With my own little one having his first birthday in a matter of months, I’m on the hunt for first birthday cake ideas. Should I buy one? Make one? Should there be a sheet cake or cupcakes? Here are a few first birthday cake ideas I like that are low cost, low effort, and still pretty enough for great photo memories.

5 Great First Birthday Cake Ideas

1. Don’t Over-Decorate

Everyone will ooh and aah over a cake that’s covered in detailed decorations and figurines, but all of those can pose a choking hazard to young children, not to mention that they’re a pain to attach to the cake and can drive up the cost. Forget elaborate and focus on a cake that will taste good to your baby and guests.

2. Feature Frost-Your-Own Cakes

This is a really fun project if you’ve got kids and not just babies at your party. It saves you all the time and stress over how to frost and decorate the cake. You can make or buy unfrosted cupcakes, or bake mini cakes in a tin can.

3. Ask A Friend To Bake

Your baby will likely get a lot of gifts, but what better gift from a friend with great baking skills than to provide a beautiful cake? I’m actually planning to take this a step further and ask friends to bring food or drinks instead of gifts. I love a good potluck!

4. Go With Fruit Bread Instead of Cake

Lots of parents want to avoid refined sugars and potential allergens without losing the celebratory aspect of the day. Banana, carrot, or pumpkin bread or muffins can be tasty for your baby, inexpensive and easy to make, and healthier for everyone.

5. Dress Up A Store Bought Cake

The semi-homemade option is my favorite solution for just about anything. It’s a huge time saver and lets you focus on adding personal touches, which will stand out most to your guests and in photos. If you let a store bought cake sit at room temperature for a bit, the icing will get sticky and make it easy to add your own lettering or colored frosting touches.

You’ve heard it before, but it bears repeating: the focus of the day should be on your family and baby, not on how fancy the cake is or whether or not there are ponies. (Hint: Skip the ponies.) Keep it simple and frugal with these first birthday cake ideas and enjoy yourself!