All you need to know about the birthday cake and the mess it makes

Well let me just say that anything you serve is going to be messy.   Of course, it is going to be messy. 

You are letting a 1 year old loose on a cake that has frosting and chocolate and fruit.  It is going to be sticky and no one is going to want to handle the birthday child afterwards, not even you, except we are the mothers and it is mom’s job to do the dirty work.

Here are a couple of suggestions to help with the big mess.

1. Cupcakes are a good alternative to a smash cake.  They are smaller and they get a taste of frosting before it gets in their hair. (In addition, any other crevice that you can imagine).
2. I recommend NOT, I repeat NOT holding the child as they are eating their cake.  A friend of mine decided to hold her 1 year old while she was eating her smash cake.  Not a wise idea.  Not only did the child have frosting everywhere but also so did my friend.  We were at a restaurant and she did not think to bring a change of clothes for herself, so she was just as sticky as her daughter.
3. Put the child in a high chair, while eating cake.  You want the birthday child to get the spotlight. Everyone will gather to watch him or her get messy.  I suggest putting them in the middle of the room , allowing pictures and video to be focused on the child and their first  birthday mess. 
4. Have a change of clothes.  I know, “But this outfit is so cute”.  After the frosting has had a chance to harden and all the pictures have been taken, you are going to want to hose the birthday child down.  Bring 1 cute outfit to change into afterwards.  Please I beg you.  Bring an extra change of clothes. 
5. If you are having the party at home, you have the advantage of throwing the happy baby in the tub.  We did this with our second child.  We had the party at home and it was great.  I just stripped him down and gave him a bath.  He smelled fresh and had that baby smell.
6. Having the party at a restaurant, bring lots of wipes and a washcloth.   You will still have to strip the baby down and wipe them down.  However, if you happen to bring a washcloth and some soap you can give a quick bath in the bathroom at the restaurant.  My husband and I did not think of this until it was too late for the first child.  We were stuck using just water and the wipes and he smelled like frosting until we arrived home.  Oh well, we learn as we go I guess.
7. Buy a cheap plastic table covering.  Doesn’t matter if you are at a banquet facility, restaurant, or at home, cover the floor.   The child can get as messy as they want, simply roll up the plastic tarp and discard.  The banquet and restaurant will greatly appreciate your efforts to keep their facility clean, and at home, you will have enough mess to clean up after the birthday party. You do not want to be washing  floors after the guest leave.

Hope these words of advice find their way to you.  Take it from a mom that learned from our families mistakes.  Do not get caught with frosting in your hair.

Have a frosting free day.

About the Author

Michelle Obrochta is a mother of two boys, a wife to a entertainer, and runs an balloon business. Planning is a passion of Michelle's, and is always quick to volunteer to help in planing an event, participate in a school function, or help make the event special.