Candy Birthday Cake

candy birthday cake

How cute did this candy birthday cake turn out?!!

I am so very excited to share it with you!

The goal for the cake was to be cute and fun, but not too "busy".

The end result was this adorable design that was a perfect fit for the style of our Sweet Shoppe Party!

The use of salt water taffy and a candy necklace add life and dimension to the cake without overpowering it, and the bubble gum "cherry" on top is so cute!

Get the full decorating instructions below.

How to Make this Candy Birthday Cake

You'll Need:

Two 10-inch cake layers, baked, cooled and leveled

Cupcake-shape cake, baked and cooled (I used the Wilton cupcake pan)

Buttercream frosting (start with four batches, but have ingredients on hand for more, just in case)

Viva paper towels (I use Viva because they have no designs imprinted on them. If you can find other "smooth" paper towels, feel free to use them)

Dowel Rods

Cake board, cut to fit the bottom of the cupcake cake and wrapped in foil

Icing colors for the lollipops (I used ivory for the sticks, yellow, sky blue, orange, green and pink)

Decorating bags and tips (two #18, one #1M, and several #3s)

Colorful sprinkles

Salt water taffy

One giant candy necklace (You can purchase these from CandyWarehouse.com in sets of 18 if you aren't able to find them locally. I used the extras to create a precious garland for the table)!

One piece of Double Bubble bubble gum (or similar)

Green wire

Candy Birthday Cake Instructions:

candy birthday cakes

candy theme cake

make a candy cake

Place a 10-inch cake layer on the cake stand of your choice. Spread an even layer of frosting on top of the cake; top with the second layer. Frost the sides of the cake and then the top, trying to keep it as smooth and even as possible. Let set for about 5 minutes. Lay a paper towel on top of the frosting, and working your way around the cake, smooth out any imperfections with your hand.

Insert the dowel rods into the cake following these instructions.

Place the bottom half of the cupcake cake on the foil-wrapped cake board. Spread an even layer of frosting across the top of the bottom portion of the cupcake cake. Add a dab of frosting to the center of the 10-inch cake so serve as "glue", then center the cake board on top of the cake. Place the top half of the cupcake cake evenly on top of the bottom half.

Fill one decorating bag with white buttercream and fit with a #18 star tip. Tint a small portion of the buttercream pink. (HINT: The pink coloring is VERY potent! Just a tiny speck should be all that you need). Add that to a second decorating bag fitted with a #18 tip. Pipe stripes on the bottom half of the cupcake cake to resemble a cupcake liner.

Change the tip on the white decorating bag to a #1M tip, adding more frosting to the bag, if necessary. Pipe large, loose stars to cover the top of the cupcake cake. Immediately sprinkle with colorful sprinkles.

Add small amounts of frosting to little bowls and tint the colors that you'd like to use for your lollipops. Be sure to tint the ivory color for your sticks. Add the frosting to bags fitted with #3 tips and pipe lollipops onto the sides of the 10-inch cake. Piping small white dots around and between the lollipops gives the cake some added interest and dimension.

Pipe a #18 white border around the base of the 10-inch cake. Cut the string of the candy necklace (being sure to keep the necklace in tact), then lay up against the white frosting border. (This will serve as a "glue" to hold the candy on).

Pipe dots of white frosting to pieces of salt water taffy, then secure them around the base of the cupcake cake. No rhyme or reason here...just have fun with it!