Cake Budget
how-to beginner 2 minutes

Choose Your Theme

Find your perfect visual vibe with Cake Budget's carefully crafted themes and dark mode support

Last updated: October 11, 2025

Your budget app should feel like you. Cake Budget offers 4 carefully crafted themes, each with light and dark modes—because your money deserves to look good while you manage it.

How to Change Your Theme

Step 1: Navigate to Settings

Click Settings in the main navigation menu.

Step 2: Find the Appearance Card

Scroll down to the Appearance card (below Notification Preferences and AI Features).

Step 3: Choose Your Mode

In the Theme Mode section:

  • Click one of three buttons: Light, Dark, or System
  • Light: Bright, clean backgrounds (great for daytime)
  • Dark: Easy on the eyes (perfect for night owls)
  • System: Matches your device’s preference (auto-switches!)

Step 4: Pick Your Theme

Below the Theme Mode section, you’ll see the theme picker with 4 theme cards:

  • Each shows the theme name, description, and color preview circles
  • Click any theme card to apply it instantly
  • Changes happen in real-time (no page refresh!)
  • Currently selected theme is highlighted

Your preferences save automatically to your account and sync across all your devices.


The Four Themes

Default

Clean black and white theme

Light Mode

Primary
0 0% 0%
Secondary
0 0% 96%
Accent
0 0% 96%

Dark Mode

Primary
0 0% 100%
Secondary
0 0% 15%
Accent
0 0% 15%

Amethyst

Elegant purple theme with soft accents

Light Mode

Primary
260.4000 22.9358% 57.2549%
Secondary
258.9474 33.3333% 88.8235%
Accent
342.4615 56.5217% 77.4510%

Dark Mode

Primary
263.0769 32.5000% 68.6275%
Secondary
254.4828 14.8718% 38.2353%
Accent
271.7647 15.5963% 21.3725%

Caffeine

Energizing coffee-inspired theme

Light Mode

Primary
16.6667 21.9512% 32.1569%
Secondary
34.0541 100.0000% 85.4902%
Accent
0 0% 90.9804%

Dark Mode

Primary
29.5082 100% 88.0392%
Secondary
28.2353 17.5258% 19.0196%
Accent
0 0% 16.4706%

Claude

Warm amber theme inspired by Claude AI

Light Mode

Primary
15.1111 55.5556% 52.3529%
Secondary
46.1538 22.8070% 88.8235%
Accent
46.1538 22.8070% 88.8235%

Dark Mode

Primary
14.7692 63.1068% 59.6078%
Secondary
48 33.3333% 97.0588%
Accent
48 10.6383% 9.2157%

Default - The Classic

”Clean, crisp, and gets out of your way.”

Personality: Minimalist. No-nonsense. Financial clarity above all else.

Colors:

  • Pure black and white
  • Green for income and positive money movement
  • Red for expenses and negative balances
  • No distractions, just data

Perfect for:

  • People who want zero visual noise
  • Accountants (we see you)
  • Anyone who thinks “less is more”
  • Spreadsheet enthusiasts

Vibe Check:

  • Light mode: Crisp paper, clean slate
  • Dark mode: Midnight focus session

Why you’ll love it: When your budget is this clear, good decisions are easy.


Claude - The Friendly One

”Warm, inviting, and makes budgeting feel less scary.”

Personality: Your encouraging friend who’s good with money and genuinely wants you to succeed.

Colors:

  • Warm ambers and soft oranges
  • Creamy backgrounds
  • Cozy, approachable vibes
  • Like a hug for your budget

Perfect for:

  • People who find traditional budgeting stressful
  • Anyone who needs financial encouragement
  • Fans of warm, earthy aesthetics
  • The friend group’s “mom friend”

Vibe Check:

  • Light mode: Sunrise coffee chat about your goals
  • Dark mode: Candlelit evening planning session

Why you’ll love it: Budgeting shouldn’t feel cold. This theme gets it.

Fun fact: Named after Claude AI—warm, helpful, and always has your back.


Amethyst - The Elegant One

”Sophisticated, calming, and low-key luxurious.”

Personality: The friend with impeccable taste who makes everything look effortless.

Colors:

  • Soft purples and lavender accents
  • Muted, sophisticated palette
  • Elegant without being stuffy
  • Subtle pink touches for warmth

Perfect for:

  • People who appreciate aesthetics
  • Anyone seeking calm financial vibes
  • Purple lovers (obviously)
  • The “I have a capsule wardrobe” crowd

Vibe Check:

  • Light mode: Lavender latte in a trendy café
  • Dark mode: Midnight amethyst crystal energy

Why you’ll love it: Your budget can be both functional and beautiful. Why choose?

Design note: Every shade was chosen to reduce financial anxiety while maintaining clarity.


Caffeine - The Energizer

”Bold, focused, and ready to tackle your financial goals.”

Personality: Your high-energy friend who drinks espresso and conquers to-do lists before 9 AM.

Colors:

  • Rich coffee browns
  • Creamy latte accents
  • Energizing golden highlights
  • Dark roast sophistication

Perfect for:

  • Coffee addicts (guilty as charged)
  • Morning budgeters
  • People who need that “let’s DO this” energy
  • Anyone who color-codes with earth tones

Vibe Check:

  • Light mode: Fresh brew, fresh budget, fresh start
  • Dark mode: Cold brew concentrate meets midnight productivity

Why you’ll love it: Budgeting with the same energy as your morning coffee routine.

Inspiration: For everyone who’s made their best financial decisions caffeinated.


Light vs. Dark Mode

Light Mode

When to use:

  • ☀️ Daytime budgeting
  • ☀️ Bright environments
  • ☀️ You prefer high contrast
  • ☀️ Sharing your screen with others

Benefits:

  • Maximum readability in bright light
  • Traditional, familiar feel
  • Better for printing reports
  • Easier on eyes in well-lit spaces

Dark Mode

When to use:

  • 🌙 Night budgeting sessions
  • 🌙 Dim environments
  • 🌙 Reducing eye strain
  • 🌙 OLED screen battery savings (mobile)

Benefits:

  • Easier on eyes in low light
  • Modern, sleek aesthetic
  • Reduces blue light exposure
  • Looks incredible (let’s be honest)

What it does:

  • Automatically switches based on your device’s preference
  • Light during the day
  • Dark at night
  • One less thing to think about

Perfect for:

  • People who change their OS theme seasonally
  • Auto-dark mode enthusiasts
  • Anyone who wants “set it and forget it”

Pro tip: Set your phone to auto dark mode at sunset. System mode in Cake Budget follows along automatically.


Theme Switching Tips

Try Them All

Each theme feels different:

  • Spend 5 minutes in each
  • Check your most-used pages (Overview, Transactions, Slices)
  • See which one makes you want to open the app more

You’ll know your theme when:

  • It just “feels right”
  • You stop noticing it (good design is invisible)
  • You actually enjoy looking at your budget

Seasonal Switching

Some users rotate themes:

  • Spring/Summer: Amethyst (light, energizing)
  • Fall: Caffeine (cozy, focused)
  • Winter: Claude (warm, comforting)
  • Year-round minimalists: Default (timeless)

There’s no rule. Switch whenever you want a refresh.

Match Your Mood

Feeling stressed about money? → Claude theme (encouragement + warmth)

Need serious focus? → Default theme (zero distractions)

Want elegant calm? → Amethyst theme (soothing vibes)

Ready to ATTACK your budget? → Caffeine theme (let’s GOOO)


Design Philosophy

Why Only 4 Themes?

Quality over quantity.

We could have made 20 themes. Instead, we made 4 really good ones:

  • Each fully tested in light and dark
  • Each meets accessibility standards
  • Each has a distinct personality
  • Each works across ALL components

Result: Every theme is launch-ready, not half-baked.

Accessibility First

All themes meet WCAG 2.1 AA standards:

  • Proper text contrast ratios
  • Clear focus indicators
  • Readable in all lighting conditions
  • Usable by people with color vision deficiencies

We tested:

  • Color contrast analyzers
  • Real users with various vision needs
  • Different screen types and brightness levels

Your budget should be accessible, not just pretty.

Theme-Aware Components

Every major component supports themes:

  • Navigation and menus
  • Cards and data displays
  • Forms and inputs
  • Charts and graphs
  • Modals and dialogs
  • Buttons and badges
  • Tables and lists

~85% of components use theme colors. The remaining 15% (data tables, onboarding) coming soon!


Common Questions

Q: Can I create my own custom theme? A: Not yet, but we’re considering it for the future! For now, choose from the 4 curated themes.

Q: Do themes affect performance? A: Nope! Theme switching is instant (under 100ms) and uses CSS variables for efficiency.

Q: Can I use different themes on mobile vs desktop? A: Themes sync across devices via your account, so they’re consistent everywhere.

Q: Will more themes be added? A: Possibly! We focused on quality for launch. Let us know which themes you’d like to see at support@trycakebudget.com.

Q: What if I just want plain light or dark mode? A: Use the Default theme! It’s pure black and white with no color personality.

Q: Do themes change my data or settings? A: No. Themes only change visual appearance. Your budget, slices, and transactions are completely unaffected.

Q: Can I preview themes before applying? A: Yes! Each theme card shows a color preview. Click to apply and see it instantly throughout the app.


Pro Tips

💡 Try Dark Mode First: If you haven’t tried dark mode yet, give it a week. Many users never go back.

💡 System Mode is Magic: Set it once, forget it exists. It just works.

💡 Themes Don’t Judge: Your theme choice says nothing about your financial skills. Pick what makes you happy.

💡 Switch on Vibes: Bad budget day? Try a different theme. Sometimes a visual refresh helps reset your mindset.

💡 Screenshot Friendly: Sharing your budget wins? All themes look great in screenshots (we tested).

💡 Mobile Matters: Themes were designed mobile-first. They look just as good on your phone as on desktop.


Theme Recommendations by Personality

The Minimalist: → Default (black and white, pure function)

The Optimist: → Claude (warm encouragement, friendly vibes)

The Aesthete: → Amethyst (elegant, refined, calming)

The Go-Getter: → Caffeine (energizing, focused, productive)

The Indecisive: → Try each for a week. Report back.

The “I Don’t Care About Themes” Person: → Default. You’ll literally never think about it again.



Find your vibe: Change your theme today in Settings → Appearance at trycakebudget.com

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