Here, you’ll find 21 unique 21st Birthday cake ideas for women that will definitely impress your guests. If you’re looking for inspiration to place an order with your local baker, or you want to recreate one of these cakes yourself thanks to the guidance I provide, you’re in the perfect place.
How to find a 21st birthday cake idea suited to your cake-decorating level?
I’ve come up with a system. The cake ideas are presented to you according to their level of difficulty. There are three categories :
What Are Beginner Cake Ideas?
These are easy cake ideas. If you’ve never decorated a cake before (or only did it once or twice), these are the cakes that you should pay attention to.
- What you’ll find: Beautiful cake ideas that only require basic cake decorating techniques. This is a great place to start your journey.
What Are Intermediate Cake Ideas?
Low Intermediate Baker: If you are confident that you’ve mastered the cake decorating basics, such as how to smooth a cake, but feel like you still have a lot of techniques to learn apart from this foundation, this category is perfect for you.
- What you’ll find: Cake ideas that require both basic decorating skills and one or two techniques that are a little bit more advanced. This is a great place to grow your cake-decorating skills.
High Intermediate Baker: If you’ve mastered both basic techniques and several more advanced cake decorating techniques, these cake ideas are made for you.
- What you’ll find: Stunning cake ideas that can be fairly challenging, but are a great place to get even better than you already are.
What Are Advanced Cake Ideas?
If you consider yourself an experienced cake decorator and have mastered most of the decorating techniques, including the use of fondant, then this is the perfect place for you.
- What you’ll find: Showstopping and challenging cake ideas, perfect to sharpen and maintain your skills.
The Grading System
Finally, I’ve also assigned a grade of difficulty to each cake inspiration: 1/5 being the easiest design and 5/5 being the hardest. The goal is to make the ranking the most accurate possible. You will find this to be particularly helpful if you happen to fall in the Beginner or the Intermediate Cake Ideas categories.
Growth Tip : This list is great a place to set goals about your cake decorating skills. Pin this post and come back later to tell us how far you’ve come in your cake decorating journey !
How to follow the instructions of the designs.
For the cake designs in the beginner category: I’ll provide written instructions on how to recreate the cake idea presented to you. Don’t hesitate to watch video tutorials about basic techniques such as how to smooth a cake.
For the designs in the intermediate category: I’ll provide some guidance on how to perform the more complicated techniques.
For the advanced category: you are an experienced baker, at this point, and you will find great opportunities to put this experience to use. To be completely honest, I cannot make myself several cake ideas from the advanced category, so trust your abilities and go for it.
Find the perfect 21st birthday cake idea for your baking skills.
Growth Tip : If you aim to get better at cake decorating, you should choose a cake idea that feels sligthly above your current cake decorating level. Get out of your comfort zone !
21st Birthday Cake Ideas For Beginner Bakers
Here, you’ll find 4 easy 21st birthday cake ideas perfect for beginner bakers.
Minimalist 21st Birthday Cake
Difficulty Level: 1/5.
For your 21st birthday, you could opt for a rather sober cake design.
What you will need :
- Enough frosting to cover your cake.
- Cake toppers and decorations.
- Edible pearls.
How to recreate this cake?
- First, you must crumb-coat the cake to avoid any crumbs in your final design. Apply a thin and even coat of frosting with your offset spatula all around your cake.
- Smooth it with your bench scraper, holding it at a 45-degree angle on the cake while spinning your turntable. Your bench scraper isn’t supposed to move, only turn the table.
- It doesn’t have to be perfect as it only is the first coat. Chill the cake 20 to 30 minutes in the fridge (until your frosting sets).
- Then, apply a thicker coat of frosting and repeat the smoothing operation. Fill in any gaps and smooth the cake again. Repeat this operation until the cake looks smooth enough for you. Here, you’ll find a video tutorial of the covering process, if needed.
- Next, chill your cake in the fridge for 30 minutes or until your buttercream cover sets.
- Use a knife warmed with water to get sharp edges on your cake.
- Finally, add your edible pearls and cake decorations.
What you’ve learned :
As a cake decorator, the very first basic technique you have to master is how to frost a cake properly.
Maximalist 21st Birthday Cake
Difficulty Level: 1/5.
You could also showcase a cake as flamboyant as you are.
What you will need:
- Enough frosting to cover your cake.
- Cake decorations (butterflies and balls).
- Edible pearls.
- Fake or non-toxic fresh flowers (with their stems wrapped in floral tape)
How to recreate this cake?
- First, you must crumb-coat the cake to avoid any crumbs in your final design. Apply a thin and even coat of frosting with your offset spatula all around your cake.
- Smooth it with your bench scraper, holding it at a 45-degree angle on the cake while spinning your turntable. Your bench scraper isn’t supposed to move, only turn the table.
- It doesn’t have to be perfect as it only is the first coat. Chill the cake 20 to 30 minutes in the fridge (until your frosting sets).
- Then, apply a thicker coat of frosting and repeat the smoothing operation. Fill in any gaps and smooth the cake again. Repeat this operation until the cake looks smooth enough for you. Here, you’ll find a video tutorial of the covering process, if needed.
- Next, chill your cake in the fridge for 30 minutes or until your buttercream cover sets.
- Use a knife warmed with water to get sharp edges on your cake.
- Finally, place your flowers, edible pearls, and cake decorations.
What you’ve learned :
Here you used the exact same technique as with the previous cake design but ended with a completely different result. Use your creativity to create highly personalized cake designs even as a beginner cake decorator.
Floral 21st Birthday Cake
Difficulty Level: 1,5/5.
If you’re looking for an aesthetic cake design, wildflower cakes are definitely the way to go.
What you will need:
- Enough frosting to cover your cake.
- Non-toxic fresh flowers (with their stems wrapped in floral tape).
- A piping bag with a small round piping tip (such as the #1 by Wilton).
How to recreate this cake?
- First, crumb coat, cover, and chill your cake as explained in the previous cake design.
- Then, use a toothpick or the tip of a knife to trace where you’re going to write.
- Now you can retrace the imprint you made on your buttercream. If you’d like to practice beforehand, you can always do so on a sheet of parchment paper until you’re confident enough.
- Finally, place your flowers as you see fit.
What you’ve learned :
As a beginner cake decorator, buttercream writing can be challenging, so start with numbers before moving on to bigger messages.
Silver 21st Birthday Cake
Difficulty Level: 1,5/5.
What you will need:
- Enough frosting to cover your cake.
- Black and silver cake decorations.
- A piping bag with an open star piping tip (such as the 4B by Wilton).
How to recreate this cake?
- First, crumb coat, cover, chill, and cut the edges of your cake as explained in the previous cake design.
- Then, recreate the buttercream dots by placing your piping bag at a 90° angle and pressing until you’re satisfied with the size of the dot.
- Finally, add your cake topper and cake decorations.
What you’ve learned :
As a beginner cake decorator, cake toppers and decorations are your best friends. Make the most of them.
21st Birthday Cake Ideas Perfect For Intermediate Bakers
Here, you’ll find thirteen 21st birthday cake ideas perfect for intermediate bakers.
Red 21st Birthday Cake
Difficulty Level: 2,5/5 (Low-Intermediate)
Simple cake designs that play with texture like this one would make a very elegant 21st birthday cake.
A little guidance
You can easily recreate this beautiful texture using a buttercream stencil.
Burgundy 21st Birthday Cake
Difficulty Level: 2,5/5 (Low-Intermediate)
To be honest, you can rarely go wrong with a red and gold color palette.
A little guidance
Follow this golden drip cake tutorial if you’ve never made one before.
21st Birthday Drunk Barbie Cake
Difficulty Level: 3/5 (Intermediate)
Now that you’re finally legal, a drunk Barbie cake is perfectly fitting.
A little guidance
Use fondant and silicon mold to recreate the small decorative flowers all over the cake.
Purple 21st Birthday Cake
Difficulty Level: 3/5 (Intermediate)
Maybe you’re looking for something a little more sophisticated. In this case, you’ll love this purple 21st birthday cake.
A little guidance
Recreating these cute chocolate hearts is definitely not as complex as it looks as this detailed tutorial will show you. You can even fill them like cakesicles if you want.
Cowgirl 21st Birthday Cake
Difficulty Level: 3/5 (Intermediate)
You can easily personalize this cake by painting it with any pattern you’d like.
A little guidance
You can easily recreate this cow pattern by painting it on your buttercream with DIY edible paint.
21st Birthday Heart Cake
Difficulty Level: 3/5 (Intermediate)
Heart cakes are everywhere these days, so if you like trendy cake design, this is the one for you.
A little guidance
You don’t need heart cake tins to bake heart cakes. You can easily DIY them.
21st Birthday Drunk Batz Cake
Difficulty Level: 3,5/5 (High-Intermediate)
If you like drunk Barbie cakes but want a more original variation, this Drunk Bratz cake is the perfect choice.
A little guidance
To recreate this kind of vintage-style drunk bratz cake, you’ll need to know how to pipe a buttercream shell border.
Blue 21st Birthday Cake
Difficulty Level: 3,5/5 (High-Intermediate)
I believe tall cakes tend to look more elegant than large ones. So if that’s the look you’re going for, always choose the former.
A little guidance
Check out this detailed tutorial to recreate your own tall cakes.
Pink 21st Birthday Cake
Difficulty Level: 3,5/5 (High-Intermediate)
Watercolor cakes are my favorites. They’re the perfect way to combine originality and elegance.
A little guidance
You can recreate your own following this watercolor cake tutorial.
Colorful 21st Birthday Cake
Difficulty Level: 3,5/5 (High-Intermediate)
Maybe you’re in need of a cake design with more pep.
A little guidance
This kind of cake is rather straightforward. It’s not mandatory but I like to use palette knives to recreate them. Make sure to refrigerate your cake between each color to avoid them from mixing together.
Sophisticated 21st Birthday Cake
Difficulty Level: 4/5 (High-Intermediate)
Don’t hesitate to personalize this cake design using a fondant bag from your favorite luxury brand.
A little guidance
Check out this striped fondant bow tutorial
Textured 21st Birthday Cake
Difficulty Level: 4/5 (High-Intermediate)
If you like artsy cake design, you’ll probably enjoy this kind of textured buttercream. Don’t hesitate to play with your favorite colors.
A little guidance
Adding texture to your cakes can sometimes be intimidating as you risk ruining a perfectly frosted cake. My best advice is to refrigerate your cake every single time you’re about to add a new texture layer.
Disco 21st Birthday Cake
Difficulty Level: 4/5 (High-Intermediate)
The black and silver color palette is perfect for you if you’re looking for something really festive.
A little guidance
When making tiered cakes, you have to pay extra attention to the structure of the cake. Therefore, you should always use a sturdy cake board for each tier. You should also support the bottom tier with dowel rods or bubble tea straws cut to the height of the cake. Finally, you should ensure each tier is leveled before stacking them.
21st Birthday Cake Ideas For Advanced Bakers
These four 21st birthday cake ideas will be perfectly suited to experienced cake decorators.
White 21st Birthday Cake
Difficulty level: 5/5
If you’re looking for an elegant vibe, you’ll love this beautiful white cake design.
21st Birthday Bow Cake
Difficulty level: 5/5
Or maybe you’d rather celebrate with a cake a little more original, then this bow cake is perfect for you. Don’t hesitate to play with colors to create your unique cake design.
Artsy 21st Birthday Cake
Difficulty Level: 5/5
If you want a cake that looks like a work of art, this artsy kind of cake will be perfectly suited.
Tiffany & Co 21st Birthday Cake
Difficulty Level: 5/5
I personally love realistic cake, if that’s your case too, you’ll love this Tiffany & Co. cake.
If you’re looking for more cake ideas, check out my other birthday cake ideas for women, including floral cakes, elegant cakes, and much more
Did you enjoy these 21st birthday cake inspirations? Sharing is caring!
Please let me know in the comments and/or tag me on Instagram @theperfectcakeidea. I’d love to see your creations. And, don’t forget to pin this post so you can come back to it.
