4 Curious Facts About Cakes & Baking You didn't Know

Time and again we all indulge a celebratory piece of cake for birthdays, weddings and any auspicious occasions. But do you ever stop to think, how the tradition of celebrating with a cake came about? Ever think about all the curious little facts and traditions revolving around cakes and baking?

Today cakes are easily available at any bakery around the block. One can even search and order cake online from websites like Bakeway and such other online portals, and also get it delivered at the doorstep. But in ancient Roman times ?cake? symbolised prestige and was a privilege enjoyed only by the elite class.

According to historians the very first culture to show evidence of baking was in ancient Greek, where cake or ?plakous? was a kind of flat heavy bread made from flour, eggs, milk, honey and nuts. It wasn?t until the Renaissance that the current form of sponge cake that is leavened with beaten eggs evolved. History of cakes is rich with rituals and allegories from different cultures and countries. Here is a small compilation of the 4 curious cake and baking related facts and rituals from all around the globe.

1. Why are cakes round?

Though we now have cakes in innumerable shapes, round cake has always been and still persists to be the popular choice of the people. Cakes traditionally were made in round shape only. Not only for the ease of it but also this shape symbolises the cyclical nature of the Sun and Moon. This is probably the core reason why cakes are so important for any celebration, symbolising the start of a new journey.

2. Why is it called the royal icing?

Cake is never complete without an icing. Did you know this creamy add-on to a cake got it?s accolade of ?Royal? when a white icing was used to decorate Queen Victoria?s wedding cake in 1840? In fact, during the Victorian era it was considered that pristine white frosted wedding cake symbolizes purity of the virgin bride.

3. Where did the tradition of popular tiered wedding cake start?

Ever wondered where and how the tradition of having multi-layered cakes started? It actually has quite a romantic beginning. It all started in late 18th century London when a young apprentice by the name of William Rich, in Ludgate hill fell in love with his master?s daughter. In a pursuit to win her heart and gain approval for marriage, he created a huge multi-layered cake. It was inspired from the the towering spires of St Bride?s Church. Since then it has been quite a fashion to have wedding cakes in multiple layers.

4. How Fondant cakes came to be?

The art of making tall and elaborate wedding cakes has inspired bakers and artists around the globe to create the most beautiful towering masterpiece with fondant. Interestingly enough it is said that the idea of fondant cakes was inspired by a French chef. It was a popular practice at wedding ceremonies in medieval Britain to stack up small spiced buns and scones brought by the guest. The newlyweds would then try to kiss each other over the pile. If the duo succeeded to kiss without toppling it over, it bestowed prosperity and happiness to the couple. Horrified by this crude custom of simply piling buns, a French chef added a classy edge by coating the stack with sweetened flour icing; what later turned out to be the earliest version of fondant.

Cakes have been around since ages, varying from culture to culture, inspiring traditions, and influencing the bakeries and cake artists for centuries. While we all sit back and enjoy the delicious temptation these sweet treat, it is interesting to know the history and all these curious facts that went into the making of the version of cake we relish today.

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