TOPS TAPS HOT THEMES AS ICING ON KIDS' CAKES

BUFFALO, N.Y. -- Tops Markets here devoted a full-page color ad to children's birthday cakes decorated with cartoon character themes.

Magic of Cakes." The ad featured photographs of sheet cakes with different themes: Sesame Street, trolls, Barney, Snoopy, Ninja Turtles, dinosaurs and Batman. The copy under the headline read, "Bring your children a great birthday adventure right from Tops Baker's Oven. Now, you can make birthday magic they will remember for years to come. Choose from our popular collection of children's favorite cartoon characters including Aladdin, Beauty and the Beast, The Little Mermaid, Mickey or Minnie Mouse, Snow White, Pinocchio and many others. The Magic of Cakes are available in 8-inch rounds, quarter-, half- and full sheet cakes."

A store source in Rochester, N.Y., said a quarter-sheet cake is $13.95 and a half-sheet cake is $21.95. She also said more than 30 theme decorations are available. At that store, the best sellers have been dinosaur and Aladdin cakes. The cakes' decorations include plastic figures of the cartoon characters.

The Rochester source also said the cakes, offered in chocolate, vanilla and marble, are made in the store.

While officials at Tops headquarters could not be reached for comment, a source there said this is the first time kids' theme cakes have been given full-page ad attention. Other special-occasion cakes, however, such as graduation cakes, have been featured in full-page ads in the past.