The Evolution of Birthday Cakes
I can still remember the smells wafting from the Moorestown Mall Bakery…sugar, butter and cream, oh my! My hands and nose were pressed against the glass counter as my eyes took in all the beautiful cakes and pastries. Beautiful ruffles of icing draping around the sides, the perfectly swirled roses of pink, purple, yellow and puffy shells that trimmed the borders of each and every birthday cake! Oh how I yearned for one of my own!
When did I finally get one you ask?
It was my 10th birthday and I was having a “pizza party”. No big deal now but back in the 70’s…oh yea, it was rockin’! My friends, my 45’s, pizza from Italian Pavilion and cake from the Moorestown Mall Bakery. Just the fact that I was getting a “bakery cake” was the cool factor for me.
Now you’d think that at this point I’m going to tell you that it was the best cake I’d ever tasted but the truth was…it was awful. Unfortunately the taste was not equal to its beauty! Not nearly as good as my mom used to make.
My favorite was (and still is) Chocolate Wacky Cake covered with Fluffy White Frosting and chocolate glaze drizzled around the edges. What IS a Chocolate Wacky Cake? It’s a depression era recipe that was created back when there was a shortage of eggs. It’s the absence of eggs that makes it “wacky”! The recipe was given to my mom when she was a newlywed and has been a family favorite for as long as I can remember.
So how have children’s birthday cakes changed from when I was a little girl? As a baker and children’s party planner I’ve seen things evolve quite a bit over the years.
With the popularity of the Food Network and shows like Cake Boss, Ace of Cakes and Cupcake Wars, cakes have become architectural works of art. Your cake can be sculpted into virtually anything you can imagine using fondant, modeling chocolate, plywood, PVC pipe and maybe some Craftsman tools. It’s amazing!
So, now that the creative bar has been raised what does this mean to you, dear old Mom and Dad? It means that if you’re considering ordering one of these magnificent works of art for your kids next birthday party you may also have to consider taking a second mortgage on your house. What you used to pay for the entire party you may now be paying just for the birthday cake alone!
Fundamentally though, it gets down to the simple basic fact that as much as we want to give our kids the best birthday party ever, investing in a $500 cake may not be the way to go. Why? Because there are some things that will never change when it comes to kids and cake. Chocolate or vanilla and will they lick the icing off the top and leave the cake or will they eat the cake and blow off the icing!
Then check out our new workshop exclusively offered to Girl Scout Troops only. Ace of Cupcakes is a hands on class where girls get to learn some of the basic tips and techniques of cake decorating.
Like munching on Hot Pockets? Forget the freezer section and learn how to your make own using our fabulous flaky pastry crust! We'll create sweet and savory versions, such as Cinnamon Apple Pie and Turkey Club Pockets. Baked or fried, you'll love these treats after school or any time of day!
