When Cake Was Invented: Cake's First Birthday

In my series of cake questions, another one of the top questions was, “When Cake Was Invented”.

The origins of cake are as mysterious as the last piece disappearing at a birthday party. Picture this: ancient Egyptians whipping up sweetened bread-like treats with honey, fruit, and nuts around 3000 BCE. Fast forward to the Greeks and Romans, who were indulging in dense, sweetened breads at their weddings and special occasions.

But it was the Middle Ages that really started to shape the cake we know and love today. With butter, eggs, and sugar becoming more available, bakers began creating lighter, more tender cakes. By the 17th century, cakes were getting fancy, gracing the tables of the upper crust at feasts and celebrations.

Then came the Industrial Revolution, bringing baking technology that made cakes accessible to all. Suddenly, everyone could enjoy a slice of cake, and the rest, as they say, is history.

Today, cakes are the life of the party, with flavors and varieties to suit every taste. And cakes, as I imagine they once were, still exist today like fig or date cakes (made with the mashed dried fruit into a compact form), and even the infamous and polarizing fruit cake.