this one's gonna be quick because this is mostly a passing thought. i'm sure its unoriginal, probably incorrect, but it's anecdotal to me and my experiences. also just wanted to jot this down but i think this is still too long to be a twitter thread and i've been posting on twitter too much lately because things keep irritating me... anyway, i've been a fan of cakes for a long time. like religiously watched-ace-of-cakes-on-the-food-network-long...as we all know i enjoy pretty things and cakes tend to be really pwetty. cakes right now are also ,,, trending? i'm not sure how to explain this because cakes never fell off but it seems like everyone wants a hand at making a beautiful cake or taking a picture with one. i've recently seen new cake decorating classes similar to 'paint and sip' events, where people are not necessarily trying to get better at cake decorating but just want to make a nice cake one time . a lot of huge brands and influencers have been commissioning cake artists to create promotional (and edible) content for their launches and campaigns, and of course, there have been lots and lots of tutorials on how to create lunchbox cakes, frog cakes, heart cakes, cakes that aren't cake but are actually jewelry box, and so on i hope you know what i'm talking about..i don't know what this style is officially called so i'm gonna list off buzzwords that you would use on pinterest to find this type of aesthetic : bettycrockercore, americana, 50's housewife, jello mold cake, marie antoinette (2006), vintage cakes, and korean vintage cakes.

recently i've been seeing this cake reposted and it truly does make me think - it's popular because it's to-the-point, it's crass but juxtaposed with its sweet pink foundation, and to be honest it's quite plain and simple when compared with other cakes of this 'vibe.'¹

from my knowledge this specifically cutesy frilly extravagant accessorized craze began with korean cake decorators who heavily took inspiration from american cakesters of the 50s-70s (in the heyday of guest entertaining and homemaking as sport). women unfulfilled asf pouring over magazine pages promising wow-inducing cake piping results. i recall seeing this style from as early as 2015 on korean instagram accounts, who quickly adapted the source material into an elevated confection that seemed like it almost mocked miss betty crocker herself but felt too genuine and careful to be a bastardization. (see date posted on the below image from a famous cake shop in seoul! they've been doing this for almost a decade!) there's a sort of fixation on americanacore in the east, maybe due to the idealization of the 20th century and its promises or simply because the all-american 24 hrs diner milkshake soda shop drive-in theatre image is too yummy to resist .

it's funny because before korean cake decorators glamorized this style, it was mostly associated with grocery store cakes and inexpensive 8 year old birthday party sheet cakes. before this trend i think the modern dessert of choice was either a uniquely flavored cupcake or some cheesecake or ganache dark choco slice with a caramel drizzle on the plate. so my lazy thesis (perhaps more like an observation) is that non-americans successfully revamped a fully american practice and remarketed it back to americans, who now perform the same aesthetic with a little less gusto than before. this isn't to say there aren't american cake artists doing innovative & trendy things² but rather point out i don't think the elevated, 50s inspired birthday party cake can claim a 100% american core anymore. that makes it sound like cake decorators WERE making such claims. they weren't. i'm mostly fascinated with the way design and style moves through different cultures and landscapes, and how it returns to its site of origin............or something.

-mary

1. i actually think the thought behind cake is a combination of the current korean lunchbox style trend and the 2013-16 soft pastel grunge trend characterized by box mix cakes and gel icing reading 'sorry i did cocaine'. something made by lana del rey methinks. the difference is in the perceived effort but the poorly made aluminum foil pan cake AND the highly manicured heart cake both suggest i really don't give a fuck at the end of the day.↩

2. i love the ugly cake movement. @cakes4sport dominates this field. ↩