You need to bake a cake for a special occasion, you know you are creative, but you need a fresh idea to work with. Every celebration includes a cake to be shared among the guests and family members. It is tradition to have a cake baked by a bakery or to have a relative bake a cake for the event. If you are the designated cake decorator, you may be looking for a new idea for your next creation. 

Below are a few cake-decorating ideas:

Characters- There are hundreds of famous characters to use for cake decorating. You can make any cake special by drawing in Dora the Explorer, or Blues Clues. Or you may want to cut up the cake to make the entire cake into a favorite character.

Themes- Maybe you would like to go with a 50's theme, underwater adventure, sports theme, or a roaring 20's theme for your cake decorating. Use your creativity and find a theme that will thrill the person you are making the cake for and the guests. You may want to have a masquerade party with that theme. Whatever you decide, have fun.

Motor Cakes- Boys are usually crazy about trucks, cars, fire engines, boats, tractors, helicopters, or airplanes. Again you can use your cake decorating expertise to make a farm with a 3-D tractor, a racing strip, or a scene showing a fire being put out by firemen. Of course, it all depends on what the particular birthday boy is fond of.

Animals- You can also use an animal theme by cutting the cake to look like any animal or drawing in a scene using animals. It could be a zoo scene with several animals or choose one animal and decorate the cake with other decorations showing where it came from. Use your imagination.

Food- Maybe you are making a cake for the opening of an Italian restaurant. You could create a scene depicting the building, or if it is for a chef opening the restaurant, a scene of the kitchen with different Italian dishes would be fun. You can also cut the cake to look like a hamburger, hot dog, taco, etc... The sky is the limit when it comes to cake decorating using a food theme.

Holiday Themes- I remember when bunny cakes became popular at Easter, Wilton has pans and decorating supplies for all holiday cake decorating designs. A heart on Valentine's day or a 4-leaf clover on St. Patrick's day is a wonderful way to say happy holidays.

Your Own Creation- If you have been involved in cake decorating for quite some time, or if you are a novice with an artistic flair, you can create your own cake based on the theme or the celebration.

Whatever cake you make will be the center of attention as cakes usually are at a celebration. It has become a tradition to have an outstanding cake at every celebration. Knowing that you are the one who is artistic enough to make this cake, and the praise you will receive from others will give you a bushel of satisfaction.