Easy Birthday Cake Decorating Ideas You Can Do!

Truly Easy Birthday Cakes

I’ve got to tell you, I found hundreds of cakes labeled “easy”, but only 25 of them made the cut for this post, and here’s why: lots of blog posts about cakes SAY they are easy to make, but I’m not buying it. For example, making six colors of fondant and then rolling it out and cutting into a gazillion different shaped pieces does not look easy to me. Neither does piping out enough frosting using a star tip to cover Elmo or Cookie’s head – I can guarantee that will end in disaster if I try. So I present to you 25 easy birthday cake decorating ideas that are actually easy!

Looking for more birthday party help? Find 50 easy birthday party games for kids right here

Sprinkle Cake

This simple cake is completely covered in sprinkles, which means the decoration hides any imperfections in the frosting. Get the instructions at Endlessly Inspired.

Kit Kat Cake

This idea is genius! Make and frost a two layer chocolate cake and then put Kit Kat candy bars all around the sides. This cake looks super impressive but won’t take long at all to decorate. Get the instructions at The Exploring Family.

Butterfly Cake

Turn any round cake into a butterfly with these easy to follow instructions. Frost it with with a white buttercream, then use your favorite candies to decorate the wings. Get the instructions at Food.com.

Sprinkle Number Cake

This easy birthday cake idea is brilliant. Make the cake, frost it, use a cookie cutter as a template for sprinkles, and you’re done! It’s a pretty, professional looking cake with very little effort. Get the instructions at Little Life of Mine.

Rainbow cake

Here’s another super simple way to dress up a store bought cake: use Skittles candies and marshmallows to make a rainbow. Get the instructions at My Bored Toddler.

Giant Donut Cake

This adorable cake is made in a standard bundt pan and decorated to look like a giant donut. The post includes the recipe for a pourable glaze. Get the instructions at Ready Set Eat.

Fluffy Lamb Cake

This sweet little lamb cake looks hard to make, but it’s really pretty simple. Step by step photos make it easy for your to learn how to pipe the rosettes that make up the lamb’s fluffy wool. Get the instructions at Handmade Charlotte.

Camping Cake

I love the creativity of this camping cake! Oreo cookies get crushed up to resemble the texture of dirt, graham crackers make a cute tent, and orange candles look like a campfire. Get the instructions at Feeling Nifty.

Dinosaur Cake

Another super creative cake idea: Chocolate Chips Ahoy Dinosaur Cake. The decorating here is so simple even an absolute beginner could do it, and the end result with dueling dinosaurs on top is epic. Make the cake from scratch or use a cake mix – just be sure to click over for the recipes for the chocolate frosting and chocolate ganache. Get the instructions at Butterlust Blog.

Candy Cake

Indulge your sweet tooth – and make decorating super easy – by covering the entire outside of your cake with candy! This darling cake started from a box mix, but it looks fancy and delicious when placed on a pretty cake stand. Get the instructions at Lovely Indeed.

Cookie Monster Cake

Most Cookie Monster cakes require piping enough frosting to cover the entire cake – which is so much work! This version looks like the monster without all the piping work. Get the instructions at Bake Me Some Sugar.

Easy Balloon Cake

Balloons are a go-to decoration for birthday parties, so why not use them on the cake too? Water balloons tied to wooden skewers are just the right size for decorating a plain white cake – pick one up from the bakery instead of making a homemade cake to make this idea even easier. Get the instructions at Design Megillah.

Pinata Cake

Want serious mom points? Make this cool cake for your child’s birthday and then hand them the knife to cut a piece. Get the instructions at Design Intuition.

Mickey Mouse Cake

This is an easy birthday cake anyone can make without any special tools. The post walks you through a couple the simple decorating techniques you’ll need, like how to make a rosette. Get the instructions at Crazy for Crust.

Simple Construction Cake

Combine a chocolate cake with crushed Oreos and a couple construction toys and you’ll have this creative idea put together in no time. Get the instructions at I Think We Could Be Friends.

Ultimate Chocolate Cake

Dress up a storebought cake with your child’s favorite chocolate treats to make this amazing ultimate chocolate cake. Get the instructions at Living Locurto.

Unicorn Cake

This cute unicorn cake doesn’t require fondant or any special supplies; the horn is made from an ice cream cone! Get the instructions at Frugal Mom Eh!

Dirt Cake

I can only imaging how many little boys and girls would love a piece of this Chocolate Pudding Dirt Cake, complete with cookie dirt and gummy worms. Get the instructions at Dinner Then Dessert.

Rainbow Lollipop Cake

Dress up any cake with colorful lollipops (like Dum Dums). Push the lollipops all the way into the cake to make a polka-dot cake! Get the instructions at Good Cook.

Baseball Cake

It doesn’t get much easier than this baseball cake! Get the instructions at Events to Celebrate.

Basketball Cake

Reese’s Pieces are the secret to this simple basketball cake. Get the instructions and Dukes and Duchesses.

Upside Down Ice Cream Cone Cake

This is one of those fun ideas I can’t wait to try! Learn how to turn a vanilla cake and some buttercream into a melting ice cream cone. Get the instructions from Mom Loves Baking.

Pirate Ship Cake

This cake is easy to make thanks to a printable cutting guide. You’ll use a fork to to make the wood texture on the sides of the cake, and pretzels for the deck railing. Get the instructions from Parenting.

Princess Crown Cake

This crown cake starts with a 9×13 cake that gets cut in the shape of a crown and decorated fit for a princess. Get the instructions from Betty Crocker.

Flower Cake

M&Ms make adorable flowers on this super simple cake. Get the instructions from Parents.

Ice Cream Sandwich Cake

This fun cake is made of ice cream sandwiches stacked on top of each other. It’s easy to decorate with candy, caramel, and fudge topping. Get the instructions at The Seasoned Mom.