Everyone loves a good birthday cake, whether it’s chocolate, vanilla, or Colin the Caterpillar, but if you’re a large family whose birthdays all seem to fall around the same time of year, birthday cake fatigue can quickly set in.
The humble birthday cake may be a long-established tradition, but every now and then it’s perfectly fine to break with tradition and opt for something that your family will actually be excited to gather around and tuck into.
Here are a few suggestions for tasty alternatives to the classic birthday cake.
Pie
Pie has more variety than cake, meaning its much harder to get bored of.
If the birthday haver has a favourite pie, you can bake and put your candles in that. It might be fruit, chocolate, banoffee, custard, pumpkin, or even savoury (not everyone has a sweet tooth after all). Either way, it’ll be more special for them than an old-fashioned cake with vanilla icing.
Cheesecake
This is another option that can easily be adapted to suit different tastes.
There’s the classic New York cheesecake, or you can top it with fruit coulis, or make the filling with lemon or chocolate, or bake it or make it burnt.
If you don’t want to make it yourself, you can always order a professionally made cheesecake online. Companies like Desserts Delivered Bakery deliver fresh cheesecake direct to your front door within 24 hours of ordering. It’ll be a delicious, impressive birthday treat.
Doughnuts
For an eye-catching, deep-fried alternative to the birthday cake, make doughnuts.
Doughnuts piled in pyramid and topped with a drizzle of colourful icing and sprinkles makes a centrepiece that’s just as impressive as any birthday cake. You can make a variety of fillings and cut them into quarters so that everyone present can sample every flavour. It’ll be a birthday to remember.
Sundaes
This is the perfect option for children (though it works for adults as well), as it’s easy to set up and gives them the freedom to choose what they want.
Set up a sundae bar in the corner of your kitchen, with the toppings in separate bowls, where guests can get creative by concocting their perfect ice cream.
For toppings you can have different sweets and candies, chocolate chips, chopped nuts, sprinkles and sauces. Just be prepared for the clean up afterwards.
Trifle
Trifle is filling, flavourful and easy to make look impressive.
For spring and summer birthdays, layer summer berries in jelly, sponge, fresh cream and custard on top of each other or, for autumn and winter birthdays, winter berries, ginger sponge, cream and chocolate custard.
Brownies
A plate piled high with chocolate brownies, decorate with edible flowers, sweets or fruit makes for a surprisingly attractive – not to mention easy to make – birthday cake alternative.
Cupcakes
Cupcakes are simple, light and come in a variety of flavours.
In fact, just like ice cream sundaes, you can let your guests create their own cupcakes, with a simple vanilla base, then different icings, candies, sprinkles, fruits, chocolate and nuts. It’ll keep you full, and keep you, your friends and family entertained.
Chocolate fondue
Will anyone complain when the find out the traditional birthday cake has been replaced with a chocolate fountain? We don’t think so.
Chocolate fountains will keep birthday guests occupied for hours as they dip marshmallow, fruit, and savoury bites like cheese into a curtain of melted chocolate. It’s a fabulous centrepiece that will ensure any birthday party will be one to remember.
There are many alternatives to the birthday cake, any one of which will satisfy your sweet cravings and possibly start a new and exciting birthday tradition.