When I’m working with my clients to style their cake smash portrait session, the question that I’m almost always asked is “Where should we get the cake?” Today I’m going to share with you my best tips for choosing the perfect smash cake as well as some of my favorite local bakeries.
Because there are so many different food allergies out there, I always ask that my clients provide the cake. This removes any liability from me as a business owner and gives you full control over what’s inside of the cake.
Choosing the Perfect Cake for Your Cake Smash Session
What kind of cake to choose
I highly, highly recommend getting a smash cake from a professional bakery. Homemade cakes can be convenient but they’re often very dry and the icing is hard, which will frustrate your little one.
We want a simple cake with soft icing. Tiered ombré or rosette cakes made with buttercream icing are extra soft and super smash-able. A “naked cake” with white icing is also a great choice for any theme!
Cake size
For size, a 6-inch cake with 2-3 tiers is ideal. If it is too big it won’t fit on a cake stand or between baby’s legs. Large cakes can also be intimidating or scary for your little one. Also, you’ll want to make sure that the cardboard base isn’t too much bigger than the cake. The base should be no more than an inch or so wider than the cake itself.
Things to avoid
• Please, no chocolate cake! (Insert poop emoji here.) We want to avoid red icing as a primary color as well. Bright colors can be a lot of fun, just keep in mind that brighter icing may stain baby’s skin. Softer colors are ideal.
• Skip the fruit filling. Not only can it be a choking hazard, but squashed fruit doesn’t photograph very well once it’s on your baby’s skin.
• Many store-bought cakes (those premade cakes in the cooler at the grocery store) come covered in candy or sprinkles, which could be a choking hazard depending on your little one.
• Fondant is beautiful but you’ll need to keep an extra close eye on baby during the smash because it is difficult to chew and could present a choking hazard. This also goes for any other decorative details on the cake, including things like toothpicks and wooden dowels. (If you are using a professional bakery they should know not to put wooden dowels in a smash cake.)
Remember, the cake is just a small part of the set. A prop, if you will. We want it to match or blend with the theme of the set, while keeping your little one as the focal point.
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Baby Tips & Inspiration, Cake Smash
Buttercream Cakes, Coccadotts, Croissants