From birthday parties to weddings, cake is the dessert to serve at festive gatherings. Everyone crowds around to watch the guest of honor slice into the frosting or blow out the candles on top. To make the cake at your next function memorable and Instagram-worthy, follow this advice for ordering a show-stopping cake.  

3 Tips to Pick the Perfect Cake

1. Consider the Theme

When ordering a cake, let the theme of the celebration guide your decisions for batter and icing colors. If you’re hosting a child’s birthday party, request edible cake toppers of the cartoon characters that decorate the invitations and party streamers. You can also draw inspiration from the season. Pastel icing colors, for example, mirror spring blooms, and earthy tones capture the changing foliage of fall. 

2. Ponder the Flavor

From Creamsicle® to confetti, you can choose from a long list of flavors. Consider the party guests’ preferences when weighing options, and make sure to ask the guest of honor for their input. Chocolate and vanilla are classic flavors that appeal to most tastes. Red velvet, popular for its moist texture and dramatic coloring, is also a traditional favorite .

3. Think Outside the Box

The baker may introduce you to a world of different icings, fillings, and decorative toppings. Instead of a circle or rectangular cake, they may suggest pouring the batter into a nontraditional mold, whether a seashell, spaceship, or sunflower.  If the guest of honor is on a little league team, for example, a baker may suggest a catcher’s mitt or ball-and-bat cake. Instead of layers of icing and frosted inscriptions, a pastry chef can top your dessert with sugary macaroons, savory glazed nuts, or whimsical fondant animals.

If you’re hosting a festive function in Northern Kentucky or the Cincinnati, OH, area, you’ll find an impressive array of desserts for birthdays, weddings, and other special events at Emerson's Bakery. In business since 1970, this bakery is celebrated for its selection of donuts, cakes, cupcakes, and cookies made on site from scratch. Their team will also create specialty cakes to showcase any theme. To place an order, call the Florence location at (859) 371-9228, reach the Erlanger branch at (859) 342-5900, or dial (859) 356-3800 for assistance in Ft. Mitchell. See photos of their creations online and on Facebook.