Birthday Cake Alternatives for Your Next Party

This post is for my son! He is not a big fan of cake! When you ask him what he wants for his birthday dessert, it is never cake, do I need birthday cake alternatives. We did have cake for his graduation party, but we had other desserts too. I mean, who doesn’t have cake at their graduation party??

Whether it is a birthday party, anniversary or baby shower, it seems like cake is always the go to dessert. If you aren’t the biggest fan of cake, you might be looking for something else. Or maybe you just want your party or celebration to stand out, so an alternative would be a great option. What can you have that will still stand out and look as good as a large cake? If you are like my son is, check out these great alternatives to cake! 

Brownies

If you are looking for something simple and easy, then brownies are a great idea. Make brownies like you would normally. Then when they are cool, slice them up and stack them on a plate. You can create the ‘look’ of a cake, by towering up the brownies and adding  candles if you want. You will need a lot of brownies to make a large stack. You could finish it off by sprinkling with powdered sugar. Or if you are like my daughter, you can slather them with at least an inch of chocolate frosting! As she says, “You can never have too much frosting!”

Doughnut Tower

This is a great alternative, especially for people that don’t like to bake! Get a box of doughnuts and tower them high, like you would with the brownie stack. Putting them on a cake stand and then adding them on top of each other will make a beautiful centrepiece. A few different flavors of doughnuts would make it look (and taste) extra good too. Don’t forget some cream filled ones…my favorites! This would be perfect for a party full of people with a sweet tooth.

Marshmallow Pops

You might have heard of cake pops before. While they are great, they can take a lot of time to make. You have to make a cake mix before the decorating can even begin. Save yourself time and try marshmallow pops. You could buy or make marshmallows and then you put them on sticks. You could dip in melted chocolate or candy melts or use an edible ink marker to draw on them. This would be perfect for making little ghost treats if you are having a Halloween party! If you’d like to tray making your own marshmallow, it is easier than you think. You could follow this marshmallow recipe here if you’re not sure how to make marshmallows.

Fruit Cake

No, not the 10 lb. brick fruit cake, but a cake made from fruit! If you have a child or a family member with allergies, then choosing a dessert for them can be tricky. A time saving option is making a fruit cake. A great base is usually a watermelon that you cut into the shape that you want. Then you add the decorations using skewers and other pieces of fruit. You could add grapes, sliced kiwi, strawberries or blueberries…really any fruits that you love. Choose a variety of fruit to give the cake a variety of colors. It takes hardly any time to make, and it looks gorgeous on a table at a party. Fruit cakes make great birthday cake alternatives for a first birthday cake smash too. Not everyone wants their baby being overloaded with sugar!

What birthday cake alternatives would you suggest? Share them with me, and maybe I’ll try those for my son’s next birthday!