Cakes are made to accompany different occasions such as birthdays and weddings (themed cakes). Different flavors and designs and variants are available. It contains a combination of flour, eggs, sugar and butter or oil. Interior design of cake usually comes up with layer of two cakes (tier) which is coated with icing or frosting (usually made from sugar) and cake tops. Different factors were considered in making themed cakes such as the gender, the season and the celebration being celebrated. Themed cakes especially made for women are the most exquisite in design. Cake designers use to put figurines (cake tops) made from icing such as flowers, doves and butterflies.

Butterfly cake tops can be in different range of colors. Usually trimmed with colors that matched the body of butterfly for example a yellow butterfly trimmed with red or green. Variety of materials are used to make this butterfly birthday cakes  such as handmade gum paste, cookies or biscuit coated with rich and thick layer of chocolate or flavor of choice. Due to its elegant and charm, some are tend to have this life like sugar decorations forever. That's why some cake designers comes up with an idea of using crystals and stone like jewels as a materials in making a butterfly toppers.

Butterfly birthday cakes shaped are the most-easiest design to work with. Some bakers use a customized butterfly-shaped pan. The cake itself serves as the body of the butterfly (usually formed with two heart shape in each side and a vertical rectangle in between). Even a round based cake can turn into a butterfly designed cake. First you have to make a diamond shape hole into the middle of the cake and slice it into an equal half. The sliced round base cake will now serve as the butterfly's wings. Coated and trimmed with flavor and color of choice, this butterfly shape cakes can also be top with sequins (edible beads such as color coated candy and chocolate chips) or bling pearls to highlight and beautify its wings and thorax (middle section of butterfly's body) and its eye-like wide spots.

Butterfly signifies or symbolizes “transformation” that is why it is the common wedding themes especially for cakes because this is the time wherein two people become one. Weddings or birthdays that fall in Spring season (March, April, May) are suggested to have this butterfly birthday cakes designed for the celebration. Spring, according to studies is butterflies mating season.