic cakes are cool enough to inspire a performance.
Football
Touchdown! Score major points with any Super Bowl fanatic with this football cake.
