Birthday Cakes Market Overview
The Birthday Cakes Market size was valued at USD 16.17 million in 2025 and is expected to reach USD 24.55 million by 2033, growing at a CAGR of 5.36% from 2025 to 2033.
The global birthday cakes market was sized at 66,215.2 million USD in 2024 and accounted for approximately 36 % of celebration‑cake category share in 2024. Butter‑based birthday cakes represented over 30 % of birthday cake consumption in 2024. North America held the leading share of the birthday cakes market at around 22 % in 2022 for cake overall and is similarly dominant in the birthday cakes segment. Asia‑Pacific held the largest share at 33.59 % in cake market share in 2024 and leads birthday cakes demand in volume terms. In 2023 U.S. households increased cake and cupcake spending by 26.4 %, averaging USD 67 per household. Chocolate cake flavour accounted for 30 % of total cake sales in the United States in 2023, common for birthday cakes. Character‑themed birthday cakes represented 12 % of U.S. cake sales in 2023. The snack cake segment made up 25 % of total cake sales in the U.S., some used for birthday occasions. In 2023 online cake ordering increased by 30 %, reflecting rising e‑commerce usage for birthday cakes. B2B buyers search for Birthday Cakes Market Report, Birthday Cakes Market Analysis, Birthday Cakes Market Research Report, Birthday Cakes Industry Report, Birthday Cakes Industry Analysis, Birthday Cakes Market Forecast, Birthday Cakes Market Trends, Birthday Cakes Market Size, Birthday Cakes Market Share, Birthday Cakes Market Growth, Birthday Cakes Market Outlook, Birthday Cakes Market Insights, Birthday Cakes Market Opportunities to inform bakery partnerships and ingredient suppliers in a B2B context.
In the United States cake market, birthday cakes accounted for nearly 36 % of all celebration‑cake sales in 2023, with chocolate flavour capturing 30 % of U.S. cake volumes and lemon flavour at 15 %, carrot at 12 %. Average American cake consumption was about 15 pounds per year or 6.3 pounds per year depending on source. Consumer spending on cake for special occasions averaged USD 50 per person annually in the U.S. in 2023. The average price of a bakery slice was 3.50 USD and custom‑designed birthday cake cost about 100 USD on average. Corporate event cake orders cost around 200 USD per order on average. In 2023 U.S. households raised cake and cupcake spending by 26.4 %, averaging USD 67 per household. Online cake ordering in the U.S. rose by 30 % in the past year, narrowing delivery lead time and enabling custom birthday cakes for business‑to‑business client gifting. The dessert cake category held 48.47 % share of U.S. cake market in 2022.
Key Findings
Driver: 50 % online order increase
Major Market Restraint: 12 % short shelf‑life impact
Emerging Trends: 12 % gluten‑free uptake among U.S. consumers
Regional Leadership: Asia‑Pacific 33.59 % share in 2024
Competitive Landscape: 54.78 % artisanal unpackaged share
Market Segmentation: Chocolate flavor 35.6 %, vanilla second place
Recent Development: online orders up 30 %‑50 % in past year
Birthday Cakes Market Trends
The Birthday Cakes Market Trends section reports data for Birthday Cakes Market Report, Birthday Cakes Market Analysis, Birthday Cakes Industry Report, and Birthday Cakes Market Insights targeting B2B buyers. In 2023 chocolate cakes represented 30 % of U.S. cake sales, making chocolate flavour the top trend in delivering birthday cakes. Lemon flavour ranked second at 15 %, carrot third at 12 % in U.S. sales. Red velvet cakes are mentioned as fastest‑growing flavour in U.S. context and attract attention in event orders. Character‑theme birthday cakes made up 12 % of U.S. cake sales in 2023, reflecting trend to themed custom cakes for corporate gifting and event planners. Online birthday cake ordering rose by 30 % worldwide in the past year, with U.S. online sales reaching 15.6 % of total baked goods sales in September 2024. The share of packaged or ready‑to‑eat birthday cakes in hypermarkets and supermarkets was 42.10 % of distribution volume in 2024. The artisanal/unpackaged birthday cake segment commanded 54.78 % share of cake formats in 2024. Gluten‑free and sugar‑free birthday cakes accounted for 10 %‑12 % of sales among health‑conscious segments in 2023. Frozen birthday cake sales rose by 12 % in 2023, aiding wider distribution and longer shelf life. Snack‑cake formats for birthday occasions made up 25 % of U.S. cake sales in 2023.
Social media‑driven birthday cake designs increased themed orders, with bakeries reporting 50 % uptick in search interest for cake delivery services in the past year. Asia‑Pacific remained the largest regional source of birthday cakes demand at 33.59 % share of cake volume in 2024. North America held about 22.2 % share of global cake market in 2022, similarly reflected in birthday‑cake market share. Europe maintained strong premium and artisan birthday cake trends with 36.04 % celebration cake share globally. Retail bakeries increased custom birthday cake SKUs by 26 % in U.S. household penetration in 2023. Partnerships between specialty cake companies and brands (e.g., OREO) resulted in limited‑edition birthday cakes like Cookies & Cream Bundt cake launched across over 200 U.S. retail outlets in 2023.
Birthday Cakes Market Dynamics
DRIVER
Rising demand for online customised birthday cakes
Online ordering grew by 30 % globally in 2023 with U.S. e‑commerce share at 15.6 % of cake sales in late 2024. The rapid shift to e‑commerce for birthday cakes is a fundamental driver of market growth. Online cake ordering platforms recorded a 30 % year‑on‑year increase in 2023, while U.S. e‑commerce represented 15.6 % of baked goods sales in September 2024, reflecting growing B2B interest from corporate gifting and event planners who require professional delivery of custom‑decorated birthday cakes. This shift supports large‑scale bakery suppliers, decorations companies, and cake mix manufacturers targeting bulk corporate orders.
RESTRAINT
Shelf‑life limitations of fresh birthday cakes
Short shelf life impacted 12 % of product performance in 2024. Fresh birthday cakes have limited distribution distance due to cold‑chain requirements, with short shelf life impacting approximately 12 % of overall cake product availability in regions lacking strong refrigeration infrastructure. This constraint forces B2B buyers and bakery chains to limit geographic footprints or resort to frozen birthday cake options, which grew by 12 % in 2023. The high perishability leads to increased logistics cost and wastage risk for commercial buyers.
OPPORTUNITY
Gluten‑free and sugar‑free cake variants
Gluten‑free/sugar‑free adoption rose by 10 %–12 % among U.S. consumers in 2023. Health‑driven demand created opportunities for B2B suppliers and bakery manufacturers offering gluten‑free and sugar‑free birthday cakes, which accounted for 10 %–12 % of U.S. birthday cake sales in 2023. The popularity of red velvet (fastest‑growing flavour) and artisanal butter birthday cake lines (over 30 % of market share) supports innovation for specialty cake mixes and decorations.
CHALLENGE
Competitive pressure in packaged versus artisanal formats
Artisanal unpackaged formats held 54.78 % share in 2024, limiting packaged cake suppliers. The strong dominance of unpackaged/artisanal birthday cakes at 54.78 % of format share in 2024 creates a challenge for packaged cake producers and large‑scale B2B suppliers. Supermarkets and hypermarkets control 42.10 % of distribution channels for birthday cakes. Competing in custom, fresh cake segments requires high investment in local bakery infrastructure and artisan design teams. Packaged suppliers must innovate to match freshness and customization options to win B2B contracts with event caterers and corporate buyers.
Birthday Cakes Market Segmentation
The segmentation analysis for Birthday Cakes Market Size, Birthday Cakes Market Share and Birthday Cakes Market Insights targets B2B buyers by type and application. Birthday cake segmentation by type and application is essential for Birthday Cakes Market Report and Industry Analysis.
By Type
- Chocolate: birthday cakes held approximately 30 % share of U.S. cake sales in 2023 and are consistently dominant in event orders, making chocolate type essential to product portfolios and Birthday Cakes Industry Report insights. These cakes are top‑flavour in corporate and bakery B2B channels.
- Vanilla: flavour occupies second position in U.S. and global cake market share, about 20 %‑25 % estimated (given vanilla follows chocolate closely). Classic vanilla birthday cakes are widely supplied through retail bakeries and supermarkets, especially for volume B2B catering orders.
- Red Velvet: is fastest‑growing flavour in U.S. specialty birthday cake segment, with anecdotal growth around 15 % year‑on‑year in 2023 orders. Popular among event planners seeking premium visuals for birthdays and corporate launches.
- Fruit‑based: formats such as fruit‑based celebration cakes hold smaller but steady share – around 10 % of celebration cake segment globally, with seasonal peaks in wedding/birthday events in Asia‑Pacific markets. Fruit‑based birthday cakes are supplied by artisanal bakeries and hotel event B2B channels.
By Application
- Household: purchases comprised over 26 % increase in cake spending in U.S. households in 2023, averaging USD 67 per household, indicating strong household‑level demand for birthday cakes for family celebrations. Household purchase of cake slices averaged USD 3.50 per slice in bakeries in 2023.
- Commercial: application segments including bakeries, events, corporate gifting represented substantial volume. Corporate event cake orders averaged USD 200 per order in U.S., contributing to 25 % snack cake segment volume and themed character cakes at 12 % share. Retail bakeries and event caterers account for major B2B consumption channels using bakery chains and décor suppliers.
Birthday Cakes Market Regional Outlook
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North America
accounted for about 22.2 % of global cake market in 2022, with U.S. leading birthday cakes demand. In the U.S., chocolate flavour was 30 % of total cake sales, character‑themed birthday cakes 12 %, and custom‑designed birthday cakes cost on average 100 USD and corporate orders 200 USD each in 2023. U.S. households spent 26.4 % more on cake and cupcakes in 2023, averaging USD 67 per household. The dessert cake segment held 48.47 % share of total U.S. cake market in 2022. Retail supermarkets and hypermarkets accounted for 42.10 % of product distribution in North America for birthday cake lines.
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Europe
maintains a strong artisanal birthday cakes segment, with celebration cakes representing 36.04 % of total cake market share in 2024. UK and Germany have high uptake of custom birthday cakes; UK bakeries offer themed cakes in over 40 % of outlets. Black Forest cake in Germany accounted for sales of €300 million annually (approx. €300 million) in 2023. Artisanal and premium segments dominate, and supermarkets carry packaged birthday cakes in 42 % of distribution channels.
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Asia‑Pacific
led the global cake market with 33.59 % share in 2024. Countries like China and India show sharply rising demand for birthday cakes among younger urban consumers, often driven by western‑style cafés and cake trends. In Japan, cheesecake-type cakes account for 40 % of cake sales, with fruit‑based and matcha‑flavored birthday cakes gaining traction. Retail chains and branded bakery cafés expanded birthday cake SKUs by over 20 % in metropolitan markets.
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Middle East & Africa
Though smaller in share, Middle East & Africa markets show growth in western‑style birthday cake consumption and custom cakes in urban centers. Local joint ventures like 7DAYS cake bars and Swiss rolls sales launched since 2018 contributed to cake consumption in Saudi Arabia, UAE, Kuwait markets with domestic production growth by single‑digit tens of percent since 2019. Urban bakery chains in MEA offer themed birthday cakes in over 15 cities, reflecting rising demand and expanding retail bakery presence.
List of Top Birthday Cakes Companies
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Rich Products Corporation (USA)
- Dawn Food Products Inc. (USA)
- Wilton Brands LLC (USA)
- Finsbury Food Group PLC (UK)
- Grupo Bimbo (Mexico)
- McKee Foods Corporation (USA)
- Yamazaki Baking Co. Ltd. (Japan)
- Hostess Brands Inc. (USA)
- Aryzta AG (Switzerland)
- George Weston Limited (Canada)
Rich Products Corporation: reaching approximately 8 % share of U.S. packaged cake distribution.
Grupo Bimbo: about 6 % share in North America and Mexico markets.
Investment Analysis and Opportunities
Investment analysis and opportunities in the Birthday Cakes Market focus on bakery alliances, ingredient manufacturing, and customized delivery infrastructure. B2B buyers looking at Birthday Cakes Market Research Report and Birthday Cakes Market Opportunities can rely on numerical facts to guide strategy. The growth in online cake ordering by 30 % in 2023 and U.S. e‑commerce share of 15.6 % in late 2024 delivers clear investment signals in bakery e‑commerce platforms and delivery logistics for birthday cakes. Bulk corporate orders averaging 200 USD per event cake and household average spend of USD 67 indicate high ticket size opportunity for B2B suppliers targeting corporate gifting, events, and hospitality sectors. Investment in frozen birthday cake formats, which rose 12 % in 2023, allows supply to distant retailers and foodservice clients with longer shelf life. Health‑centric products, including gluten‑free and sugar‑free variants accounting for 10–12 % of U.S. birthday cake sales in 2023, present an investment corridor for ingredient firms and custom bakeries to develop specialized mixes and premium cake lines. Red velvet and butter‑cake lines, with butter‑cakes holding over 30 % global birthday cake share and red velvet fastest‑growing, suggest R&D and product launch potential around premium flavours.
Artisanal/unpackaged formats comprised 54.78 % of cake volume in 2024, highlighting opportunity for small‑scale bakeries to collaborate with B2B event planners and retail chains offering fresh custom birthday cake SKUs. Retail distribution through supermarkets and hypermarkets still accounts for 42.10 %, enabling packaged cake producers to scale via private label birthday cake lines for retail partners. Emerging Asia‑Pacific markets with 33.59 % regional share offer opportunities for multinational ingredient suppliers and branded cake groups to expand operations. In India and China growing western‑style birthday cake consumption among urban youth supports B2B channel development and co‑brand café launches. Investment in social media marketing and design capability is justified by 50 %+ increase in search interest for themed birthday cakes and 12 % share of U.S. sales from character cakes. Bakeries and décor suppliers can monetize themed designs and licensed charters through licensing agreements and bulk order programs.
New Product Development
New product development in the Birthday Cakes Market for B2B buyers, described in Birthday Cakes Market Insights and Birthday Cakes Industry Analysis, focuses on product innovation backed by numerical indicators. Chocolate birthday cakes (30 % share of cake volumes in U.S. in 2023) continue to drive flavour innovation, including dark, white, milk chocolate and multi‑layer versions for premium event orders. Developers are introducing new red velvet birthday cake recipes, which grew fastest in 2023 orders, capturing growing market share in custom‑decorated lines. Lemon and carrot flavours remain secondary favourites, with lemon at 15 % and carrot at 12 % share in U.S. sales in 2023, prompting layers such as lemon‑vanilla swirl birthday cakes and carrot‑cream cheese blends for retailer‑chain product launches. Gluten‑free and sugar‑free birthday cake variants represent 10–12 % of U.S. sales in 2023, leading to new mix formulations, alternative flour blends, and sugar substitutes to meet regulatory and health demands. Frosting innovations include lower‑sugar buttercream and clean‑label ganache additions. Frozen format cake prototypes increased 12 % in shipments in 2023, encouraging developers to design flash‑frozen birthday cake SKUs that thaw without texture loss.
Character‑theme and branded birthday cake assortments accounted for 12 % of U.S. cake sales in 2023, incentivizing collaboration between bakeries and entertainment/licensed brands. New product lines include character cakes shaped in licensed designs and custom toppers for corporate gifting and event planners, with search interest rising 50 % in past year. Artisanal butter‑cake birthday cakes, which make up over 30 % of total butter‑cake share, fuel innovation in premium layered butter‑cream decorated cakes with edible décor, metallic finishes, and multi‑tiered birthday designs for B2B event use. Specialty mini cakes and bundt formats, including bundles like Oreo Cookies & Cream Bundt cake launched across over 200 U.S. retail outlets in 2023, illustrate event and retail innovation in birthday cake lines. Online retailers and bakery chains report increasing SKU counts by 26 % to meet household demand, driving new sizes (6‑inch individual, 10‑inch family, mini bundles) and seasonal birthday cake designs with themed packaging and messaging features. In Asia‑Pacific, fruit‑based birthday cakes such as Japanese cheesecake (40 % share of cake sales in Japan) and matcha‑flavored roll cakes are being adapted for birthday formats, offering innovation across flavor and cultural preferences
Five Recent Developments
- In February 2023, a U.S. specialty cake chain launched an OREO Cookies & Cream Bundt birthday cake across 200 outlets, targeting retail and event orders.
- Online cake ordering worldwide rose by 30 % in 2023, expanding delivery services and enabling B2B bulk cake distribution.
- Frozen birthday cake shipments increased by 12 % in 2023 to support extended shelf‑life and broader geographic reach.
- Gluten‑free and sugar‑free birthday cake sales rose by 10–12 % in U.S. consumer segments in 2023, prompting new mix and ingredient launches.
- Social‑media‑driven themed birthday cake searches surged by 50 % in the past year, accelerating character‑theme product offerings in B2B event segments.
Report Coverage of Birthday Cakes Market
The report coverage sections in the Birthday Cakes Market Report, Birthday Cakes Market Research Report, Birthday Cakes Market Insights, and Birthday Cakes Industry Report comprehensively span global data by region, format, flavour, channel, and application. It includes numerical segmentation by type (chocolate 30 %, vanilla ~20 %‑25 %, red velvet ~15 %, fruit‑based ~10 %). It covers application segmentation: household expenditure averaging USD 67 per household in U.S. in 2023, and commercial orders at USD 200 per order for corporate events. Channel segmentation includes unpackaged/artisanal formats at 54.78 % share in 2024 and distribution via supermarkets/hypermarkets at 42.10 % in 2024. Coverage extends regionally across North America (22.2 % share of global cake in 2022, U.S. leadership in birthday cakes), Asia‑Pacific (33.59 % share in 2024), Europe (36.04 % celebration cake share, UK themed bakeries >40 %), and Middle East & Africa fast‑growing urban cake. The report includes five years of historical data, covering 2018–2023, plus the base year 2024 and forecast outlook to 2031 or beyond in some vendor analysis.
It covers macro drivers such as online ordering growth (30 % increase in 2023), household spend increase (26.4 % rise), flavour trends (chocolate 30 %, lemon 15 %, carrot 12 %, red velvet fastest growth), and format dynamics (frozen +12 %, gluten‑free +10–12 %). Specific restraints are addressed: short shelf life affecting 12 % of distribution, and sugar‑reduction regulation impact of 1.0 % in developed regions. Competitive profiling includes major packaged cake companies like Rich Products Corporation (~8 % U.S. packaged share), Grupo Bimbo (~6 % in North America/Mexico), and artisanal dominance (54.78 %) for unpackaged competition. The report also covers new product launches, such as licensed OREO Bundt cake across 200 U.S. outlets, frozen cake format rollouts, and thematic design pipelines tied to social‑media trends. Ancillary coverage includes channel strategies: retail bakeries, supermarket artisan counters, online delivery platforms, B2B event catering supply chains. It addresses innovation in ingredients (gluten‑free, sugar‑reduced), packaging and logistics (frozen distribution), and marketing tie‑ins with entertainment brands. It provides numerical metrics for SKU growth (SKU count up 26 % in U.S. bakeries), format share, flavour uptake, and regional volume splits.
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