Happy Birthday! If you’re reading this you’re on the hunt for birthday desserts, which means it’s somebody’s birthday. I love choosing birthday treats because you can make anything that the birthday celebrant loves. Sure, you’ll find a bunch of cake recipes below, since it’s the faithful symbol of birthdays, but you don’t have to stick to cakes. You’ll also find some bars and brownies on my list, which are great for parties and offer fun ways to play with flavors. If you are looking for cakes, check out my book, Zoë Bakes Cakes for a comprehensive guide, or find a few of my favorite cake recipes below.
But before we get to the cakes, here are some other options for fun birthday treats:
- Who doesn’t love brunch? Check out my favorite brunch recipes.
- Pie lovers know there is no bad time for pie, so here’s my pie guide.
- I also have a cookie guide. It’s perfect for parties.
- I, personally, love cheesecake for birthdays.
- Try this guide to all things chocolate for the chocolate lovers.
Birthday Desserts
Funfetti birthday cake is a classic. I added sprinkles to this white cake by Bake From Scratch, and topped it with their Vanilla Buttercream. You can find the instructions for the white chocolate feathers here.
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This gorgeous devil's food cake from Serious Eats makes for a perfect birthday dessert. It's topped with the Serious Eats cream cheese buttercream frosting, and the final cake is showy, chocolatey and delicious.
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Every birthday cake recipe roundup needs a beautiful chocolate cake. This version from Dorie Greenspan is the ultimate version for chocolate lovers—rich and delicious. This version features a Dulce de Leche cream layer, you can find the instructions for here.
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With hot chocolate as its inspiration, this hot chocolate cake has layers of Devil’s food, slathered with a deep, dark, luscious chocolate icing, that is like whipped ganache, but better, then I topped the whole thing in homemade marshmallows.
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This carrot cake is perfectly spiced, moist and unbelievably good! Using candied carrot peels as decoration (optional), cream cheese frosting and sweetened shredded coconut, this cake is simply the best — I make it all the time!
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My stepmother, Patricia, is from Alabama, and she introduced me to the Southern red velvet cake. The cake's origins are a little murky, but the bright-red version we see today was invented in the 1920s by an extract company and then suddenly became one of the most beloved cakes in every city, not just the south. A note about this recipe: I baked the layers in three 6×2-inch cake pans, which is why it is soooooo tall. If you go with smaller pans, you will want to check them about 5-10 minutes earlier when baking, since they will be done sooner the smaller they are.
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These are the brownies I made for a care package for my son, Charlie, and his roommates at college. I made four different kinds because each of the boys wanted their favorite brownie. It's an easy way to please a crowd!
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This peanut butter pie recipe is oh-so delicious. With a graham cracker crust, a smooth peanut butter filling made with cream cheese, a layer of chocolate ganache, and a whipped cream and candied peanut topping, this dessert is deluxe and irresistible. Be sure to chill this pie for two hours or overnight before serving.
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A good bar is a fun and delicious way to serve a birthday crowd. These raspberry cheesecake streusel bars from The Boy Who Bakes are flavorful and cover the cravings for the cheesecake lovers in a simple and fun recipe.
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Coconut macaroon brownies are about as decadent as a dessert gets and this recipe by Jake Cohen is absolutely amazing. The brownie layer is rich and chocolatey and the coconut layer is a perfect macaroon, making for a beautiful and delicious birthday treat.
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This cake is adapted from my Zoë Bakes Cakes Yellow Cake, but with the quintessential fall spice blend added to the mix. The brown butter buttercream is the softest, richest, most luxurious buttercream I have ever made and worth the extra effort to brown the butter. I added cranberry filling to balance out the richness of the cake.
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Angel food cake is the lightest, fluffiest, most ethereal cake and this version gets even better with a cherry studded whipped cream.
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Thank you. This is perfect timing I was stuck on what to make.
Now I just have to pick one out
Looking forward to trying this white funfetti b-day cake