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What could be more fun than letting your baby discover a delicious cake for their first birthday? There are definitely worse ways to celebrate this milestone! That said, Smash the Cake sessions don’t always go as planned. To help you make the most of it, here are five tips for a successful session.
Try it before the session
For many babies, the Cake Smash is their very first taste of cake, since the session often takes place before their actual birthday. Between the new environment, meeting the photographer and all the stimulation, this can feel overwhelming. A great way to prepare is to introduce cake a few days beforehand. There’s no need for a full cake, a simple cupcake will do. This gives your baby the chance to explore the texture and taste in a familiar setting, making the experience much more enjoyable during the session.
Choose the right cake
A white cake with light-coloured icing will always give the best results. It keeps the photos soft and clean. It’s best to avoid red velvet and chocolate cakes. Once smashed, red velvet can resemble blood, while chocolate can… look less than appealing in photos 💩
Fondant also is not recommended, as it’s difficult for little hands to handle. In addition, many babies don’t enjoy cream cheese icing because of its tangy taste. A classic buttercream is usually the safest and most successful choice.
If you’re creative, you can bake the cake yourself. Assuming you have most of the ingredients and baking tools already, it should cost you around 15 to 20$ to do it. You can even follow my easy Smash the Cake recipe!
If you prefer going the easy way, the best solution is to buy your cake from an experienced bakery. The vast majority of them offer cakes created for « Smash the Cake » sessions. They are two tiers 4″ or 6″ circular cakes. They usually cost around 40$, but this can vary depending on your requests.
Prepare your own props in advance
Since I provide the setup and have everything ready before you arrive, you don’t need to worry about a thing. However, if you’d like to bring personal touches, it’s important to prepare them ahead of time.
For example, if you plan to add fruit to the cake, wash and cut everything at home. If you’d like to end the session with a citrus bath, prepare the slices in advance and store them in an airtight container with a damp paper towel. This allows us to start the session right away and keep the focus on your little one.
It’s also important to take the cake out of the fridge a few hours before the session. At room temperature, it will be much softer and easier for small hands to explore. A cold and firm cake can discourage your baby from touching it.
Have a plan B
Not all babies are big fans of cake, and that’s completely okay. Some may lose interest quickly. For this reason, bringing a few favourite snacks, like crackers or small pieces of fruit, can help. We can even hide them in the icing to encourage curiosity.
A toy that makes noise can also be helpful to grab their attention. You can even create a playlist of their favourite songs to play during the session. It’s a simple trick that works surprisingly well!
Be ready for the mess
This is where things get fun and messy! Your baby won’t be the only one getting dirty, you might too. Many little ones end up covered in icing and happily exploring the studio. You’ll likely need to step in and guide them back, which can transfer some of that mess onto you.
Wearing comfortable clothes you don’t mind getting dirty is a good idea. Dark colours are often safest, as food colouring can stain permanently. For this reason, you may also want to bring a change of clothes for yourself.
Expect all kinds of emotions!
Smash the Cake sessions are full of surprises. In the span of an hour, your baby might go from curious, to delighted, to completely uninterested, and even a little overwhelmed.
We’ll always do our best to capture genuine smiles, but it’s perfectly normal if your baby looks serious or even sheds a few tears. These reactions are all part of the experience. And honestly, they often become some of the most memorable stories to look back on later 😉
Last update: April 2026
Would you like to book a session like this? Contact me at lisamarie.savard@yahoo.ca to do so!
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