Animal birthday cake suggestions for a big kid please!

December 29, 2013 3:16 AM

My sister's birthday is coming up and I'm developing a tradition of baking her a cake in the shape of an animal. Looking for animal and recipe suggestions.

The last two years I've done an owl and a panda so those two are out but that still leaves plenty of cute animals. She's in her mid-twenties but cakes aimed at kids are definitely preferred!

posted by neilb449 to Food & Drink (12 answers total)

We've done a bunny using a bunny-shaped pan, like this one.
posted by Area Man at 3:51 AM on December 29, 2013

Here is a cute Goldfish cake recipe that we've been wanting to make.
posted by Area Man at 4:06 AM on December 29, 2013

My friends once made me a turtle cake (I looooooove turtles). I don't know exactly what they did, but it looked like a normal round cake with green frosting and legs and a head.
posted by LoonyLovegood at 4:10 AM on December 29, 2013

Best answer: This penguin cake is adorable. This monkey cake looks pretty easy to make; here's a slightly more detailed version. This lion cake uses really creative decorations.
posted by katie at 4:24 AM on December 29, 2013

Best answer: Not exactly an animal, but I've been saving this butterfly cake tutorial for such an occasion myself.
posted by meindee at 5:37 AM on December 29, 2013

This snake looks pretty easy.
posted by jquinby at 6:50 AM on December 29, 2013

Pinterest is great inspiration for this.
posted by vignettist at 8:33 AM on December 29, 2013

I made this snake cake with a bundt pan.
A turtle cake is easy too- Just make a round cake and use cupcakes for the legs and head.
posted by Ochre,Hugh at 9:39 AM on December 29, 2013

Here's the classic bunny cake made with simple round pans.
posted by Morrigan at 5:12 PM on December 29, 2013

If I were going to do an animal-themed cake I would definitely try to put together a version of this cake from Hyperbole and a Half.
posted by Serene Empress Dork at 5:45 PM on December 29, 2013

The Australian Women's Weekly kids party cake recipe book series are legendary in Australia: every Australian kid has either had their mum make them a cake from the book, or attended a party where there was one present. They feature animal designs, but also other cool children-appealing shapes including rockets, ships, and dolls.

Awesomely retro in design, with a buttercake foundation, they are usually executed in a sweet, less-than-perfect way which saw uneven buttercream frosting levels, and generous festooning of jelly sweets / chocolate freckles / musk sticks (depending on the design). They were also extremely delicious.

A water-baby friend once had his mum make him the swimming pool cake (the centre was slightly hollowed out, and blue and green set jelly poured into the cavity, with tiny toy ducks "floating" on the surface").
posted by travellingincognito at 4:24 AM on December 30, 2013

I've made a wombat cake for my beau two years running now. The pattern is really easy to use.
posted by fiercecupcake at 7:51 AM on December 30, 2013 [1 favorite]