A Polka-Dot Elmo Cake for a 2nd Birthday

At two years old, there is one friend who matters most. He is red, he is furry, and he is very happy to see you.

For a second birthday celebration in Philadelphia, ImagiCakes Cake Designers created a two-tier Elmo cake built in the bright primary colors of Sesame Street. The brief was pure joy: Elmo front and center, the birthday girl's name in big letters, and enough color to make a two-year-old squeal.

The top tier is covered in sunny yellow fondant and wears Elmo's face, cut and layered by hand: his wide white eyes, round orange nose, and that unmistakable open-mouth grin. Polka dots in red, blue, green and orange dance around the tier, and a confetti-dotted number 2 topper sits on top like a party hat. The bottom tier is bright red, with the birthday girl's name spelled out in tall blue fondant letters so no one at the party could miss whose day it was.

Both tiers are finished with a border of rainbow candy balls, the kind of detail little hands reach for first. A matching set of cupcakes, topped with the same colors, rounded out the dessert table so every guest got a piece of the party.

Character cakes for toddlers have one job: make the birthday kid light up the moment they see it. Judging by the colors alone, this one did.

 Plan My Child's Birthday Cake

• Occasion: 2nd birthday celebration, Philadelphia
• Cake: Two round tiers; yellow top tier with Elmo face, red bottom tier with the birthday girl's name
• Palette: Red, yellow, blue, green, orange and white
• Signature details: Hand-cut layered fondant Elmo face, multicolor polka dots, tall blue fondant name letters, confetti-dot number 2 topper, rainbow candy-ball borders, matching cupcakes
• Design by: Damon Nasir (Chef D), ImagiCakes Cake Designers, Philadelphia

• Two baked round tiers with filling and buttercream coat beneath smooth red and yellow fondant
• Hand-cut and layered fondant Elmo face (red fur, white eyes, orange nose, black mouth)
• Hand-cut fondant polka dots and blue name letters
• Fondant number 2 topper with confetti dots on a white disc
• Rainbow candy-ball borders at the base of each tier
• Gold cake board for display and transport
• Coordinating cupcakes in matching colors