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A cute small birthday cake design featuring a pink frosted cake with a slice cut out, decorated with white frosting snowdrifts and mini trees, and a tiny skier.

Cute Small Birthday Cake Design Ideas

This guide provides simple ideas for decorating small birthday cakes.
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 35 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 5 minutes
Servings: 6 people
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: Baking
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Cake Base
  • 1.5 cups All-purpose flour
  • 1 cup Granulated sugar
  • 0.5 cup Unsalted butter, softened
  • 2 Large eggs
  • 0.5 cup Milk
Buttercream Frosting
  • 1 cup Unsalted butter, softened
  • 3 cups Powdered sugar
  • 1 tsp Vanilla extract
  • 2 tbsp Heavy cream

Equipment

  • Mixing bowls
  • Cake pans (6-inch)
  • Electric mixer
  • Offset spatula

Method
 

  1. Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease and flour two 6-inch cake pans.
  2. Combine flour and sugar in a bowl. In a separate bowl, cream the butter until light. Beat in the eggs one at a time.
  3. Alternate adding the dry ingredients and milk to the wet ingredients, mixing until just combined. Do not overmix.
  4. Divide the batter evenly between the prepared pans. Bake for 30 to 35 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Let the cakes cool in the pans for 10 minutes before turning them out onto a wire rack to cool completely.
  5. To make the frosting, beat the softened butter until smooth. Gradually add the powdered sugar, then mix in the vanilla and heavy cream until the frosting is light and fluffy.
  6. Once the cakes are cool, level the tops if necessary. Place one layer on a serving plate. Spread a layer of frosting on top. Place the second layer on top.
  7. Apply a thin crumb coat of frosting to the entire cake and chill for 15 minutes. Apply the final layer of frosting.
  8. Decorate the small cake simply. Consider using a contrasting color of frosting piped around the base or top edge. Small sprinkles or fresh berries work well for a cute look.

Notes

For a cute design, use food coloring to make a pastel frosting. You can create simple flower shapes using a star tip, or draw small dots all over the sides of the cake for a polka-dot effect.