In defense of ‘ugly’ cakes

A recent opinion piece in The Cut has rankled the baking community, especially those who have small cottage baking businesses they run out of their homes. In the article, the author disparaged trendy Instagram and TikTok cake creations that are full of piped decorations, bedazzled with glitter-coated fruits, and overall just exuberant in their presentation. Joy Saha, writing for Salon, springs to the defense of the unfairly-maligned bakers.

Saha points out that while the author, Bindu Bansinath, has the right to her opinion, she is dismissive of the creations while barely acknowledging the skill and artistry evident in the cakes. It’s one thing to think a cake is over the top or even gaudy, but another thing to make disparaging comments about bakers whose cakes you have never even tasted. Many bakers responded to the article, including some big names like Duff Goldman of the Food Network show Ace of Cakes.

“In a culture of ever increasing shifts towards digital, non-human, and/or mass production, why would we seek to diminish the importance of products made by human hands with craft and care?” Goldman posted, adding “Celebrate skill. Celebrate small business. Support the people, the real people, who follow their dreams…Keep baking those beautiful cakes.” As a baker who likes to put a lot of decoration on her creations, I wholeheartedly agree.