A birthday is an occasion that we all relish - whether ours or someone else's - and essential to the event is the birthday cake, a traditional artifact that has its roots in ancient history.

The birthday cake can take many forms, and this can depend on the sex, age and wishes of the recipient, and the choice is simply vast. Here are some birthday cake ideas that may help you in planning the perfect party.

Starting with ideas for youngsters, the toddler in the family may like a cake that is shaped in the style of their favourite cartoon character, or a character from a favourite book or fairy story. There are many specialist cake bakers that can be engaged to design and create a cake to your requirements, and these can be found either on line or at high street shops.

If the birthday is for a girl, pinks and reds may be favoured for the colour of the icing, and if for a boy then traditional blues may be more relevant. Boys may like the colours of their favourite football team, and girls their favourite celebrities to give the birthday a theme that will be enjoyed by all.

For those a little older the sporting theme can be enhanced, or maybe a video game character, and the colours can be changed to signify the growing preferences of the individual.

When birthdays reach the teenage years the theme can be taken in many different directions, with humour often a greater desire than sporting preferences or celebrities.

For special occasions that range of birthday cake styles and designs can be tuned to the appropriate celebration.

Eighteenth and twenty first birthdays are celebrated with particular vigour, and indicate the passing of the individual from childhood to adulthood. These are family affairs that are designed to be enjoyed by all generations, and the cake is designed to reflect the age and the occasion rather than the personal likes of the individual. This should be done with grace and style, as traditionally the cake is divided among the participants as a reminder of the day's celebration.

For later birthdays the cake can become more simple, with the accent on the actual make up of the cake rather than the decoration, although for great birthdays - 70th, 100th and so on - the celebratory aspect of the birthday cake is a vital part of the occasions.

Cakes are loved by all, but many will be averse to different types. In deciding what sort of cake to bake for the occasion care must be taken to make certain it is one that will be readily eaten by the birthday celebrant, and to this end the fruit cake is one consideration, the sponge cake another.

In the style of wedding cakes certain important birthdays may be celebrated with a layered cake, one that has more than one part to it, giving a particular impact to the day's proceedings.