Choosing a Theme

• Before you can begin decorating a man’s birthday cake, you need to choose a theme. This also will help you determine the shape of the cake. Get creative with decorating by making a round, square or rectangular cake, or even a cake that is in the shape of a specific object. When you begin decorating, use cardboard cutouts, plastic figurines and different colored icing to bring your theme to life. If you need to draw something difficult, consider using a photograph cutout to create an outline for the object. Don’t forget to include writing on the cake, such as the man’s name, the words "Happy Birthday" and his age if it is a milestone year.
  
  

Sports

• If the man in your life is a sports fan, decorate his birthday cake in a sports theme. Using icing and plastic figurines, decorate the cake to represent his favorite sport, such as basketball, baseball, football or soccer. If your man has a particular team or player that he admires, decorate his birthday cake in the team’s colors, or draw his favorite player’s jersey on a sheet cake. If your man likes sports in general but does not have a favorite, decorate his cake to represent multiple sports.
  
  

Hobbies

• Use your man’s hobbies to help you determine how to decorate his birthday cake. If your man is a musician, create a cake to look like the instrument he plays, such as a guitar, drums or piano. If your man fixes or restores automobiles, decorate his birthday cake to look like a classic car, truck or motorcycle. Other hobby-inspired birthday cake decorating ideas include a wave and surfboard for surfers, golf clubs and a golf course for golf lovers, and a skiing or snowboarding theme for winter sport enthusiasts. There are many options, so be creative.
  
  

Interests

• If the man in your life is not a sports fan and does not have any specific hobbies, consider decorating his birthday cake simply on his interests. Decorate a cake based on his favorite movie or television show. If he is interested in astronomy, decorate a cake to look like the solar system. If your man is an animal lover, decorate his birthday cake in the likeness of his pet. Consider an adult-themed cake such as a corset cake, or a cake decorated with classic pinup girls, but make sure it is appropriate for the guests at the party. If your man likes the outdoors, decorate his birthday cake to look like his favorite landscape, such as the beach, the mountains or woods. For a special theme, decorate a cake based on an inside joke or embarrassing situation that he wouldn’t mind sharing with his party guests.