Vintage Cake Decorating Is The Nostalgic Trend All Over TikTok

If you haven't noticed, vintage is in. Everywhere you look, products of the past are resurfacing in many forms, from vinyl records to '90s fashion and film photography. Although it might sound a bit strange, vintage food is also trendy. Don't worry, we're not talking about those unsettling jelly molds filled with Vienna sausages from the '80s. We're talking about cake decoration.

While modern cake design might boast fault lines filled with edible geodes or more sleek, minimalist designs reflective of contemporary architecture, retro cakes are timeless. Bakers and cake designers across TikTok have been celebrating cake culture with their own iterations of some of history's most iconic cake designs.

The retro cakes storming social media have faded in and out of style for hundreds of years. Originally inspired by the elegant glamor of the mid-1700s French Rococo era, these coquettish cakes are characterized by their gaudy, ruffled piping and dainty pastel colors. These ethereal vintage cakes resurfaced in popularity across the '50s, '60s, '70s, and '80s and have once again found their way back — more whimsical than ever — to modern baking culture.

Don't let the term "retro" fool you: Vintage cake design has withstood the test of time. Vintage cakes are crowd-pleasing pieces of art that are as easy on the eyes are they are on the tastebuds. Often baked in the shape of a heart and topped with cherries, pearls made from icing, and whimsical piping reminiscent of a luxurious garland draped over a fireplace, it's no wonder retro cakes are back in style on TikTok.

@vintagecakeshtx

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♬ Melting – Sped Up – INDRAGERSN

Although they can be showy and gilded, vintage cakes be modest, too. For a more basic design, you can make a bashful, one-tiered cake with pastel icing and edges made of crimped piping. If you want something magnificent and grand, decorate a multi-tiered cake with delicate flowers, buttercream ribbons, and elegant cursive writing. Whether you make your designs showy or classic, these sublime, retro cakes are also perfect for anniversaries, weddings, birthdays, graduation celebrations, or an afternoon picnic with friends.

One person on Twitter summed up our thoughts on the trend by simply saying, "Vintage style fairy garden cakes are so so so so so so so so pretty!" In an interview with Elle Australia, a Sydney-based baker named Tash says people are drawn to this particular style of cake because they are "a combination of nostalgia, character, personality, and above all — personally curated art that you can eat."

Next time you want to celebrate with desserts, enjoy a slice of history with a vintage cake.