• Use creativity to mark a milestone birthday.animal cake image by Rosemary Robenn from Fotolia.com
  
  Specialty bake shops offer custom-designed cakes to match any occasion. Cakes in the shapes of cigar boxes full of cigars, motorcycles or handbags are just a few of the possibilities for a celebration cake. For your next milestone celebration, select a cake to match the occasion.
  
  

Sweet 16

• For a sweet 16 celebration, make a car in the shape of a set of car keys. This works for both girls and boys, as this birthday marks the legal driving age in most states. If the teen is receiving a car on his birthday--or simply his own set of keys to a family car--you can opt to create the cake in the exact shape of the key to the car. Include the carmaker's logo on the cake.
  
  

First Birthday

• For a baby's first birthday, make a cake in the shape of cupcake with a giant number one on top. The cupcake may be decorated with red, blue, yellow and green specks over the white "frosting" to represent sprinkles. Using a plastic cake topper creates a bolder look than using a traditional candle. When the guests are ready to sing "Happy Birthday," remove the cake topper and replace it with a traditional candle.
  
  

Turning 21

• For a 21st birthday celebration, add humor to the cake decoration while acknowledging the recipient's legal right to drink alcohol. Start with a sheetcake in an outline of a house and add a plastic six-pack of beer on top of the cake or order a smaller cake in the shape of a six-pack of beer to sit on top of the sheet cake. On the sheet cake, add writing that says "Happy 21st birthday. Drinks are on the house!"
  
  

Time Magazine

• Birthday specialty shops and websites offer custom covers of Time Magazine for milestone birthdays. For a 50th birthday celebration, for instance, order a copy of a custom Time Magazine cover that includes the celebrant's face. Give the image to a baker and order a photo cake. Consider getting a rectangular cake to mimic a magazine. The finished cake will showcase the personalized magazine cover.