First Birthday: Note to Parents

A couple of things to keep in mind:

• If your cake decorations include small candies; icing that is tough to eat, like fondant; or chokable items, always remove them before serving your baby or young children their cake.

• Think about your personal "food rules" when deciding on your baby's first birthday cake. Some parents don't feed their children chocolate, known to be an "allergic" food, until the child is two years old.

• Many party hosts opt for carrot or applesauce cake without nuts as their baby's first birthday cake.