The birthday cake is always the show stopper at any celebration. Whether you’re a kid or an adult, nothing beats digging into a huge piece of birthday cake. Where, though, did this mouthwatering custom that has become so commonplace even today originate? How did it develop into the dish that is expected at every holiday party? The development of the birthday cake is a fascinating window into the history of American cuisine.
Ancient Roman cakes, which were likely made with fruit and nuts, were served at festive occasions. The earliest cakes were really simple, but they would keep for months. At first, the only noticeable difference between a cake and a loaf of bread was that the former was sweet. More complicated and tasty cakes were manufactured as the art of baking developed and became a profession. When candles were first used to decorate a cake is a mystery. Some believe that ancient Greeks would arrange candles atop cakes to make them resemble the moon.
In medieval Germany, celebrating a child’s birthday with a delicious cake was a practice known as kinderfest. At the same time, English bakers started including unusual ingredients like thimbles and coins in their creations. It was believed that the cake eater would be struck with good or bad fortune depending on the object they found in their slice. Wishes made over a fire were thought to be carried to the skies by the smoke, which is where the custom of blowing out birthday candles originated. It is now customary to make a wish when one blows out each candle at a birthday cake, with the belief that their desire will come true if done in unison.
The background of the cake is interesting. The birthday cakes have been a mainstay of celebration for thousands of years, from its beginnings in ancient Greece and Rome through its peak in medieval Europe and its entrenchment in modern culture. So the next time you dig into a sweet birthday treat, think back on the tradition’s origins and the reasons it endures to this day. Remember to extinguish each candle with a single puff of air.
