
When it comes to first birthday photo shoots, cake smashes are part of the celebrations for lots of people now days.
Top Five Cake Tips for Choosing the Perfect Smash Cake
A cake smash photoshoot is a brilliant way to celebrate your baby’s first birthday with fun, laughter, and sweet memories. The centrepiece of this session is, of course, the cake! Choosing the right cake ensures your photos turn out stunning and that your baby has a fantastic time. To help you prepare, here are my top five tips for selecting the perfect smash cake.
1. You don’t Need to have it Professionally Made
When cake smashes started, a lot of it was about how elaborate the cake was and, given that time is limited when you’re raising a nearly one year old, there’s not always a lot of time for baking. So many people felt they needed to get one professionally made. Now, I’m definitely not against this but I’d hate you to think that this is your only option. Although the cake is going to be centre stage for at least some of your photo shoot, it really doesn’t need to be super fancy to look great in your finished images. Home made is also fabulous and also there are an increasing range of supermarket cakes that do the job just wonderfully. There are also a large range of premade cake decorations online that you can use to tie a basic iced cake into your theme.
2. Buttercream not Fondant
However you source your cake, buttercream icing works better than fondant. It’s much more smear-able and messy which makes it easier for your little one to get their fingers into. Just remember to take it out of the fridge a good few hours before your session to make sure it’s soft enough for them to play with. While we’re talking cake types, steer clear of red icing as it starts to look a bit like a horror movie when your child is covered with it. Or for that matter, don’t use chocolate cake because it looks like poo!
3. Candles & Toppers
When it comes to these items, they’re a fun accessory to your cake and you should absolutely add them if you fancy it. However, don’t feel any pressure as they very seldom stay in for the whole of the session as they are normally the first thing that your child grabs and they tend to have spikes at the bottom to allow them to stick in your cake.
4. Bring Snacks
You would think that all babies would relish the chance to dig into a cake and be as delighted by the opportunity as much as we would be. Well, as I would be. However, it’s a new experience for most of them and it is likely to be a lot sweeter than their palate is used to so it’s not always as exciting for them to eat as you’d think. Two things to know here – firstly, you don’t need them to eat a lot of cake to have great cake smash photos. If they’re having fun just poking it, then it’s fine, you’ll still have amazing pictures despite them not eating a lot of it. Here’s a tip though if you want to get them digging in there – just bring along some of their favourite snacks and we will poke them in the back of the cake. They’re more likely to reach for something that’s familiar to them and that they know they enjoy and you won’t be able to tell the difference in the photos. Another trick you could try is putting their favourite fruit on top of the cake!
5. Bring a Change of Clothes
It is a truth universally acknowledged that no one loves a cuddle more than an icing covered baby. So bring along a change of clothes if you’re planning on going out anywhere after your session. It’s highly unlikely that you’ll escaped un-sugared!
First Birthday Photo Shoots in East Grinstead
Celebrate your baby’s first birthday with a session designed to suit you! Choose the Mini First Birthday Shoot for a simple and sweet session featuring your little one in one outfit against a single backdrop, complete your favourite image for just £45. For an all-inclusive experience, opt for the Full First Birthday Shoot, where we’ll capture your baby’s cake smash, a fun tub splash, and even family or sibling moments, all with three digital images included for £95. Let’s make their first birthday unforgettable—book your session today!