5 clever ways to put out birthday candles without blowing all over the cake

Let's talk about that time-honored tradition of blowing out the candles on a birthday cake. You know what I mean -- everyone sings as the big, beautiful cake is placed in front of the birthday boy or girl (of any age), and then --deep breath -- we all watch as the celebrant blows all over the top of it. Bonus points if you've got a toddler who takes about 10 sloppy breaths to get the job done. (Ahem, see my own beautifully spitty daughter in the top photo?) To some of us, it's always been a bit disgusting, especially in cold-and-flu season or when the birthday kid has a runny nose. So I found 5 creative alternatives to blowing out the candles on your birthday cake, so you can keep the make-a-wish tradition without exhaling all over the frosting. Note: Hey, science-loving friends! We know the real-world risk from blowing out candles is small, and these ideas have more to do with squeamishness than data. Still, if it makes you feel better to try one of these ideas then go for it. Especially if you've got a runny-nosed toddler celebrating a big day. Been there! Top Photo: © Christina Refford

5 alternatives to blowing out birthday candles

1. Get a dedicated "candle cake," separate from the big one

Photo: Isabella and Louisa Fischer via Unsplash

If you've even seen a one-year old near their gorgeously decorated first birthday cake, you can understand why parents often give them a "smash cake" to fondle and drool all over. Perhaps this can become the new normal for birthday cakes -- one small round coordinating cake or cupcake, covered in candles, then placed in front of the blower. Then a big one for the crowd, no blowing necessary. (Here's why our own Kristen tried to get this candle-cake trend going way back in 2017. She was ahead of her time!) With their own little cake, the birthday celebrant can blow all over their own individual treat, while everyone else digs into their own presumably-germ free slices.  

2. Try the Mitt Romney birthday candle method

Oh, how I laughed at how weird Mitt Romney looked in that 2019 video in which he carefully plucked each lit candle off of his office birthday cake and blew them out in his fingers, one by one. How strange! How silly! (If you haven't seen this video, you really should take a look at it.) While I would only recommend this method for steady-fingered adults who will not freak out and drop a lit candle when wax hits their hand, this birthday candle blow-out alternative gets the job done without potentially contaminating a delicious cake. Just use clean fingers and try not to touch the frosting! And Senator, I apologize for not recognizing your prescience here.  

3. Use a candle snuffer

The Original Blow-Out, a disposable filtered funnel invented by a mom who had seen enough wet attempts to blow out candles, was way ahead of its time. Unfortunately, it no longer seems to be sold. But a simple candle snuffer does the same job with no breath involved at all, and older kids love being put in charge of it.  

Related: 8 cool birthday party cake ideas for tweens and teens

4. Try this paper plate swap method

Photo @ Kristen Chase | ThatKristenAgain

Our publisher Kristen Chase happened upon a brilliant (pun intended) solution to the candle/cake issue when her oldest daughter Quinlan turned 16 in 2020. Instead of placing 16 candles on the cake itself, she carefully pushed them through an upside-down paper plate, placed it in front of her teen, and lit the candles. So clever! While not as grand looking as a fully lit up, three-tier buttercream, it's an excellent way to get the job done, especially for a "bigger" birthday with a lot of candles. And hey, at the end of it all, there's still cake which is really what matters. And you don't even lose any of the frosting to the candles!

Related: The Ultimate Birthday Gift Guide: The best gifts for kids by age

 

5. Wave your hands!

© Christina Refford

My teen daughter introduced me to the "wave hands" method of extinguishing birthday candles at my own family birthday dinner last year, and I have to say, it's a winner! No extra cake needed, no fancy supplies or cake swaps. Besides, the videos of my flapping my hands back and forth to blow out my candles makes for some good family laughs though it does produce some blurry photos. The bonus of this method, according to my kids: No mom spit on the cake!