It seems that Instagram is awash with lavishness. Weddings, fast cars, fancy holidays, it’s all a race to the bottom (or perhaps to the top?) of excess. One such recent phenomenon that has been plaguing my feed has been over the top birthday cakes — layer upon layer of decadence, agonising displays of excess, all for the purpose of garnering as much engagement as possible.
Naturally, this trend began with Sir Winston Churchill, as most things do. After the Second World War, Churchill’s birthday suddenly became a topic of interest both to the press and the public. Each year, photographers would descend upon his home at Chartwell to see his birthday cakes, each of which was designed to showcase his career, achievements and interesting, using the time-honoured tradition of sponge and icing.
By the late 1950s, public interest had grown so large that the cakes had their own press call at the bakery, before they were sent off to take centre stage on the big day. Maria Floris, the Hungarian pastry chef who created the cakes, also became something of a celebrity, becoming the preferred baker to the Royal Family and High Society.
To celebrate what would have been Churchill’s 150th birthday, the National Trust is displaying newly colourised photographs of his cakes at Chartwell. Titled ‘Winston’s Spectacular Cakes,’ a specially selected series of rare archive photographs will tell the little-known story of Churchill’s birthday showstoppers; one highlight will be an image of his 80th birthday cake, which weighed more than 100lbs, was decorated with 80 candles, and almost didn’t fit through the door at 10, Downing Street.
Another image shows a cake with golden roses to celebrate Churchill and his wife Clementine’s golden wedding anniversary, while another showstopper is dedicated to his love of horses. Try as they might, the Instagrammers will struggle to beat Britain’s greatest Prime Minister when it comes to a birthday bash.
For more information on Winston's Spectacular Cakes at Chartwell, visit the National Trust website
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