90sfashion.com is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com. As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases. See our disclosure here.
Last Updated on August 6, 2023
When you order a cake for a 90s themed birthday party, there are four main components to consider: the cake itself (vanilla, chocolate, and so forth), the frosting, the filling, and most importantly the decorations (and here is where things get creative!). An attractive decoration is usually colorful and evocative, which is why themes from favorite things from childhood or teen years are so popular with grown-ups ordering their own party cake!
This brings us to this list of inspirational 90s cake ideas… Chances are that if you were a kid during the 90s, you are old enough to jump on the nostalgia wagon and order one of these for your next reunion.
Keeping our favorite pop culture icons in mind, I’ve put together a quick list of my favorite decorated cakes out there. Get inspired and use them as a reference next time you reach out to a patisserie to procure yourself a piece of sweet delight. Your friends will definitely enjoy reminiscing about your old favorites together!
Contents
Cakes Inspired in the Decade
The 90s is filled to the brink with iconic cultural references that have shaped and molded our everyday life. From outdated pieces of tech, favorite past foods, things we used to entertain ourselves, and more!
General Inspo
Cassettes, old tv series, and prehistoric gaming devices come together for these cakes that take the whole decade as inspiration. Even super popular tv channels like MTV, Cartoon Network, Nickelodeon, and Warner Brothers make an appearance!
Is the birthday boy or girl a 90s music fan? Complement your musical cake with a musical gift. 90s Lyric Challenge is a music trivia card game that will get the birthday party started. Chock-a-bloc full of 90s pop music song questions across a load of genres. Their birthday will be a big sing-a-long of 90s hits.
Colors of an Era Cakes
There is nothing that says the 1990s like fluor colors. I mean, we used them for clothing, for food, for furniture… The more radioactive the better! I even remember a sweet fifteen party decorated in fluor colors to match a cake just like that chocolate-tiered one.
Remix Tapes
One of the easiest and most nostalgic designs ever, these cassettes and remix tapes make for an awesome square cake that you can try making yourself!
You May Like: Battle of the Decades: 90s vs. 80s Music
Inspired in Movies
Ghostbusters
Ghostbusters is an iconic 1984 American supernatural movie with plenty of popular and recognizable characters and imagery, particularly the Marshmallow man, the Slimer, and the Ghostbuster’s logo! Plus, the signature ghost green goo is a favorite of every kid and their neighbor loved!
Check Out: Ultimate List of 35+ 90s Drinks We Sipped Up as Kids
Clueless
Clueless is one of the most important fashion films ever. The movie was released in 1995 and became a coming-of-age comedy for the ages. Alicia Silverstone played Cher, a beautiful and popular high school student who decides to befriend a newcomer and give her a makeover to improve her looks and possibilities in love!
Check Out:
What to Wear to a 90s Pool Party?
Scream
The queen of Slasher movies, Scream makes for a bloody good cake! Of course, the mask cannot be missing and movie-related stuff like popcorn and knives are a must as well!
Disney Movies
The Little Mermaid
When it comes to kids’ favorites, Disney movies are at the top of the list, and with good reason. The 90s gave birth to all-time favorites like the Little Mermaid and forever immortalized both the red-haired adventurous mermaid princess Ariel and her sidekicks, Flounder and Sebastian.
Beauty and the Beast
The second favorite of mine, Beauty and the Beast, has it all: music, a love story for all ages, and quirky funny characters like Mrs. Potts, Tick-Tock, and Lumiere. Who by the way, all make for super lovely cake decorations and might be easier to put together than Beauty or Beast for novice patisseries.
Mulan
Despite not being one of the most famous, or popular, Disney movies of the decade… Mulan is a lovely story about how one girl’s courage overcame society’s standards and how she helped her family and saved her country in the process. Even a grown adult can adhere to that message, don’t you think? This is precisely what makes Mulan the perfect cake decoration for your 30 or 40th birthday!
Cartoons Inspired
Rugrats Cake
Rugrats is one of those American cartoons that reigned supreme over Nickelodeon’s prime-time hours. The babies, no matter which was your favorite, make for amazing inspiration for all sorts of decorations. From the super detailed couch with all the main characters to the printed-on fondant one-tier cake decorated with dripping green goo, there’s something for all levels of expertise.
Rick & Morty
This adult cartoon originated from a parody of Back to the Future, hence the adult humor and dimension traveling. It might not be for everyone, but the cucumber cake is a super fun cake decoration!
Check Out: 30 Greatest 90s Party Decorations to Make That Next Celebration POP!
Powerpuff Girl
I am all for colorful cakes with adorable fondant cartoon characters but my absolute favorite of the many many cakes I scrolled through to make this list was this pastel-colored, three-tiered cake, which featured the three main heroines of the Powerpuff Girls: Blossom, Bubbles, and Buttercup.
The Simpsons
As kids, we might not have been able to appreciate the witty humor of the Simpsons in all its glory as our parents did… But as grow-ups, it’s the absolute perfect theme for an adult cake decoration! I mean, aren’t those donuts simply gorgeous? You could even make the birthday food all about donuts and beer-decorated cookies.
Check Out: 23 of the Best 90s Cartoons we all Loved
TV series that made the cake
Beverly Hills 90210
Sometimes, going for a simple design is more than enough. Case in point these cakes that feature the iconic 90210 series logo on top.
Buffy the Vampire Slayer
It is no wonder that series that have spawned dedicated hordes of fans are the ones with the best cake decoration examples. I mean, those stakes look amazing, don’t they?
Friends
If you are a true Friends fan, you will easily recognize the Thanksgiving chicken, the Central Perk coffee mug, and the orange sofa that was as central to the series as any of the beloved characters. I would certainly welcome any of these cakes for my own birthday, but the third is definitely my favorite because of the memories it brings back!
Check Out: I Binge Watched all 10 Seasons of Friends, Here’s Our Favourite 90s Friends Outfits
Inspired by Toys of the era
Barbie
Barbie is undoubtedly one of the most famous toys of the 90s. And with the new movie being filmed as we speak, it is no wonder that Pinterest is flooded with Barbie cakes of all colors and shapes.
Polly Pocket
Polly Pocket is arguably one of the most common toys of the era and it inspired countless iterations over the years. It is also being made into a film this year as the 90s craze continues to rage on.
Ninja Turtles
The Ninja Turtles are a great idea for cake decoration, especially if you make it a pizza birthday party! Keeping the food on topic will delight your friends who either watched the cartoons or played with their own action toys, and kids will have a blast eating the same things the Turtles do.
Read Next:
13 Absolute Best 90s Throwback Gifts That a Friend Might Actually Want
