Birthday Cake

After polishing off the last piece of a family member's birthday cake, I found myself pondering something. Where does the tradition of a birthday cake come from? Why do we feel so entitled to have one?

This tradition dates back to the Roman empire. Flat cakes adorned with nuts and honey for a sweet flavour were served on birthdays. More commonly, cakes were served at Greek weddings. For many years, the words for bread and cake were interchangeable, the only difference being that a cake is sweetened and bread is not.

Because cake is a treat, oftentimes it was available only to the wealthy. Over time it became more accessible to those of lower income, and eventually an almost guaranteed item presented on your birthday.