Tiny Flower Cakes—5 Minute Birthday Cake Idea That's Chic & Portable!

I try my best to remember everyone's birthdays but sometimes life happens and you forget! If you're quick on your feet, you can usually pull a last-minute treat together without the birthday boy or girl knowing. That's why I always keep a list of quickie treat ideas handy—shh! 

These teeny, tiny flower cakes are perfect for an impromptu birthday celebration (or they could double as a low-stress dessert for a regular ol' summer party). The secret is in a little shopping: Kane Candy sells these Pink Magnolia Dessert Cups (scroll to bottom), which you can fill with doctored-up pound cake or angel food cake in minutes. Of course you can always change up the cake and/or topping flavors to suit your birthday beauty's taste. Oh, and I should mention that it's super-easy to turn these into a boozy dessert, too! Here, I'll show you...

TINY FLOWER CAKES

SERVES: 8

1 store-bought poundcake or angel food cake

2 tablespoons Chambord (raspberry-flavored liqueur) or grenadine

8 chocolate flower cups (from 2 Kane Candy packages)

1/2 cup whipped cream

24 gum balls, white, yellow and/or orange

1. Slice cake into 1 1/2 inch thick slices.  Use a small circle cookie cutter to cut into rounds. Dip one side of each round into the chambourd or grenadine.

2. Put 1 cake round, dipped-side down, into each chocolate cup. Top each with whipped cream and 3 gum balls to make a flower shape.

Psst! Since this is an easy no-bake dessert, it's great to make with kids! In fact, why not make flower-cake-decorating a party in itself? Just a thought. I'm curious, though: What's your go-to move when you need a birthday treat stat!? I'd love to know. Personally, I always think a bouquet of flowers goes a long way (and Whole Foods has gorgeous mini bouquets for about $10) xo Erin