Cake Day is a holiday celebrated annually in the United States on November 26th, used to celebrate the dessert ubiquitous to nearly all American households: the cake. After all, nearly every American household will eat cake at some point during the year, whether it’s for a birthday, an anniversary, retirement celebrations, or school graduations. Therefore, it seems like a good day to honor the centerpiece of all these celebrations – the cake.

History of Cake Day

Cake is a dessert with a long history. It can be traced back to the Vikings, who used the Old Norse term “kaka” to denote a baked flour confection that was usually sweetened with honey. It is believed to have been made shortly after the invention of bread.

In Western civilization, the development of cake continued throughout the centuries. Cakes in the United States were eventually borrowed from the British, who, in turn, had borrowed from the Greeks. During the early 18th century, pound cakes were all the rage, and one of the most popular at this time was the Washington Cake.

Washington Cakes were frequently steamed pound cakes flavored with a variety of spices, as well as dried currants and raisins. One of the most famous ones was made by Mary Simpson, also known as Mary Washington, who was the freed slave of President George Washington.

She prepared this cake to commemorate Washington’s Birthday, and it was an instant success, leading to a number of different imitations during the 19th century and the proliferation of Washington Cakes during this period.

In the 19th century, Strawberry Shortcakes began to gain popularity. Although these cakes date back to the 15th century in Europe, the American versions made during this time were lighter, fluffier, and less dense than their European counterparts due to the process of chemical leavening.

Thanks to a Dole Pineapple recipe contest in 1926, Pineapple Upside Down Cake became popular from the 1920s through the 1960s. In the 1930s, commercial cake mixes began to become available, providing homemakers with an inexpensive way to make cakes during the Great Depression.

Over the years, a variety of different cakes became popular with the American public. These included Carrot Cakes, Boston Cream Pies, Monkey Bread, Angel Food and Devil’s Food Cake, Kentucky Bourbon Cake, King Cake, Black Forest Cake, German Chocolate Cake, and cheesecakes.

Although it isn’t currently known when Cake Day was created, one thing is certain: it is a day that celebrates a well-loved dessert, not only in the United States but all over the world.

Cake Day Customs & Celebrations

The best way to celebrate Cake Day is to eat cake with your friends and family. You can try one of the many cake recipes that can be found on the internet today. Be sure that after you bake or buy your cake, you snap a picture of it and post it to social media using the hashtag #cakeday or #nationalcakeday. That way, everyone can witness you taking part in this festive holiday.