Balloon Cake

• Make a cake that looks like a bunch of birthday balloons. Bake a batch of cupcakes in your favorite cake flavor. Frost the cupcakes in a variety of bright colors, as they will be used to create the balloons. Choose a large tray or cake platter for this cake. Place the cupcakes on to the top section of the cake in a design so they look like a bunch of balloons. Place a long ribbon extending down from the base of each cupcake. Gather the ribbons at the base of the platter, and tie them together with another ribbon. Pipe "Happy Birthday, Jake" on to the cupcakes, using one cupcake for each letter.
  
  

Numbers Cake

• Make a cake shaped like the number, or numbers, of the age the birthday girl is turning. Use an 11-by-14-in. sheet cake for each number. Carve the numbers out of the cake using a serrated knife. Make a stencil using a piece of cardboard if you can't cut out the shapes freehand. Once the cakes are cut out, frost them with colors that coordinate with the rest of the party's decorations.
  
  

Stencils

• Rather than piping the "Happy Birthday" message on to the cake, try a more unique technique. Bake a cake in the shape and flavor of your choice. Frost it in white icing. Then, find a stencil that spells "Happy Birthday." If you can't find one, make one yourself using stiff plastic or cardboard and a scalpel. You could also use individual letter stencils instead. Place the stencil on to the cake, and shake colored sugar on to it. When you lift the stencil, you will be left with the birthday message. Be careful with the stencil so you don't harm the icing around the message. Use a flat butter knife to smooth out any frosting that is upset.
  
  

Gift Cake

• Presents are one of the most common themes at birthday parties, so make a cake that looks like a birthday present. Bake three square cakes, and stack them with frosting between each layer. Frost the cake in the color of your choice. Place frosting into a pastry bag and pipe a 2-in.-wide ribbon going down each side and meeting at the top of the cake. Create a large bow out of a piece of ribbon in the same color of the frosting, and place it on top of the cake.