Birthday Candle

This Esplanda birthday candle is a small cake-topping item, and it works best on a cake that is cool and set. Candles in this category are usually pushed straight into the top of a frosted or iced cake. Chilled buttercream, ganache or whipped cream grips the base better than frosting that has gone soft at room temperature. A firmer surface also keeps the candle upright through the singing. Space it away from other candles and from piped decoration. A flame set too close to a neighbour makes both burn faster and drip more, and wax that runs onto a rosette or a fruit garnish is hard to lift off cleanly. Light the wick just before the cake comes to the table, and keep it clear of paper napkins, hanging ribbons and loose sleeves. After the wish, blow it out or snuff it with a spoon or a wet fingertip, then lift it out before cutting. This stops any wax on the cake surface from ending up on a slice. The candle suits cakes, cupcakes, tarts and similar desserts. On a bakery cake a single candle can mark the occasion without crowding the top. A cluster of them suits a larger sheet cake or a layered cake with plenty of flat surface. We have not listed the burn time, wax type, height or colour for this item, so check the packaging for those details before you plan around them.