• Burn-Away Cake conquers TikTok, becoming the hottest trend lately.
It is not the first time that the widely used Social Media platform becomes a medium for launching the latest trend. Some time before this incendiary cake, TikTok, famous for its theatrical bent, has gone viral with so-called stab cakes, starting with the music video Blank Space of the famous Taylor Swift.
Now a new dramatic dessert is taking over the TikTok scene: flammable creations that are ignited to reveal an image hidden beneath another decoration. The trend has gone viral lately – which is no surprise, actually. TikTok loves a show-stopping dessert, and this assortment is perfect for many memorable situations and events in a man's life: birthday parties, marriage proposals, and even revealing the gender of the future baby.
Hashtag #burnawaycake has amassed 223 million views on TikTok to date, and it's more than likely not going to stop there. What's next? We will probably continue to witness a wave of ideas and the overflowing imagination of confectionary enthusiasts and professionals who stay focused on the rising trends.
What are Burn-Away cakes?
A guy cake "burn away" is a classic cake with frosting, covered with a printed image on special edible paper, which is then set on fire to reveal another image or message hidden underneath. These desserts are all over TikTok right now, and the Canadian pastry chef Namaya Navaratnaranjah, from Ontario, is spearheading this trend through her account @CakesByNams.
Namaya Navaratnaranjah popularized the trend on TikTok, although she admitted that she did not invent the unique decorating style, but first saw the idea from cake maker Denise Steward, who made a similar New Year's themed cake for a partnership with edible ink and paper brand Paper2Eat in mid-December 2023. Other videos show that the technique has been around for at least a few years.
Inspired by this video of Denise Steward, Namaya started baking cakes burn-away inspired by pop culture and memes. The most popular design? Surprise: a creation official teaser with Taylor Swift's theme announcing the album's release Reputation, which has garnered over 2,5 million views.
The creation inspired by the film also went viral Mean Girls, in which an image was removed to reveal a quote from the film, along with a photo of Queen George. Other examples of inspired cakes created by Namaya Navaratnaranjah are Pokémon cakes, Halloween cakes, Valentine's Day cakes and more.
The trend spread like wildfire, with people all over the world posting their own variations. Even celebrities got in on the act: Ellen DeGeneres, for example, celebrated her 66th birthday with a teal-hued cake with a top layer that read "Happy Birthday", revealing, when set on fire, Ellen's name underneath.
How are these special tortures done?
cakes burn-away are made using a printer with edible ink. First, the cake is covered with an image that is printed on a sheet of white frosting – this is the image that will be revealed, and that's because the frosting and edible ink are not inflammable themselves and are more difficult to ignite.
Another thin sheet of rice paper is printed on top or waffle, and then the cake is bordered with a frosting border. As a result of the starch and oils in the rice or waffle paper, the top layer burns when ignited, while the thicker, sugar-based sheet is unaffected. The edge of the glaze creates a space that serves to protect the lower layer from the flames.
If you don't own a food printer and you still want to try this technique a DIY version can be made using food grade markers or food dyes.
Are Burn-Away cakes safe?
There is always the possibility that you will face some risk if you work with fire. But when it comes to this dessert, the threat level is relatively low. Incidentally, birthday cakes generally use lit candles.
The slow, gentle flames of the cake burn-away it gradually diminishes once they reach the border of the glaze. So, even though the effect looks dramatic, the flame is actually quite weak. And if the cake is made too long before the event, the flames are so delicate that they lose their burning power. And if it is left in the refrigerator for more than a day, it will not catch fire because the top layer will absorb too much moisture.
Photo source: ; @ellendegeneres; @angelinabakerynyc.
Article written by Gabriela Dan, Editor of Arta Albă
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