Make birthday cakes even sweeter by making them personal.
Cake is the centerpiece of our sweetest moments. But beyond the buttercream and birthday candles, cake artist Betheny Tomseth says there’s a deeper meaning behind the dessert.
For Betheny, “It’s not about the cake,” a phrase she’s coined over her years as a cake designer. “It’s about connection, love, and creating a moment where someone feels deeply seen and celebrated. There have been many times when I’ve shown up with a cake in my hands, only to have someone place a hand on their heart, their jaw drop, and tears well up in their eyes because someone took the time to honor them and make something beautiful and special just for them.”
Betheny’s favorite part of cake design is personalizing each creation for the person being celebrated. She shared a few of her favorite ways to personalize a cake, whether store-bought or homemade from scratch.
Ideas for Personalizing a Cake
1. Use of Color
- Frost the cake in their favorite color(s).
- Use color palettes that evoke a shared memory (sunset tones from a beach trip, for example).
2. Edible Photos or Prints
- Use edible photo paper to add pictures of the person, their pets, or family memories.
3. Theme Their Interests
- A cake inspired by their hobbies (gardening, hiking, playing guitar, etc.).
- Use piped decorations, fondant cut-outs or small toppers to reflect those interests. For Betheny’s daughter’s birthday, she added edible book pages and daisies because she loves to read, and she loves daisies.
4. Include a Message
- Instead of “Happy Birthday,” pipe on a message that’s unique to them, like “You Make Us Laugh Every Day” or “Our Pickleball Champ.”
5. Symbolic Toppers: Words, Symbols, or QR Cake!
- Have family members submit one-word descriptions or short phrases about the person, then use those on the cake. They can be piped on or you can do a bit of a “Hear Me Out” style where you print the word, attach it to a toothpick, and then everyone takes turns placing their word on the cake and explaining why they picked that word.
- You can also add 3D toppers that symbolize a wonderful memory with the birthday boy/girl, something about their life—miniatures of hiking boots, books, tennis racquets, etc. Again, taking turns to place them on a cake and explain the meaning behind them.
- Print off QR codes that go to a special favorite video of the birthday person. These can be uploaded to a private YouTube channel. The QR codes can be printed off, attached to toothpicks, and put on the cake as toppers.
Betheny offers cake classes from her very own cake barn! Find more cakes from Betheny and her class schedule on Instagram, @bethenycakes.
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