Hayden Panettiere

Heroes' Hayden Panettiere Sweet 18!

By RENNIE DYBALL

UPDATED 09/10/2007 at 01:00 AM EDT • Originally published 09/10/2007 at 01:00 AM EDT

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!"