Pinay Moms Show How They Made Simple Store-Bought Cakes Look Expensive!

Moms are the best at finding discounts and bargains without sacrificing quality. Whether it’s baby essentials, costumes for a school activity, or even party planning, moms will have #TipidTips. When one of the moms from our Facebook group, Smart Parenting Village, shared her cake hack for a beautiful, themed cake that cost her less than Php800, fellow mommies quickly commented that they also used the same method for their children’s birthday cakes, quickly posting photos of their cake design ideas.

12 cake design ideas under Php2,500

If you want customized and expensive-looking cakes but without the high price tag, let these cake design ideas inspire you. These wais moms prove that a little imagination, DIY, and a dash of creativity can go a long way!

Mom Jessa Agsalog shares that she orders a plain cake from Goldilocks then requests to have it covered in boiled icing in her preferred colors. “Tapos ako na lang po ang naglalagay ng mga DIY toppers,” she tells SmartParenting.com.ph via Facebook Messenger.

For her daughter’s third birthday party, she ordered a round cake with cupcakes, then bought white chocolate to create the mermaid tail topper. She bought the ‘Happy Birthday’ topper, for P25, then DIY’d the other toppers (like the seashell and star) using an old folder and glitter.

Tine Dayot’s daughter originally wanted a Frozen themed cake that cost around Php2,000 to Php3,000. It was a little out of their budget so she bought a plain round cake from their favorite local store, Bistro Rosario, and asked it to be decorated with turquoise and purple icing. “We bought toys on sale and decorated the cake with it!”

Karen Faye Lee decided to spruce up her nephew’s Red Ribbon cake with hero toys she bought from the mall, which cost around Php100-150. Then, she bought candy sprinkles from a sari-sari store to give the cake more color. Simple!

Mom Geraldine Villazor-Castilla bought a Triple Delight Cake from Goldilocks and filled it with different toppers to make it stand out. She placed a DIY 3D jigsaw puzzle (Php100), figurines (Php30 each), a ‘happy birthday’ topper (Php50), and a plastic balloon topper (Php10).

It seems mom Jasmine Lei is the designated cake planner for their family as she shares with Smart Parenting that she plans each cake a month ahead, whether it’s for her children or nephews and nieces. For this cake, she customized the icing then bought toppers for Php100 (Cars toy and animals).

Mom Joyce Odette Ramos shares that she bought a 12 x 12 cake from Goldilocks then bought toppers related to her chosen theme — Clash of Clans. “Nag-edit ako ng picture ng giant and witch army at nilagay mukha ng mga anak ko para makumpleto ang troops and nag-add rin ako ng coin candies,” she shares.

For her daughters’ joint birthday celebration, mom Precious Huab-Briones bought two dedication cakes from Red Ribbon and decorated it with toppers made from printed photos of their favorite cartoon series — Sophia the First and My Little Pony.

Rachel Sy, who works for a cake shop, says their branch even suggests this method to customers if they are on a budget. She even agreed to “design” the cake with toppers according to the client’s request!

For her son’s second birthday, mom Red Margaret bought a Royal Fudge cake from Goldilocks and printed out characters from the movie Big Hero 6 to be used as toppers.

 

Mom Dayan Pangan-Santos bought an 8x12" cake from Red Ribbon, then made a race track out of chocolate chips (php100) and Koko Krunch. "The McQueen and Mater are my son's toys which I cleaned [for the toppers]. The rest are print outs that we did at home. We printed it on board paper and attached it using wooden coffee stirrers," she explains via Facebook Messenger.

Mom Clarise Joyce Palma shares that she’s been doing this cake hack since 2011, starting from her son’s first birthday party. She bought a two-layer cake then added a third layer made of styrofoam. The toppers were bought from Divisoria, while the huge Elmo toy is her son’s. Though she spent a little more money for this Sesame Street cake, the final output is worth it!