I have wrestled with new ideas for birthday cake candles and thought this forum of amazingly talented people could help.

When someone orders a birthday cake they are thinking about the cake. Then the cake gets to the venue and general staff plumks in a few candles that take away from the look of the cake. So the pictures of the big moment (blowing out the candles) makes the cake look unprofessional.

I jave attached pictures of one cake I did where I arranged for the candles and they were a part of the order.

I was hoping that you guys may have other ideas of how you handled the "candle" issue on your event cakes.

This is a good question - I'd like to know what others do as well.

I have seen people put them on the board with some fondant attaching them here is a pic.
http://planetcake.com.au/PLC/client/ProductCatalogue_V6/c_catalogueItem.jsp?categoryID=2&childCategoryID=4&elementID=20

We have a family tradition that white candles represent decades, and non-white candles represent individual years.

We also generally use plastic candleholders (does anybody still make them? I can't remember the last time I saw them in any store, not that I don't have plenty), rather than directly inserting the candles into the cake: paraffin wax is not "Good Eats."

Both of these can be seen in the pound cake I baked for my father's 77th birthday:

poundcake.small by Tracker-Backer, on Flickr

I also, to keep my supply of birthday candles organized, have a simple compartmentized box for them, from The Container Store, and I'm probably going to pick up a similar one for the candleholders.

In the cake I posted, I attached them to the base.

I have asked clients for pics of cake at event and the "poor candles" they plunk in made me realize that addressing the "candle issue" as part of the cake was a better way.

But I am always looking for new ideas with the darn candles.
People please post anything you have done.

As long as the occasion calls for it, I put candles on the cake and I usually don't have to raise the price because candles aren't all that expensive. I buy nice ones whenever I see them so I always have in stock. I just got some from [url]jesterscakesupply.com [/url]

This is such a great topic (I Love It). I only make cakes for family and friends. I just made a cake not to long ago that was Monsters Inc. theme for my friend. When it was time to sing happy birthday she stuck this ugly # 2 candle right in the top of Mike Sullys head. I cringed and sang right along like nothing had happend. I would also like to know where to get pretty candles and how to place them on or around the cake. Without killing my creation Thanks for any info and such a great topic

Oh got it..... it was mike the one eyed monster

I don't like candles that are shaped like an object. I find that it detracts from the cake.

For smaller birthday cakes I use the TAG 7" candles. They only come in solid colors, but the colors are nice.

Wilton makes a "long" candle 5.75 inch. But I don't find them to be straight. They always have a slight bow to them.

I use long tapers on the big tiered birthdau cakes.

I am still looking for some more ideas though. Chime in if you have any

For a barbie cake I did I attached the candles to little roses made of fondant then attached them to the cake board.
http://thecrumbcanvas.webs.com/apps/photos/photo?photoid=149165914

I love the idea of using roses to attach the candles to a girlier cake! I tend to just use fondant (see pic below) but now you've got me thinking about how I could tie the candle 'holders' into the cake design too...

http://cakecentral.com/gallery/2305308/playing-card-cake

I have always cringed when a candle is stuck into a cake I've made, particularly those shaped like numbers. For those I leave a little room on the cakeboard. However, I was lucky for one birthday cake and was able to incorporate it into the design:

http://cakecentral.com/gallery/2001661/tals-3rd-birthday

I'm just glad he wasn't much older than 3...would have necessitated a longer train!