Have a little one who can't get enough of the icy princess Elsa? Girls across the globe belt out "Let It Go" while dancing around the room in Elsa gowns. What better theme for her birthday cake than her favorite princess? Whether you're a cake decorating beginner or a pro, there are plenty of options for creating an icy dream cake worthy of your little birthday princess.

Bring Elsa to life with a 3-D version of the beloved princess. You've probably seen doll cakes featuring Barbies and various princesses. Don't be intimidated by how cool they look. They're not nearly as difficult to make as they may seem. You need a Barbie-doll-size Elsa doll to create the upper portion of the princess. Wrap the lower part of her body in plastic wrap secured with a rubber band, so the doll doesn't touch the cake. Press the doll down into the baked cake, and decorate it with frosting or fondant to re-create Elsa's dress.

You have a few options to create the skirt. One option is to use a specialty pan designed just for this purpose. You simply pour your batter into the skirt mold pan and bake it according to the directions. It comes out perfectly shaped like the skirt of a princess dress.

Another option is to bake the cake in an ovenproof bowl. Choose a bowl that most closely mimics the shape of a gown's skirt. Consider the size of the bowl too. You want it to be proportionate to the doll.

Want another option? Bake three 8-inch round cakes. When they're cool, stack them with icing between the layers. Freeze the stacked cake for about 30 minutes. Then carve the stack of cakes into a skirt shape. Start by taking just a bit off the top to create a curve. You can always take off more cake. Keep carving until you're happy with the shape.

Replicate Elsa's ice castle with this dramatic cake option. Start with three round cakes in graduated sizes. Stack the cakes with the largest on the bottom and smallest on top using layers of frosting between them. This creates the basic structure of the ice castle.

Now you can add the details to make it look icy. Blue frosting creates a suitable base color. White fondant cut into pointed sections to look like ice works well to cover the sides of the cake. Cut pieces of fondant to look like towers for the top. The fondant needs time to harden to hold its shape. Drape it on a round object the same diameter as the cake to create the rounded shape while it hardens.

Sugar glass is another option to get the ice castle look. Bring 2 parts granulated sugar and 1 part water to a boil while stirring the mixture well. Cook the mixture over medium-high heat until you see a pale gold color along the edges. Pour the mixture into a baking sheet with a rim. Once it hardens, you can break it apart into shards of "ice."

Put Elsa's snowy powers on display with a snow scene. This option works well on a sheet cake, which makes it easy for all skill levels. Frost the cake with white icing. You don't have to make the icing smooth. Let the swirls show to create a snowy look. Add edible glitter or white, shimmery sprinkles for a sparkling snow effect.

Add accents like snowballs or hills molded from white fondant. Snowflakes also work well for this cake option. Cut snowflakes from fondant using cookie cutters, or use snowflake-shaped cupcake toppers. Add an Elsa figurine to complete the cake.

A decorative cake topper is the crowning touch on your cake. There are several options for varying skill levels that relate to the Elsa theme. One is to use a clean Elsa toy. You can find small toys in many stores. Let Elsa take center stage, or set up a scene with all the main characters from the movie.

A toy Elsa crown is another choice. Place the clean crown in the middle of the cake. After the party, wash it off, and the birthday child has a fun souvenir from the party.

If you're comfortable with sculpting, try making your own Elsa topper. Use fondant or gum paste to sculpt an Elsa figure. Make the job easier by creating a simplified version of the princess instead of trying to replicate all the intricate details.

Kids love helping in the kitchen, but it can be tough to hand over the reins, especially when you're making a cake for a party. Remember that your Elsa cake doesn't have to look perfect. You're making memories with your child, so it's alright to have a few blemishes on the cake.

One easy way to let your little one help is by getting her involved in mixing the batter and baking the cake. Older kids can handle measuring the ingredients. Younger kids can dump premeasured ingredients into the bowl, and stir.

Another job older kids can handle is spreading the base layer of frosting onto the cake. Because it's just a base layer, it doesn't have to be perfectly smooth. Younger kids sometimes dig down into the cake while icing it, so delegate this duty wisely.

Let your child help with the finishing touches by placing accent pieces on the cake. If you're using fondant decorations, show her where to place them, or help guide her hands to put them in the right spot. If you're using a topper, let your child put it on the cake. Then make a big deal about how she just finished the cake with the perfect final touch.