Mental Floss

9 Historic Moments Captured in Cake

1. Eruption of Mt. Vesuvius

KefiraDalila’s Pompeii cake may not look all that professional, but that's just part of its charm. Clean-edged fondant sculptures have no place in the chaos of an erupting volcano, and as a bonus, this cake tastes like Teddy Grahams and Fruit by the Foot.

2. First Voyage of Christopher Columbus

In celebration of Columbus Day, TLC’s Cake Boss, Buddy Valastro, created this stunning three-part cake that depicts the travels of the Niña, Pinta and Santa Maria across the turbulent Atlantic. While the cake looks impressive in the picture, it’s even more so when you consider that it had to be moved with a forklift because it is so large.

3. Beheading of Marie Antoinette

Miss Antoinette may never have actually said “let them eat cake,” but that doesn’t make Kakebakery's cake featuring the demise of "Prisoner No. 280" much less ironic.

4. American Civil War

This cake was made by Joseph Pelot’s fiancé to celebrate the 60th birthday of one of their Civil War reenactment friends. She used clay to make molds from the belt buckle and buttons and then created edible fondant items using the molds.

5. Bikini Atoll Atomic Bomb Tests

In 1946, a number of high ranking military officials celebrated the detonation of the largest atomic bomb ever tested by the U.S. with a smashing party that featured this massive A-bomb cake. Unsurprisingly, as the image got around, dubbed “Atomic Age Angel Food” by the press, those involved faced massive criticism from people around the globe for their tasteless celebration.

6. Women in Space

Starting with Valentina Vladimirovna Tereshkova’s first trip into space in 1963, female astronauts have, indeed, come a long way. This cake is a great memorial of their hard work and dedication… despite the obvious phallic imagery that earned it a place on Cake Wrecks.

7. Woodstock

While there are plenty of generic “hippie cakes,” none of them quite capture the time period like this elaborately detailed Woodstock cake that was displayed at the 10th Annual Culinary Olympics. It features two protesters not-warring on top of a pile of drugs, protest signs and musical instruments.

8. Ronald Reagan's Life and Presidency

Too much hippie-dippy nonsense on the last cake? Let's balance it out with the Conservative Political Action Conference’s cake commemorating Ronald Reagan’s 100th birthday, featuring defining moments of his presidency and his favorite places.

9. Chicago’s 174th Anniversary

Every celebration needs a cake, and when the celebration in question is Chicago's birthday, it is only fitting that the cake includes a reference to the Great Chicago Fire of 1871. Thank you to Flickr user Chicago Man for the image.