Children’s Day falls during Golden Week, which is a prime time for outings, so many people head out.
On the other hand, since everywhere tends to be crowded, some of you may choose to spend the day at home.
In this article, we’re sharing handmade cake ideas that are perfect for Children’s Day and can be enjoyed at home.
We’ve gathered a wide range of recipes—from fully homemade to easy ones that cleverly use store-bought items.
It can be fun to make them together with your kids, too.
Wishing you a joyful Children’s Day!
- Handmade birthday plate ideas: make birthdays extra special!
- Recommended for Children's Day! DIY samurai helmet ideas [May 5]
- Games and activities to enjoy on Children’s Day, including crafts
- [Handmade] Decoration cakes and decoration ideas you’ll want to make for Christmas
- [Children’s Day] Ideas for DIY carp streamers
- [For Kids] Easy Valentine’s Homemade Recipe Collection for Parents and Children
- [Handmade] A collection of stylish DIY koinobori (carp streamer) ideas
- Handmade gift ideas for Mother's Day
- Recommended games for Children's Day, including party games that really liven things up
- Handmade gift ideas recommended for Mother's Day
- Magic that excites on Children’s Day. Magic that kids can enjoy.
- Handmade Gift Ideas Kids Will Love! Small, Fun Presents
- Learn with fun! A collection of DIY ideas for food education materials useful in childcare
Cute Homemade Cakes to Make for Children's Day (1–10)
Koinobori shovel cake
Let me introduce a shovel cake (scoop cake) shaped like a koi-nobori, perfect for Children’s Day.
Prepare a Swiss roll, whipped cream, strawberries, and a large dish, and let’s get started.
Arrange slices of store-bought Swiss roll in a large rectangular dish, spread whipped cream over the top, add strawberries, and finish with another layer of whipped cream.
Slice the strawberries and line them up to create the koi-nobori scales.
Draw an eye on a cookie with a chocolate pen, and your koi-nobori is complete! Give this festive and eye-catching koi-nobori cake a try!
Koinobori shortcake
@akaris.kitchen How the Koinobori cake is made 🎏🌀#Children'sDayCakeKoinobori Cake#ShortcakeStrawberry shortcakeChildren's DayTango no Sekku (Boys' Festival/Children's Day)#Koinobori
Constant Heat – Vaundy
By using a clear container, even cakes that are hard to decorate can actually be made quite easily.
First, cut a sponge cake to fit and place it in the bottom of the clear container.
Slice your favorite fruits and arrange them with the cut sides against the container wall.
Pour whipped cream into the gaps, then cap it with another layer of sponge.
Smooth the top with an even layer of cream.
Decorate with fruit to create fins and scales, and add eyes made from melted chocolate.
Your easy koinobori (carp streamer) shortcake is ready.
There are no difficult steps, so you can have fun making it together with your kids.
Koinobori Pie
@kitchen_kanakana Only 4 ingredients / Koinobori Puff Pastries These adorable koinobori (carp streamer) puff pastries are super easy 🎏 Since you can make them easily with store-bought items like puff pastry sheets and whipped cream, they’re perfect to make with your kids for Children’s Day 👍🏻 ————— [Ingredients] Makes 5 Puff pastry sheet: 1 Granulated sugar: to taste Chocolate pens (white and black): to taste Chocolate whipped cream: to taste *Using Nippun puff pastry sheet (approx. 11 × 18 cm) ————— [Instructions] 1) Cut the puff pastry sheet into 5 equal pieces. Cut a triangle out of one end to form the tail, and sprinkle with granulated sugar. 2) Bake in a preheated 200°C (392°F) oven for 15 minutes, then let cool. 3) Slice each pastry horizontally. On the top piece, use the chocolate pens to draw an eye and add a pectoral fin. 4) Pipe chocolate whipped cream onto the bottom piece and place the decorated top piece on it.#Koinobori Koinobori Sweets Children's Day #Children'sDaySweets
♪ Original song – Kana 👩🏻🍳 Everyday Home Café – Kana 👩🏻🍳 Everyday Home Café
Here’s an easy and cute carp streamer pie you can make with just four ingredients.
Slightly thaw the frozen pie sheet and cut it while shaping it like a carp streamer.
Sprinkle granulated sugar and bake at 200°C for 15 minutes.
Once baked, cut it in half and use a chocolate pen to draw the eyes and fins.
Spread plenty of chocolate whipped cream on the other half of the pastry.
Place the decorated face piece on top, and your carp streamer pie is ready in no time.
Be careful of burns when using the oven, but there are many steps kids can help with, so it’s highly recommended.
Fruit whole-swallowing koi-nobori cake
How about a carp streamer cake perfect for Children’s Day? You’ll need eggs, sugar, flour, butter, milk, and your favorite fruits.
First, whisk the eggs and sugar together over a hot water bath.
Once the batter is warm, remove it from the bath and warm the butter and milk instead.
Sift the flour into the batter and fold gently from the bottom.
Add the warmed butter and milk, pour the batter into a pan, and bake in the oven.
Spread whipped cream over the baked cake, then use a glass to cut out a section to make the carp’s mouth.
Decorate the tail and scales with fruit, and place the remaining fruit in the carp’s mouth.
Since there’s no fruit layered inside, it’s easy to make.
It looks fun and is perfect as a treat for the occasion.
sen-il cake (Korean-style birthday cake)
The Korean birthday cakes known as “saeng-il cakes” are popular for their cute, colorful designs.
They have a different vibe from Japanese decoration cakes, so if you want to make a Children’s Day sweet that’s a bit different from the usual, give it a try! You can bake the sponge cake from scratch using flour and other ingredients, or use a store-bought sponge—either is fine.
The key is to spread the whipped cream evenly without streaks.
Adding color to the whipped cream with food coloring or writing a message with a chocolate pen can help create that Korean-style saeng-il cake look.
Samurai helmet cake
How about expressing a bold, samurai-helmet motif in cake form and having some fun with it? It’s perfect for Children’s Day, and it would be wonderful to make with your kids.
Using a store-bought sponge cake makes it super easy! You can whip the cream, arrange the strawberries, and let your child join in on any steps they’re interested in.
The idea is to layer cut sponge cake, strawberries, whipped cream, and more in a bowl, then shape it into a dome.
Once the dome-shaped cake is ready, decorate it with whipped cream, chocolate, cookies, and you’re done! Try creating your very own one-of-a-kind kabuto cake!
Bear chocolate cake
How about a chocolate cake perfect for Children’s Day, inspired by Kintaro’s bear companion? It’s a great recommendation for kids who love chocolate! Whip the eggs and sugar until fluffy, then fold in cake flour, cocoa powder, and cornstarch.
Pour the batter into a sponge cake pan and bake.
Once baked, slice the sponge, line a bowl with the slices, and shape it into a domed cake.
Fill the dome with chocolate mousse and finish the outside with chocolate cream for a chocolate-filled delight! You could even draw the bear’s face using a chocolate pen.