Unique Baby Shower Cake Ideas and Designs

Congratulations on having a sweet reason to have a party! A new baby is a great reason to celebrate, so if you’re looking for baby shower cake ideas, you likely will become the host of a baby shower or are connected to one in some way. (Maybe you’re the mom-to-be! If so, our congratulations go out to you!)

If you’re the host of a baby shower, you have a lot of tasks on your hands, from finding the most popular baby shower games to deciding on the perfect cake design.

Let’s walk through the steps on how to choose the perfect baby shower cake, a recipe for baby shower cake and some designs you may want to consider.

Baby Shower Cake Theme Ideas

What types of cakes fit the theme for a baby shower? If the mom-to-be doesn’t give you ideas for the perfect cake, consider bringing these ideas to the table. From a sunflower baby shower cake to a gender reveal cake, you can choose from endless adorable ideas.

Teddy Bear Cake

Consider making a sweet teddy bear cake in the shape of a teddy bear, made of multiple layers of sponge or butter cake and decorated with frosting or fondant. Once you make it for a baby shower, you can save the recipe for a two-year-old’s birthday party later on!

Ballerina Baby Shower Cake

To celebrate the upcoming arrival of a baby girl, why not create or order a cute ballerina baby shower cake? It can fit in neatly with ballerina theme baby shower decorations. Decorate a round or tiered cake with fondant or buttercream frosting to resemble a ballerina, ballet slippers, tutus, ribbons or other ballet-related decorations.

Baby Booties Shower Cake

Fondant or frosting will never look cuter than when it’s shaped like pastel baby booties. Add bows, ruffles or buttons (real or fondant) in various shapes and sizes or as a cake topper to a cake you’ve made on your own. You may also want to show a sample cake to a bakery instead.

Baby Blocks Cake

Baby blocks can spell out a special message or add a fun touch to a sweet baby shower. To make a square-shaped cake, you can cut a sheet cake into even-sized squares using a jelly roll pan. Consider using six-inch squares for a baby block sheet cake and add letters, possibly spelling out the baby’s name (if the parents-to-be have revealed it!).

Stars and Moon Cake

Choose a “Twinkle Twinkle Little Star” theme for a whimsical baby boy or girl baby shower theme. The cake design can include sugar paste stars or you can also serve a cake garnished with moon and star cookies. The sky’s the limit (quite literally).

Woodland Theme Cake

What’s cuter than a lightly frosted cake (to resemble the white and dark colors of birchwood) and an assortment of woodland animals on top? Look for cute wooden or paper cupcake critter toppers to assemble on top of a cake.

Instead of a woodland theme, you can switch gears and go for an ocean, safari, birds or another type of animal theme.

Rainbow Cake

Whether you’re celebrating a miracle rainbow baby or the mom-to-be just likes the idea of a colorful rainbow cake, a rainbow cake can make a definite splash for a baby boy or girl. Use gel food color for the most vibrant icing colors for a rainbow cake or cupcakes.

How to Choose the Perfect Baby Shower Cake

Take a look at the steps for choosing the perfect baby shower cake, from considering a theme to making the baby shower cake happen.

Step 1: Consider the theme.

What theme does the mom-to-be want for the shower? The themed baby shower cake will start with the mom’s guidance. The mom’s wishes will guide you toward a “Twinkle Twinkle Little Star” theme versus a giraffe theme. Ask her what the baby’s room will look like. If she plans to have an elephant theme for the baby’s room, why not choose that theme for the shower?

Step 2: Ask about the baby’s gender.

Are you sure it’s a boy or do you know that you’re throwing a party for a baby girl? A girl baby shower may demand a pink princess cake, while a boy baby shower may require a blue pastel elephant baby shower cake. You may need to throw a gender neutral baby shower because the parents have not decided to learn the baby’s gender. If that’s the case, it may be even more important to stick to a specific decor, such as using yellow and green polka dots.

Step 3: Decide whether you’ll make the cake or hire a professional.

The most crucial step involves deciding whether you’ll make the cake on your own or head to the nearest bakery.

If you live far away from the location of the shower, your decision is probably already made — you’ll need to call a local bakery and order a cake. It’s not likely possible to fly on a commercial airline with a cake’s buttercream frosting intact.

Step 4: Learn how to make a cake.

Luckily, in this day and age, there are plenty of ways to learn how to make a cake. You can follow an online DIY tutorial step-by-step, which can include teaching you how to add fondant to a cake. If you decide to make the cake yourself, it’s a good idea to consider taking a cake decorating class before you decide to make a complex cake.

However, if you choose to make cupcakes with simple cake toppers, you may be able to get away without having taken a cake decorating class. Baby shower cupcakes may prove to be much less complex to make. Sheet cakes may also offer a less complex option, but if you plan to write on a cake, remember that it’s not as easy as it looks!

By the time you get done learning about how to make a cake, you may move on to birthday cakes and wedding cakes!

Step 5: Decide on the type of baby shower cake.

Once you have the theme set and your method decided, choose a cake design. Sheet cakes provide more cake (and bang for your buck) for shower attendees. However, the mom-to-be may have a specific idea about the type of baby shower cake she wants.

Before you decide on the final design, remember that it will be the centerpiece for the shower. Whether you choose a tier cake for the baby shower party or a sheet cake, think of how it will look as the showpiece.

Step 6: Bake and decorate the baby shower cake.

Consider baking and icing the baby shower cake a day ahead so you can make a new plan if your first one goes awry. Here’s a basic cake and frosting recipe:

Cake Recipe

• 1 box white cake mix
• 1 1/4 cups champagne
• 1/3 cup vegetable oil
• 3 egg whites

• Sprinkles and edible pearls

Frosting Recipe

• 1/2 cup softened butter
• 4 cups powdered sugar
• 1/4 cup champagne
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 4 drops red food coloring

Instructions 

• Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease cake pans with cooking spray and flour set aside.
• In a large mixing bowl, mix together room temperature champagne and cake mix. Using an electric mixer, mix in the vegetable oil, egg whites and food coloring. Beat the mixture on medium speed for two minutes.
• Pour the cake batter into the greased cake pans. Bake for 29-34 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into the middle comes out clean. Let cakes cool for 10 minutes before turning them over onto a wire rack.
• To make the frosting, use an electric mixer to beat room temperature champagne, powdered sugar, butter, vanilla and food coloring. Beat the frosting until it is smooth.
• Spread a layer of frosting between the cake layers. Cover the sides and top of the cakes with the remaining frosting. Decorate with sprinkles, edible pearls or other decorations.

Choose the Right Centerpiece

Whether you go for owls or baby blocks, the cake can draw as many “oohs” and “ahhs” as the gifts. It’s a good idea to carefully consider how you’ll make a splash with the right centerpiece: the cake.

Learn more about all phases of your kids’ life, from baby shower ideas to savings for a new baby through UNest. UNest can offer parents ideas and guidance from babyhood through the teenage years, especially when learning how to save for college.

Download the UNest app today to begin planning for your baby’s future, including saving for their future. UNest accounts offer you flexibility to save for college, a first car, or any of life’s grand occasions.

Friends and family can even send gifts to your child’s account for birthdays and holidays.

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