A Cakewalk Through History: The Evolution of Cake and its Identity in America

My presentation will be a historical timeline of American cake and its evolution between the late 1700s and now. In this timeline, I will address the resource availability, cultural and historical changes, and innovations that have influenced its evolution. Cakes are a reflection upon the time they were popularized, and this presentation will reveal several perspectives on the interplay between cake and the relevant cultural and historical climates. Supplementing this timeline, I will discuss cake’s identity and how it has changed over the centuries. I will argue that the cake of 1780s America holds a much different meaning than the cake of the 21st century. I will explore how cake has now become more accessible and its identity has changed over time through influencing factors such as technology and modern media