Jessica Batalana

In 15th century Germany, if you had any extra money at all, you might have actually purchased a birthday cake. That's sort of where, you know, lore says that birthday cakes got their origins. They weren't like the cakes that we think of today. They were single layer cakes, likely quite dense, likely lightly sweetened because sugar was expensive. You know, there was no commercial leavener.

In 15th century Germany, if you had any extra money at all, you might have actually purchased a birthday cake. That's sort of where, you know, lore says that birthday cakes got their origins. They weren't like the cakes that we think of today. They were single layer cakes, likely quite dense, likely lightly sweetened because sugar was expensive. You know, there was no commercial leavener.

So you were at the whims of, you know, natural leavening or perhaps unleavened. And also, sadly, no frosting. These sound gross. It's a birthday cake, I think, in name alone. It's not really one that resembles what we have for birthdays today. I think that tradition really started during the Industrial Revolution because sugar became cheaper.

So you were at the whims of, you know, natural leavening or perhaps unleavened. And also, sadly, no frosting. These sound gross. It's a birthday cake, I think, in name alone. It's not really one that resembles what we have for birthdays today. I think that tradition really started during the Industrial Revolution because sugar became cheaper.

Industrial milling made white flour available to the masses. I'm sure the 15th century cakes were made with some stone ground, real nutty flours.

Industrial milling made white flour available to the masses. I'm sure the 15th century cakes were made with some stone ground, real nutty flours.

Exactly. And then commercial leavenings became introduced. Of course, let's not forget about the reliability of ovens, you know, that you weren't baking in a wood-fired oven anymore, which made it much more possible to have, you know, a cake that turned out well every time. And then by the time we get to the 1930s, box cake mixes were invented. And then after World War II, of course...

Exactly. And then commercial leavenings became introduced. Of course, let's not forget about the reliability of ovens, you know, that you weren't baking in a wood-fired oven anymore, which made it much more possible to have, you know, a cake that turned out well every time. And then by the time we get to the 1930s, box cake mixes were invented. And then after World War II, of course...

They started to be aggressively marketed as a convenience product to housewives. And people definitely took the bait on that because now they're a party staple. And you see everything from like the sprinkle laden funfetti cakes to themed sheet cakes, you know, from Fudgy the Whale to those beautiful buttercream dream cakes.

They started to be aggressively marketed as a convenience product to housewives. And people definitely took the bait on that because now they're a party staple. And you see everything from like the sprinkle laden funfetti cakes to themed sheet cakes, you know, from Fudgy the Whale to those beautiful buttercream dream cakes.

But like I said earlier, I just feel like it's not a birthday unless there's cake.

But like I said earlier, I just feel like it's not a birthday unless there's cake.

Yeah, I call foul.

Yeah, I call foul.

We could all use a birthday moment in a regular day.

We could all use a birthday moment in a regular day.

I think a sheet cake is such a great choice for a birthday cake. I think they are easier to make and frost. No, I know they're easier to make and frost. It's not that I think because, you know, you're not trying to stack layers. You have this like nice canvas sort of to work with. They feed a crowd. Sheet cakes were once the domain of grocery store cakes. bakeries, they weren't fancy, right?

I think a sheet cake is such a great choice for a birthday cake. I think they are easier to make and frost. No, I know they're easier to make and frost. It's not that I think because, you know, you're not trying to stack layers. You have this like nice canvas sort of to work with. They feed a crowd. Sheet cakes were once the domain of grocery store cakes. bakeries, they weren't fancy, right?

Like people would have a wedding cake and in the back they have the sheet cake to cut up. Like it wasn't the showpiece cake, but that has totally changed. And now lots of bakeries make these really beautiful, lavishly decorated sheet cakes, you know, with squiggles, with fresh flowers, with fruit.

Like people would have a wedding cake and in the back they have the sheet cake to cut up. Like it wasn't the showpiece cake, but that has totally changed. And now lots of bakeries make these really beautiful, lavishly decorated sheet cakes, you know, with squiggles, with fresh flowers, with fruit.