Everything is better with a little bit of cake
26 November is National Cake Day. Here are a few fun facts about everyone's favourite dessert.
Cake is the perfect addition to every occasion: birthday parties, end-of-year functions, and weddings, to name a few. From when it was first discovered by the ancient Greeks, when it was more of a dense gingerbread eaten with nuts, to now when it can be enjoyed with all sorts of fun fillings and icings, cake has been one of pop culture's most-loved foods.
On 26 November, the United States celebrates National Cake Day. Here are a few interesting ideas and beliefs about the versatile dessert.
- Cake can help you meet the love of your life. During the 17th century, in England, people believed that keeping fruitcakes under the pillow of those who are unmarried will give them sweet dreams about their fiancee.
- Cupcakes have been around for over 200 years. The first mention of the cupcake can be traced as far back as 1796, when a recipe notation of “a light cake to bake in small cups” was written in American Cookery by Amelia Simmons.
- Cakes can be turned into towering works of art. The tallest cake measured 33m and was made by Hakasima-Nilasari Culinary School for the event Amazing Christmas and exhibited in Senayan City, Jakarta, Indonesia, from 28 November to 8 December 2008.
- Cakes have long been associated with style and grace. The "cakewalk" originated in African American communities in the Southern United States and was originally a competition in graceful walking, with cake awarded as a prize.
- Wedding cake evolved from many strange traditions, including one in Ancient Rome which involved bread being broken over the bride’s head to bring good fortune to the couple.
Source: South Florida Reporter
What kind of cake do you like most? Go out and get a slice - or two - to enjoy National Cake Day with.
Image: Antonio Quagliata