Gluten Free Birthday Cake Cookies

These birthday cake sugar cookies are made gluten free and are so perfect for birthday parties! The colors are easily customizable!

Cream butter and sugar: In a large bowl with an electric mixer, beat softened 1 cup unsalted butter and 1 cup powdered sugar on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, about 2-3 minutes.
Add wet ingredients: Beat in 1 large egg, 2 teaspoons almond extract, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract, and 1 teaspoon salt until well combined.
Add flour gradually: Add 2 ¼ cups gluten-free flour blend, ½ cup at a time, mixing on low speed after each addition. Use the electric mixer for the first 2 cups, then stir in the last ½ cup by hand to avoid overmixing.
Chill the dough: Wrap dough in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 1 hour until firm. (Or freeze for 20-30 minutes, but watch carefully so it doesn't get too hard to roll.)

Prepare work surface: Sprinkle your work surface and rolling pin generously with powdered sugar (not flour).
Roll dough: Roll chilled dough to ¼ inch thickness. If dough cracks, let it warm up at room temperature for 5 minutes.
Cut shapes: Cut cookies using a birthday cake cookie cutter. A 3-tier wedding cake cutter works perfectly.
Freeze before baking: Place cut cookies on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Freeze for 10-15 minutes while the oven preheats.
Bake: Preheat oven to 375°F. Bake cookies for 8-10 minutes, until set all the way through but not browned. Edges may be lightly golden. Cool completely on a wire rack.

Mix icing: In a stand mixer with whisk attachment, combine sifted 4 cups powdered sugar, 2 tablespoons meringue powder 5 tablespoons water, and 1 teaspoon vanilla extract. Beat on medium-high speed for 7-10 minutes until well blended with a matte finish. This is your base (stiff) consistency.
Create outline icing: Transfer some icing to a bowl. Add water a few drops at a time until it reaches 10-second consistency. (When you drizzle icing over the bowl, it flows back in and blends completely in 10 seconds.)
Create flood icing: Thin more icing with water to 4-second consistency for flooding. (It flows back in and blends in 4 seconds when drizzled.)
Color the icing: Divide icing into separate bowls and tint with gel food coloring (pink, purple, white, yellow). Keep outline and flood consistencies separate for each color.

Outline the cookie: Using pink outline icing (10-second) in a piping bag fitted with tip #3, outline the birthday cake shape. Let dry for 15 minutes.
Flood with base color: Fill the outlined area with pink flood icing (4-second) using a squeeze bottle or piping bag. Use a toothpick to spread into corners if needed.
Add polka dots: While the pink is still wet, use white flood icing (4-second) to make small dots on the cake. Squeeze gently and release quickly for evenly-sized dots.
Dry completely: Let the base dry completely, at least 2-3 hours or overnight, before adding candles.
Pipe candles: Using purple outline icing (10-second) in a piping bag fitted with tip #2, pipe 4-5 vertical lines above the cake for candles.
Add flames: Dip a toothpick in stiff yellow icing. Starting at the top of each purple line, place a dot and drag upward to create a flame shape (like an upside-down teardrop).
Final drying: Let cookies dry completely, 3-4 hours or overnight, before stacking or packaging.