Pretty Birthday Cake Ideas for Your Next Celebration

May 6

Whether your birthday is coming up or you’re getting a cake for someone else, you want to make sure whatever you’re celebrating with looks as good as it tastes. Pretty birthday cakes make the guest of honor feel extra special, so you definitely want to take the cake’s looks into consideration. Gussy it up with expert-level piping, edible glitter, a dramatic drip, or top it off with cherries, butterflies, macarons, or shiny gold candles.

No matter the special occasion—baby shower, engagement party, retirement, anniversary, or, of course, a birthday—or the theme of your event, a pretty cake is always a good idea. Here, we’re rounding up some of our favorite delicious cakes so that you can celebrate upcoming birthdays as they were meant to be celebrated—with plenty of style.

Our Favorite Creative Birthday Cakes That Taste as Good as They Look

Garden Party

This gorgeous cake is decorated with pressed, edible flowers over a layer of rich and creamy (but not too sweet) Italian meringue buttercream. Perfect for an outdoor picnic, tea party, garden party (of course), or any event where you’re trying to exude effortless elegance.

Buttercream Dream

For a fun, playful, but still upscale look, consider Buttercream Dream. Outfitted with dramatic buttercream swirls and swoops, plus chic metallic sprinkle accents, it’s a cake that’s sure to impress your guests.

Trophy Wife

It just doesn’t get more glam than this show-stopping cake. Decorated with iconic Lambeth piping and covered with metallic buttercream, this cake isn’t one that anyone will forget anytime soon.

So Coquette

This cake is sweet and refined, covered in a layer of Italian meringue buttercream icing, with tons of fresh raspberries on top of the cake. This on-trend cake is perfect for the friend who is always in the know and would be just as fitting for girls’ nights in, wedding showers, or engagement parties as it is for a birthday party.

Shagadelic Baby

This retro cake could not be more fun. With the ‘70s color palette, funky piping, and plenty of personality, this cake is perfect for someone celebrating a milestone birthday or anyone who wants to make a big statement.

Something Custom

If you already have something in mind, you can work with the ECBG team to create an entirely custom birthday cake. Whether you’re looking for something sculpted, a multi-tiered masterpiece, or just something that’s one-of-a-kind, we can make that vision a reality. ECBG’s bespoke custom cakes require at least two week’s notice, so make sure if you’re going fully custom that you plan ahead.

Why ECBG

ECBG’s decadent cakes prioritize both design and flavor, making them a true centerpiece to any event. No matter the cake you choose—custom or semi-custom from the Cake Shop—your guests are sure to gasp.

FAQs

Yes! Our gluten-free, dairy-free, and vegan offerings are just as delicious as everything else we make. If you have any dietary restrictions or allergies, make sure to note that while ordering (or when talking to the team, if you’re going the custom route), so that we can make sure we can make your cake exactly as you need it made.
For our semi-custom Cake Shop cakes, we require at least 4 days’ notice because everything is baked to order. For custom cakes, we’re talking about a bit of a longer timeline—at least 2 weeks’ notice to make sure everything is baked and decorated to perfection.
When it comes to cake flavors, we don’t mess around. For our semi-custom cakes from the Cake Shop, you can choose from vanilla, chocolate, red velvet, lemon, almond, marble, funfetti, strawberry, and carrot.
Our fillings can make your cake really stand out, flavor-wise. Choose from our classic Italian meringue buttercream (it’s not too sweet, so if you’re looking for subtlety, this is for you!), vanilla whipped mascarpone, chocolate whipped ganache, cream cheese frosting, strawberry whipped ganache, raspberry whipped mascarpone, vanilla pastry cream, lemon curd, passion fruit whipped ganache, or caramel mousse. (Red velvet cake or carrot cake with cream cheese frosting or chocolate cake with raspberry whipped mascarpone? I mean, it doesn't get better than that.)
If you’re not sure what size cake to order, take a look at the Cake Shop pages for each cake, which will help you figure out how many people your delicious birthday cake will serve. For custom cakes, we can walk you through it.
Of course! We love working with clients on cakes that are totally their own. Reach out to chat about custom cake offerings and we’ll brainstorm with you to create your dream cake.
Our delivery options start at orders of $600 or more, so we generally do not offer delivery for custom or semi-custom birthday cakes. For a larger wedding cake order, delivery may be an option for you. Make sure you (or a family member) pick up your cake with a plan to carefully transport it home or to the party venue so it arrives still looking its best.
Do your best to keep the cake chilled before the party starts (or, at least, make sure it's not getting too warm—you don't want the buttercream to melt!). Take the cake out of the fridge at least 30-60 minutes before you plan to cut it so that your guests get the best experience. The texture and flavor changes a bit as the temp of the cake drops, so bringing it back up to room temperature will help the cake be as delicious as it's meant to be.
We can absolutely make kids' cakes. We have a few in our Cake Shop (like the Special Message and Sprinkle Party, which are both a popular choice for birthdays) that are already very kid-friendly, but if you want something tailor-made for your little one (maybe something to match their party theme, a princess-themed birthday cake, or something with their favorite characters? Sports-themed birthday cakes are also always fun!), reach out to us so that we can discuss custom options.

We all deserve a pretty birthday cake, and ECBG’s got tons on offer. Pick your favorite from the Cake Shop and make it your own or reach out to discuss something that’s fully custom and entirely you. You deserve a cake as fabulous as you are on your special day.

Planning to make your own gorgeous birthday cake? Shop Erin’s favorite cake tools to help you pull it off. (Affiliate links)

Need a bit of a skill brush-up? Our cake decorating classes are perfect for that! Try an online cake class or, if you’re local, come to one of our in-person classes at our Chicago bakeshop. We can’t wait to decorate with you!

Planning a wedding? Reach out to connect with us and learn more about our wedding cake offerings.