From PEOPLE Magazine Click to enlarge
For Hayden Panettiere, turning 18 means not having to choose just one dessert. At her Aug. 21 birthday bash, held at Malibu's LG House, the Heroes actress served up a red velvet cake, ice-cream cones and a chocolate fountain—complete with marshmallows and Oreos to dip. "I'm a dessert girl, and the desserts were amazing," says pal and partygoer Kristen Bell.

Equally sweet? When Hayden cut the cake, recalls a guest, "She said, 'If you're here, that means you're someone very special in my life.'" In addition to getting their sugar fixes, guests dined on pasta and sushi and angled for a spot at the poker table—a hit with Heroes and civilians alike. Says the guest: "People were jostling for seats!"