Written By: Lindsay Herkert • Austin Family Photographer • Family Photography Resources
TL;DR: The best cake smash photography is less about an elaborate setup and more about letting your baby’s personality shine. For Ellie’s first birthday session, her mom made a tiny cake secured to a wooden stand so Ellie could pick it up, move around, and play with it. Add in good timing, plenty of time, and a favorite toy, and you have the recipe for joyful, personality-filled first birthday photos.
How to Have the Best Cake Smash Photography Session: One Mom’s Genius Idea
There’s something so special about celebrating a baby’s first birthday. That first year somehow feels incredibly long and impossibly fast all at the same time. One minute you’re holding a tiny newborn, and suddenly you have a one-year-old with a very big personality.
That’s one of the reasons I love cake smash photography. Yes, the cake is adorable, but the best photos aren’t really about the cake. They’re about capturing your baby exactly as they are at one—the curiosity, expressions, tiny hands, messy face, and personality that has emerged over the past year.
Recently, I photographed Ellie’s first birthday session at The Lumen Room in Leander, Texas. Her session was the final photoshoot in her Baby’s First Year package, which included newborn photos, six-month milestone photos, and one-year photos with a cake smash at the end.
And after 14 years of photographing babies and families, Ellie’s mom did something during her cake smash photography session that I had never seen before.
It was so simple—and it completely changed the way Ellie interacted with her cake.
What Makes Cake Smash Photography So Special?
A first birthday session is about so much more than getting the classic photo of a baby covered in frosting.
At one year old, babies have developed so many of the little characteristics that make them them. Some are adventurous. Some are cautious. Some want to explore absolutely everything. Others need a little time to warm up.
Great cake smash photography gives babies room to be themselves instead of trying to manufacture a particular reaction.
That was exactly what we wanted for Ellie.
Her one-year session was also the final chapter of a story we’d been documenting since she was a newborn. At the end of her Baby’s First Year package, her family will have a hardcover book filled with photographs from her newborn, six-month, and one-year sessions.
One little book. An entire year of becoming Ellie.
I can’t think of a sweeter way to preserve how much a baby changes during that first year.
Why Did We Choose an Indoor Studio for Ellie’s Cake Smash Photography?
Ellie’s family chose the Lumen Room in Leander for her one-year photos, and because her birthday falls in July, having an indoor, air-conditioned studio was a very welcome bonus!
Indoor sessions can also give families more flexibility when we’re working around a baby’s nap schedule. Rather than worrying about the exact time of sunset or the Texas heat, we could choose a time that worked better for Ellie.
For families considering milestone photos throughout the year, you can see more examples and information about my Austin family photography sessions and how I approach photographing babies and families as they grow.
We also added an extra half hour to Ellie’s session so there was absolutely no need to rush her.
We played Disney music. We gave her time to explore. We let her warm up to the studio and simply followed her lead.
The whole session felt incredibly joyful—which is exactly what I want a one-year photoshoot to feel like.
What’s the Secret to Better Cake Smash Photography?
Here comes the genius part.
Ellie’s mom made her cake herself using a sugar-free recipe. But instead of bringing a traditional smash cake, she created a much smaller version.
She baked the cake and then used the opening of a cup to cut out a tiny, baby-sized cake. She placed it on a beautiful wooden cake stand and used double-sided tape to secure the cake to the stand.
So simple.
But it completely changed the cake smash photography session.
Normally, a cake sits in one place and the baby sits in front of it. The photos can be adorable, but the baby is naturally somewhat confined to that little setup.
Ellie’s cake became almost like a toy.
She could pick up the wooden stand, move it around, investigate it, eat from it, carry it, and play with it. Instead of needing to stay seated in one spot, she was free to interact with the cake however she wanted.
And she did.
The result was some of the most playful and unique cake smash images I’ve photographed.
What Size Cake Is Best for Cake Smash Photography?
After photographing Ellie’s session, I’m officially a fan of the tiny cake.
A huge, elaborate cake might look impressive, but remember: the cake isn’t supposed to be the star of your first birthday photos.
Your baby is.
A small cake gives your baby something manageable to explore. They can touch it, taste it, pick it up, and interact with it without being overwhelmed by a giant mound of frosting.
It also allows their expressions and personality to remain the focus of the photographs.
If you have a first birthday photoshoot coming up, I highly recommend borrowing Ellie’s mom’s idea: keep the cake simple, small, and easy for your baby to explore.
Should You Bring Special Toys to a First Birthday Photoshoot?
Yes—especially if there’s something your baby loves right now.
Ellie’s mom brought along her special fox, and I’m so glad she did.
We were able to photograph Ellie with something that is genuinely part of her life at this age. Years from now, that little fox might immediately bring her parents back to this exact season.
Those details are what turn family photographs into a time capsule.
Maybe your baby has a favorite stuffed animal, blanket, book, or toy. It doesn’t need to coordinate perfectly with your outfits or the studio. If it’s part of their story right now, consider bringing it.
My approach to cake smash photography and milestone sessions is always to make the photographs feel personal to your family rather than creating a setup that could belong to anyone.
How Can You Help Your Baby Enjoy Their Cake Smash Photography Session?
The biggest thing you can do is remove the pressure for your baby to perform.
You don’t need the perfect cake smash.
You don’t need your baby to immediately dive face-first into the frosting. In fact, some babies are deeply suspicious of cake!
Give them time.
For Ellie’s session, having additional time meant we weren’t constantly trying to coax her into the next photograph. We could play music, take breaks, change gears, and see what she was interested in doing.
Scheduling around naps also makes a huge difference. A well-rested baby with a full belly is generally going to have a much better time than a baby whose session lands right in the middle of their normal nap.
If you’re planning photos during your baby’s first year, my Austin newborn photography page is also a great place to start. I love helping families think beyond a single session and photograph the entire story of their baby’s first year.
What Did Ellie’s Mom Think About Her First Birthday Photos?
One of my favorite parts of this session was hearing how much these photographs meant to Ellie’s mom:
“Lindsay was so helpful and patient helping us figure out the details of the photoshoot to make it just perfect. The photos are some of my favorite because they capture so many sides of Ellie’s personality. It is such a special memory that I will always cherish. I can’t wait for Ellie’s next photoshoot with Lindsay.”
That, to me, is what cake smash photography should ultimately accomplish.
Not simply a pretty first birthday setup.
Photographs that actually feel like your baby.
How Do You Plan the Best Cake Smash Photography Session?
If I could give parents just a few pieces of advice after photographing Ellie’s first birthday, they’d be simple: schedule around your baby’s happiest time of day, don’t rush the session, bring something meaningful from this stage of their life, and keep the cake simple.
Most importantly, let your baby’s reaction become the star of the show.
Ellie’s mom’s tiny-cake idea worked because it gave Ellie freedom. Instead of placing her in front of an elaborate cake and hoping she’d react a certain way, we gave her something she could explore.
And that’s when the magic happened.
The cake moved. Ellie moved. We played Disney music. She explored, tasted, laughed, and showed us all the different little sides of her personality.
It was messy. It was playful. It was absolutely joyful.
Exactly how turning one should be.
Frequently Asked Questions About Cake Smash Photography
When should I schedule a cake smash session?
Most families schedule the session around their baby’s first birthday. If you’d like to use the photographs for birthday invitations or party decorations, schedule the photos several weeks before the birthday so you’ll have the finished gallery in time.
Does my baby have to eat cake during the session?
Not at all. Some babies love cake immediately, while others barely touch it. Their reaction is part of the fun. The goal isn’t to make your baby eat the cake—it’s to photograph their personality and experience.
What kind of cake works best for cake smash photography?
A simple, small cake works beautifully. Ellie’s mom created a tiny cake using the opening of a cup as a cutter and secured it to a wooden cake stand with double-sided tape. It gave Ellie much more freedom to play and interact with it.
Can I use a sugar-free cake?
Absolutely. Ellie’s mom chose a sugar-free recipe for her cake. If your baby has allergies or dietary restrictions, always choose ingredients that you already know are safe for them.
Should we take photos before the cake smash?
Yes! I prefer to photograph the traditional one-year portraits first and save the cake for the end. That way we get plenty of clean portraits before things get wonderfully messy.
What should I bring to a first birthday photoshoot?
Bring the cake and cake stand, your baby’s outfit, cleanup supplies, and any meaningful items you’d like photographed. A favorite stuffed animal or toy—like Ellie’s special fox—can make the images even more personal.
Where can we have a cake smash session in Austin?
Cake smash sessions can work beautifully in a studio, especially during the hottest or coldest months of the year. Ellie’s family chose the Lumen Room in Leander, which gave us a comfortable indoor space and more flexibility around her nap schedule. Outdoor cake smash’s are also beautiful and fun. Choose from one of these beautiful Austin Photo Locations.
Do you photograph other milestones during baby’s first year?
Yes. Baby’s First Year sessions can document newborn, six-month, and one-year milestones, ending with a cake smash if you’d like. Bringing those photographs together in a hardcover book creates a beautiful record of just how much your baby changed during that first year.
