A birthday party isn’t really complete until you have dessert!  It just as much part of the celebration as presents, games and friends are.

But what are the best birthday desserts?  We’ve seen them all, and here are our absolute favorites.

1. Cake

Well, of course cake would be number one.  There’s a reason birthday cake is the stereotypical thing you serve – who doesn’t like cake?

Well, it turns out, quite a few people don’t like cake.  Or, at least, don’t find cake to be their favorite.  Some people just have birthday cake because everyone expects there to be birthday cake.  It’s hard to go wrong with a cake, but it’s certainly not the only option.

2. Ice Cream

Ice cream is a great option.  First of all, it goes with a great number of other desserts – brownies, cookies, cupcakes, you name it.  Secondly, you can have a greater variety of flavors in ice cream – if some people don’t like chocolate, they’re stuck if all you have is a chocolate cake.  But you can have multiple flavors of ice cream, perfect for satisfying even the pickiest palettes.

3. Brownies

Of course, the problem with ice cream is that it’s not going to hold candles well, and what’s a birthday without candles?  But gooey chocolate brownies do a great job holding those candles – and are made even better when combined with a scoop of ice cream.  A brilliant combination that’s hard to top.

4. Donuts

A box of donuts is a great quick birthday treat.  With many different varieties to choose from, you get the same variety you might hope for when picking ice cream – and you can have multiple varieties for each kid, as well.

5. Fruit

Looking for something a bit healthier?  Fruit, especially in the hot summer, can be a great dessert.  Watermelon, especially, is a personal favorite of ours.  It’s no cake, but it’s fresh, cool, healthy and refreshing.  It’s a great choice for the health-conscious parent.