History of pavlova cake

The pavlova is an airy dessert made from crisp meringue shell topped with whipped cream and fruit. The first known recipe for a dish bearing the name 'Pavlova' is from Australia in 1926 published by the Davis Gelatine company in Sydney.

The pavlova is named after the famed Russian ballerina Anna Pavlova, who toured Australia and New Zealand in 1926. Anna Pavlova was a superstar of her day, adored and admired all over the world. As a result, many chefs across the world named their dishes after her from the ‘Pavlova ice cream’ in America to the ‘frogs’ legs à la Pavlova’ in France – with the first found recipe of a glacé type of dessert known as ‘strawberries Pavlova’ found in Auckland, in 1911.

Both Australia and New Zealand claim to have invented the pavlova. In Australia, chef Herbert “Bert” Sachse is claimed to have created the pavlova at Perth's Esplanade Hotel in 1935, and it was named by the house manager, Harry Nairn, who remarked it was “as light as pavlova”.

The first reference to a "Pavlova Cake Sweet" (were there savoury pavlovas) appears, in the Australian Women Weekly of Saturday, 19 July 1937.

But New Zealanders claim the meringue version also originated there, with recipes for it appearing in publications in 1928 and 1929.

However, according to the latest discovery, during 18th century large meringue constructions incorporating cream and fruit elements could be found in aristocratic kitchens across German-speaking lands.

The first Pavlova-like recipe was a meringue, cream and fruit torte named Spanische Windtorte, eaten by Austrian Habsburgs in the 18th century.

Soon, women in middle-class European kitchens began creating meringue cakes topped with whipped cream, nuts and fruit or fruit preserves. Europe was in turmoil with the Napoleonic wars in the 1800s and when people moved and settled in other lands, the pavlova-like desserts went with them.
History of pavlova cake

History of cupcake

The cupcake was invented in the United States in the 19th century. American Cookery is the first known cookbook written by an American. when a recipe for "a light cake to bake in small cups" was written. The book reveals the rich variety of food Colonial Americans enjoyed, their tastes, cooking and eating habits, even their colorful language.

The earliest extant documentation of the term cupcake itself was in "Seventy-five Receipts for Pastry, Cakes, and Sweetmeats" in 1828 in Eliza Leslie's Receipts cookbook.

Andrea Broomfield, a culinary historian and an English professor says that the earliest known cupcake recipes in England date to the 1850s and that their popularization was slow.

In the beginning, cupcakes were sometimes called “number” cakes, because they were easy to remember by the measurements of ingredients it took to create them: One cup of butter, two cups of sugar, three cups of flour, four eggs, one cup of milk, and one spoonful of soda.

During 19th-century- cupcakes were baked in individual pottery cups before muffin tins or ramekins were available. That is how this the sweet delicacy received its delicious name

Original cupcake recipes were not frosted, and usually were usually just flavored with spices or dried fruit. Cupcakes started gaining popularity in the early 2000’s when NYC shops like Magnolia Bakery were featured on Sex and the City.
History of cupcake

History of wedding cakes

Wedding cakes date as far as the Roman Empire, around 400 BC. Bread was initially used, but wedding cakes have elaborated into sweeter pastry over time.

For ancient people wheat was a symbol of fertility and bountiful harvest. Guests in ancient Rome pitching grains of wheat at the bride and groom, to encourage fertility in their union. As the custom evolved, bringing small wheat cakes to the wedding banquet became common practice.

As early as 100 BC in Rome, a piece of dense fruit cake or sweet bread was eaten by the groom and the remainder of the cake was crumbled over the bride’s head so that she would be blessed by the gods with fertility and fulfilling life. The guest ate the crumbs which were believed to be good luck.

Later, a variation of the custom found its way to England, where guests brought small cakes to the ceremony. The cakes were put into a pile, and the bride and groom stood over the pile and kissed.

In Victorian times, there were usually three wedding cakes: one elaborate cake and two smaller ones for the bride and groom. Hers was white and his dark. Hers was cut into a many pieces as there were attendants often favors were baked inside for luck.

Until the eighteenth century, when refined flour and processed sugar became available, wedding cakes were usually dense fruitcakes baked in advance of the celebration and soaked in spirits to preserve them.

Multitiered cakes did not develop until the latter part of the nineteenth century, when at first the layers were simply laid one upon the other.

Today cakes are stacked generally in two or more layers, rather than separated in tiers held up by plastic pillars.

Modern designs have smooth sides, which are achieved with rolled fondant – a French term for confectionary icing that is rolled like pastry dough and produces a seamless finish.
History of wedding cakes

History of birthday cake

Ancient Egyptians were the first to adopt the idea of birthday celebrations, which later became a part of Greek culture.

The custom of the birthday cake was observed in ancient Greece and the birthday cake began with Greeks who used to make honey cakes or bread.

Ancients Greek also was known used to make ‘birthday cakes’ to celebrate the moon. The cakes were round like the moon and candles were added to make them glow.

Others said that the birthday cake tradition was started in Germany in the Middle Ages where a sweetened bread dough was made in the shape of the baby Jesus in swaddling clothes and was used to commemorate his birthday.

In the last 200 years, a birthday cake has assumed an increasingly important role in birthday party food.

The song of ‘Happy Birthday’ was composed in 1893 as ‘Good Morning to All by Mildred and Patty Hill, both were kindergarten teachers. However, the original words were change is unknown.

Birthday candles originally were placed on cakes to bring birthday wishes up to God. In ancient times, people prayed over the flames of an open fire.

Some scholars claim that modern birthday cake, topped with candles, are related to those once created for Artemis. The lit candles are reminders of the sacred fires of this ancient Greek deities.

Artemis, goddess of the moon and the hunt, celebrate her birthday on the sixth day of every month by baking a large cake of flour and honey, topped with lighted candles.

Blowing out the candles and ‘making wish’ are obviously remnants of forgotten magical rituals – perhaps those performed to gain favor of Artemis.
History of birthday cake