What about a large pink pillow cake with a little tiara and scepter on top? Then you could make a much smaller "pillow" for the birthday girl's smash cake. You could do it all in pink and make it very sparkly and glittery with lustre dust and disco dust.
I was asked to do a 1st birthday as well for a customer and she told me to do what ever and all she wants is a #1 shaped cake with anything on it.....hmmmm
So I am going to do a #1 with polka dots, I have noticed that is the most popular, so I am gonna give it a try and thats an idea for you as well! You can never go wrong really on a 1st birthday cake!! I bet any idea you have will be great!
I think this cake is super cute for a one-year old. You could make it girlier colors.
http://www.cakecentral.com/cake-photo_1208487.html
If you put in "1st birthday pink" as the search criteria in the galleries section you will get endless pics. What you might want to do is go to a party store and look at some invitations etc (could be a brick & mortar store or on-line) and if there is something that catches your eye use that for your design. I personally like bright and colourful cakes for younger kids b-days.
Here are just a few, simple cakes that should be relatively inexpensive:
http://cakecentral.com/modules.php?name=gallery&file=displayimage&pid=451133
http://cakecentral.com/modules.php?name=gallery&file=displayimage&pid=1290499
http://cakecentral.com/modules.php?name=gallery&file=displayimage&pid=53235
http://cakecentral.com/modules.php?name=gallery&file=displayimage&pid=15849
http://cakecentral.com/modules.php?name=gallery&file=displayimage&pid=1329691
http://cakecentral.com/modules.php?name=gallery&file=displayimage&pid=1154626
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