Chris Hemsworth and wife Elsa criticized for shoving son's face into birthday cake

Chris Hemsworth and his wife Elsa Pataky have been criticized online for shoving their son’s face into his birthday cake – a move that some have described as ‘ridiculous’ and even ‘violent’.

The couple, who have been married since 2010 and share three kids together, recently celebrated their twin sons’ ninth birthdays.

Instagram/@chrishemsworth

Thor star Hemsworth, 39, posted a photo of the family marking Sasha and Tristan’s big day, writing in the caption: "Happy 9th birthday to my two little men!"

The photo showed Pataky pushing one of their boys’ faces into the birthday cake, as the rest of the family laughed.

He went on: "Only one way to eat cake in this house and that’s to have mum slam your head into it face first!!"

Hemsworth then quoted a conversation between his son and wife, writing: "Hey mum I don’t like chocolate cake I prefer vanilla.”

Tagging Pataky, he added: "Oh really son, what about now?"

Instagram/@chrishemsworth

Less than 24 hours after it was shared to the actor’s 56.3 million Instagram followers, the post soon racked up more than one million likes.

However, in the comments, not everyone was quite so appreciative of the amusing stunt, with one writing: "Why people smash their kids face in the cake is above my understanding but whatever."

Someone else said: "Agreed. I think it’s ridiculous."

A third described the prank as ‘so violent’, while another questioned: “Whhhyyyyy do people think this is funny."

But some fans could see the humour in the birthday scene, saying it was just ‘a bit of play’, noting how ‘proud’ Hemsworth looked in the background as his brood - which also includes 10-year-old daughter India - enjoyed themselves.

Instagram/@chrishemsworth

"Because it’s funny and a family tradition and it give kids a memory to laugh at and then the look forward to it happening to their siblings and they share the joy,” one argued, with another saying: "Just a bit of basic humour… they look like they are having a good time together."

A third responded: "Violent? It’s a bit of play! Those kids are gonna grow up able to take a joke not be some little fairy who thinks having their head dipped in frosting is violent."

Another said it was a ‘fabulous age’ to get your ‘face slammed into a chocolate cake’, while someone else said it was the ‘correct and only way’ to consume a delicious birthday cake.

UNILAD has reached out to a representative for Hemsworth.