Learn the sweet story behind this popular treat.
Creamy double chocolate. Colorful Funfetti. Classic vanilla. With so many flavors, it’s hard to pick a favorite type of birthday cake! But have you ever wondered how this scrumptious birthday treat got its start?
Cakes for Kids
People have been baking cakes for thousands of years. The modern birthday cake dates back about 250 years, to a celebration called “Kinderfeste.” Parents in Germany marked their kids’ birthdays by giving gifts and baking cakes.
Sugar, the ingredient that sweetens cakes, was expensive at the time. So these treats tasted more like bread than dessert. But they did have something in common with today’s cakes—candles! The number of candles on the cake added up to the child’s age, plus one more for the year ahead.
Later, when German people moved to the United States, they brought their cakes with them. Sugar also became cheaper. People could now afford to make cakes sweeter. And new machines helped people bake cakes faster. All across the country, Americans were whipping up tasty cakes for birthdays.
A New Song
In the 1890s, two sisters wrote a song called “Good Morning to All.” Eventually, the words changed to “Happy birthday to you.” The new song was a hit—and still is today! People started writing “Happy Birthday!” on cakes in colorful frosting to match the popular song.
Today birthday cakes come in all shapes and sizes. There are ice cream cakes, rainbow cakes, cakes that look like animals, and more! What cake will you choose for your next birthday?
Paragraph Power
Write a short paragraph summarizing the history of the birthday cake.
Can't Miss Teaching Extras
In the mood for even more dessert? Read the paired texts article “The History of Yum/When Chocolate Tasted Yucky” to learn how chocolate became America’s favorite candy.
If you’re looking for a birthday-themed debate, look no further than “Should You Invite Everyone to Your Birthday Party?,” “Should Sweets Be Banned From School Parties?,” and “Is There a Better Way to Wrap Presents?”
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