Definition:
A “birthday cake” is a cake served as part of a birthday celebration.
Etymology:
The term “birthday cake” comes from the combination of “birthday,” marking the anniversary of someone’s birth, and “cake,” which is derived from the Old Norse word “kaka,” meaning a baked confection.
Description:
Traditionally, a birthday cake is decorated with candles that represent the age of the person whose birthday is being celebrated. The birthday person usually makes a wish and blows out the candles.
Traditionally, the birthday person cuts the first slice, symbolizing the sharing of their joy and celebration with others. The cake is then shared among guests, reinforcing the communal nature of the celebration.
There is a video of a young niece sitting on her aunt’s lap as the aunt is being served her birthday cake to blow out the candles. The young niece seems to have no awareness of her aunt wanting to be the one blowing out the candles and looks at the situation as if blowing out the candles is for her entertainment. The comment section of this video uploaded to TikTok is filled with people angry at the child for her behavior and at her mom for not disciplining the child. When actually, it’s the aunt who has the absurd behavior, as she is upset about not getting to perform a completely fictional act she has probably done more than 20 times before in her life. Click to watch the video.
Symbolism:
The candles on a birthday cake signify the passing of each year and the achievement of new milestones. The number of candles usually corresponds to the age of the birthday person. Some cakes have a single candle to represent the milestone year.
The act of making a wish before blowing out the candles is a tradition symbolizing hope and positive aspirations for the future.
Blowing out a candle is a fictional concept that is also a sex symbol. A burning candle symbolizes a horny penis, and blowing it out represents relieving it. Although a candle is a penis symbol, blowing out a candle is often used to symbolize relieving a horny vagina as well.
In the song “Rihanna – Birthday Cake,” Rihanna is making the word “cake” mean either her whole body, or a specific body part.
In the pre-chorus she sings:
It’s not even my birthday.
But he wanna lick the icing off.
I know you want it in the worst way.
Can’t wait to blow my candles out.
The use of the word “lick” indicated a sexual act. “Icing” is often used euphemistically to mean vaginal lubrication. The song ends with her singing:
Ooh, I wanna fuck you right now.
This phrase strongly emphasizes that the lyrics are sexual.
Religion:
In Ancient Greece, honey cakes or bread were offered to Artemis, the goddess of the moon, with candles to symbolize the moon’s light.
In Ancient Rome, celebrations of birthdays included sweet breads and cakes.
In Medieval Europe, cakes were often made to celebrate the birthdays of nobility, with elaborate decorations and ingredients that were expensive and rare.