In less than a year, Emily Cornwall and her team of bakers have made 200 birthday cakes for South Auckland 5 year olds.

In July last year, the 25-year-old marketing assistant read a call-out on Facebook for volunteers to bake cakes for South Auckland kids who were going without them.

"I was like, that's really, really sad. To me, a birthday cake is something so special and something that I've never missed out on."

Emily didn't get a reply to her message about the Facebook post, but couldn't stop thinking about the idea.

The next month she kicked off Cakes for Kids herself.

Cakes for Kids works with several South Auckland social agencies including School Start First Impressions (SSFI) – a charity that provides 5-year-old children with a school-starter box which includes a school uniform, school shoes, stationery, a lunchbox, and a present.

Some now also get a personalised cake they can take to school to slice and share on their first day.

Emily's preferred birthday cake is a Cadbury Caramilk Mud Cake – which is not as sweet and intense as you'd think, she says.

"It is the most delicious thing you've ever tried."

Here's Emily's recipe (adapted from the Cake Warehouse blog): Caramilk Mud Cake

Cakes for Kids receives donations via GiveaLittle.