November 19, 2007 - History of birthday cake

Everyone loves birthday cakes.  There is no one that does not like it because it represents a time of celebration.  A birthday cake has been around for many, many years and it seems to be something that will stick around for many more years to come.

There are many stories about birthday cakes from very far back in our history.  One of the most popular beliefs of where birthday celebrations came from would have to have originated in Europe with the Mithras cult.  They originally started in Persia and then were spread throughout Europe by Roman soldiers.  Here in this culture is where we first find the beginnings of birthday celebrations.

The birthday cake itself is always decorated in some way and now days it is covered in candles, which for some of us may require a fire extinguisher after they are all lit.  This use of a birthday cake is also said to have originated in ancient Greece.  In ancient Greece they would use honey cakes and breads to celebrate the birthday of someone.  In ancient Greece though they would celebrate the birthday three types of birthdays.  There was the individual birthday that was celebrated by the family and friends, there was also the celebration of past and present emperors or their family members, and then there was the celebration of a city and temples.  All these types of birthday celebrations were important and different types of honey cakes and breads were used.  For a 50th year celebration a honey cake made of wheat flour, cheese, honey and olive oil was used.

There are still other stories about birthday cakes starting in Germany and it started during the middle ages.  In Germany they would use sweet breads that were made into the shapes of baby Jesus in swaddling clothes to celebrate his birthday.  Later on the birthday cake came back as a celebration for a young child using the same kind of sweet breads.

In England during the middle ages people would bake birthday cakes with objects inside of them.  There were many different theories for finding certain objects.  It is said that if you find a thimble in your cake you will never marry.  Or if you find a gold coin in the cake you will be wealthy.  Today there are small items placed in cakes as a common ritual.  Small figures, fake coins and especially small candies are all things you would find in birthday cakes today.

In later times the discovery of yeast allowed the birthday cakes that we know today to make the entrance into what we now call birthday cakes.  During this same time people would pour batter into two hoop like pans and create their cakes.  This is where we get our round shaped cakes from.

In early America, cakes were considered a symbol of wealth among the people living on the east coast of the newly formed country.  Here birthday cakes differed from region to region but still had the same principle.

Birthday cakes have had a long and evolving trip from the early days of the birthday cakes origin.  What ever version of the stories you tend to believe more does not really matter.  Birthday cakes today are something that we all look forward to and we all enjoy eating.  To receive a birthday cake from someone on your birthday can mean a lot to someone.  So next time someone says that they do not want to celebrate with a birthday cake because they feel old you may want to let them know how old the birthday cake is and how far back in time its history is.