The birthday cake is the centerpiece of birthday parties around the world, but where exactly did this popular treat come from? How did it rise to its place of fame today? Cakes have played an important role in birthday festivities throughout a lot of human history, but they’ve changed a lot since their debut. Explore the evolution of everyone’s favorite birthday treat with this short and sweet history of birthday cakes.
The First Birthday Cakes
Some of the earliest birthday cakes started in ancient Greece and ancient Rome. Cakes were popular treats for birthdays and weddings in ancient Rome. Though these cakes were round like our traditional birthday cakes, they were sweetened with honey rather than sugar.
Ancient Greeks also celebrated birthdays with cakes. Additionally, they made cakes shortly after the start of the lunar year—these moon-shaped cakes honored Artemis, the Greek goddess of the moon. These moon cakes also included candles to represent the moon’s shine, marking the first known use of birthday candles.
Marketing From German Bakeries
Birthday cakes continued to change across time and cultures, but they began to resemble our modern birthday cakes during the 1400s, when German bakeries started advertising single-layer cakes for kids’ birthday parties. At the time, these treats were only affordable for wealthier families. But like many things, they became more accessible after the Industrial Revolution. As birthday cakes became more widespread in Germany, the cakes themselves became more extravagant. By the 1700s, birthday cakes were multi-layered treats that used confectioner’s sugar to make icing and other edible decorations.
The Evolution of Birthday Candles
Birthday candles also changed a lot throughout the history of birthday cakes. They started with an homage to Artemis in ancient Greece, but other ancient cultures also used lit candles during birthday celebrations—though not necessarily in cakes. The fire from the candles was meant to keep evil spirits at bay, while the smoke helped carry prayers to the gods.
When cakes became commonplace in Germany, so did the practice of including candles as cake decorations. German families would light one candle for each year of age, then light an extra one as a wish for another healthy year for the birthday child.
Getting Creative With Modern Cakes
From elite bakeries creating jaw-dropping masterpieces to kids drawing shaky letters in icing for their parents’ birthdays, birthday cakes are a beloved tradition across the world. While many people still enjoy a traditional single-layer cake, there are also countless creative spins on this sweet treat. Cakes with fun fillings, cartoonish shapes, and colorful decorations are the highlight of many birthday parties. Alternatively, many families celebrate with a plate of frosted cupcakes, cake pops, and other cake-based treats. No matter how you celebrate, though, a bite of cake remains one of the best—and most delicious—ways to share your special day with family and friends.
You don’t have to be a master baker to make a beautiful and delicious birthday cake. Check out the cake baking sets available at Damask Cakes and find all the tools and ingredients you need to create a colorful and tasty treat for your celebration.
